German and English Higher Education Systems

This assignment explores and compares the higher education systems in Germany and England. It analyzes aspects such as tuition fees, practical skills development, research opportunities, and the overall quality of education offered in both countries. The analysis highlights the strengths and weaknesses of each system, ultimately recommending areas where England can improve to better align with the effectiveness of the German system.

Autumn 17
English for Academic Purposes 1 (EAP 1) Portfolio (EAPA3004)
Name:
Student Number:
Tutor name:
This is your EAP 1 Portfolio. Please save a copy on your computer and back it up regularly (e.g. by
saving it on your computer / in the cloud (e.g. Google Drive) / emailing it to yourself. You will receive
a printed copy which you should bring to all lectures and tutorials. However, at the end of the course,
you need to submit a completed electronic copy. Please refer to suggested word counts for each task
included within this portfolio.

Assessed Learning Outcomes (LOs):
1. Produce cohesive and coherent elements of academic writing.
2. Read, compare and summarise written academic texts.
Week Contents Page Learning
Outcome
Section 1: Portfolio Evidence
(These tasks will often be drafted in class and are designed to inform the written task in section 2.
Suggested word counts are included are in brackets.)
1 Portfolio evidence I: Self-evaluation checklist 3 LO 1 & 2
4 Portfolio evidence II: Summarising
(recommended word count: 100)
4 LO 1 & 2
4-5 Portfolio evidence III: Outline
(recommended word count: 100)
6 LO 2
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6 Portfolio evidence IV: Paragraph structure
(recommended word count: 250)
7
LO 2
9 Portfolio evidence V: Self-assessment
(recommended word count: at least 100)
8 LO 1 & 2
Section 2: Written Task
(The written task should be developed throughout the semester but completed in weeks 7-10.)
1 - 10 Academic writing [compare and contrast essay relevant to higher
education]
(word count: 750 words)
10 LO 1 & 2
Total word count: Written Task (750 words) + Evidence (Approx. 850 words)
(+/- 10%)
Section 1: Portfolio Evidence I
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Self-evaluation checklist
Below is a list of the skills you will need when working on extended pieces of writing during your university
career. The work you do on the EAP 1 course will help you develop these skills.
Tick the appropriate box for each skill, according to how well you think you can do this at
the beginning of this course. Look again at the checklist throughout the course in order to
identify areas for independent study.
Skills Do not know
about this
Find this
difficult/
can’t do this
Can partially
do this
Can do this
well
Looking for information
Identify which books/journals/websites to
use ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Select relevant parts of a text ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Using sources
Acknowledge sources of information ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Avoid plagiarism ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Planning/ writing
Brainstorm ideas ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Plan written work ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Link ideas effectively ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Paraphrase & summarise ideas ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Write an introduction ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Write a conclusion ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Personal study
Work independently ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Manage my time ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Oral presentation
Discuss written work in a tutorial ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
IT
Access the internet ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Use search engines ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Create word documents ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
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Section 1: Portfolio Evidence II
Summarising (recommended word count: 100)
1. Find a text on university fees in the country of your choice (around 200 words) and paste it below,
in part 1. Then, read the two texts and highlight the main points.
PART 1:
Text 1:
University fees in England
Text 2 (paste your text below):
University fees in ……Germany……………..
“University tuition fees in England will rise to £9,250
per year from 2017 and the increase could apply to
students who have already started courses. The
inflation-linked rise represents a 2.8% increase and if
that continued would mean fees rising above £10,000
in the next few years. Universities face the dilemma
that under consumer protection requirements they
will need to announce the £9,250 fee before the
beginning of the next application cycle in early
September. However, until formally changed by
Parliament, universities are not allowed to charge a
fee higher than £9,000, which is the current limit.
The government says the increase can apply to students who
have already begun courses - but this will depend on the terms
of student contracts in individual universities. The fees will
increase in subsequent years. Royal Holloway and the
University of Kent have to still to decide on whether to charge
higher fees for current students, but expect to apply them to new
students starting in 2017, if the fee limit increase goes ahead.
The University of Surrey will not increase fees for its current
undergraduates, but fees will increase each year for students
starting in 2017.
Universities minister Jo Johnson has published a statement
setting out plans to link higher fees to better teaching. Liberal
Democrat university spokeswoman Baroness Lorely Burt said:
"Linking fees to teaching quality in this way is unacceptable.
Enabling any university that scrapes a 'meet expectations' rating
to increase fees by 2.8% shows that this isn't about teaching
quality at all. If universities need further support then let's have
a proper discussion about where that money comes from, rather
than pretending that this is somehow a quid pro quo for
providing the quality of teaching students should already be able
to expect". Sir Peter Lampl, chairman of the Sutton Trust
education charity, said the fee increase will add to student debts
that we have shown to be by far the highest in the English-
speaking world. A real concern is that the removal of
maintenance grants will almost certainly deter poorer students,
who now face debts of over £50,000 on graduation”.
Germany is considered by the international
student population to be a world-renowned place
to pursue higher education. Students studying in
the German universities are particularly
appreciative of the refined educational quality and
the strong multicultural ambience in the
classrooms. Medium of instruction in German
universities can be found in German as well as
English. However, one thing to be noted in this
aspect of higher education in Germany is that the
German universities charge minimal to nothing
from their students in terms of educational fees.
The non-private universities in Germany
do not impose tuition fees on their students
irrespective of the course of study and the
nationality of the students. Both undergraduate and
graduate degrees are exempt from university fees
except for a minimal management cost. Though
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From: Coughlan, S. (2017). University tuition fees rise to
£9,250 for current students –BBC News. [online] BBC News.
Available at:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-36856026
[Accessed 19 Jan. 2017].
students who plan to study for a different subject
in their graduate program than the one which they
studied in their under graduation are supposed to
pay certain amount of reasonable fee to the
university. The management cost applicable has to
be paid annually in every semester year. However,
there is an anomaly to this German rule in higher
education. If any student fail to qualify the course
on time and if the student opts to study in tuition-
only states of Bremen, Saarland, Turingia,
Saxony-Anhalt, Lower Saxony or Saxony, then
university fees are applicable.
The non-public universities in Germany
receive their funding from the university tuition
fees. Students coming from abroad are also
bounded by this rule. Generally, the university fees
at private universities vary from 4000 to 20,000
EUR per annum. The fee variation depends upon
the discretion of each university and the subject
chosen to be studied. Subjects like Medical
science or management are costlier than subjects
pertaining to the humanities section.
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2.Make some notes of the most important points, using your own words, in part 2 below.
PART 2:
Notes (Text 1): Notes (Text 2):
The tuition fees in English universities will
increase up to 9,250 pounds per year. Additonally,
the new hike in the fee structure will apply to
those students who have already enrolled for the
course. However, it will also depend upon the
university rules and the terms and conditions of
the student’s agreement papers.The English
universities cannot impose the new fee on the
students as long as it is not approved by the
parliament.The bureaucrats have justified the hike
in tuition fees to provision of quality education.
The German public universities do not charge any
tuition fees from the student, except for a minimal
management cost.The above rule is applicable to
all students irrespective of their nationality and
subject study.However, there is an exception to
the above rule. If the student extends his or her,
course duration or opts to study in tuition-only
states, such as Bremen or Saxony.Contrastingly,
the private universities do charge tuition fee from
its students as it constitutes their main source of
funding.The fee variation depends upon the
discretion of the university and the chosen arena
of study.
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Unfortunately, it has been estimated that the rise
in tuition fees would automatically aggravate the
burdensome problem of student arrear.
3. Answer the question in part 3 below, using your notes.
PART 3:
What are the similarities and differences between universities in England and ……………
Germany……………. in relation to tuition fees? Why are they important?
The differences between universities in England and Germany are that unlike German universities, English
universities charge high tuition fees from the student population. The looming problem of student arrear is an
important difference where the English universities are considered to be one of the highest contributors to
student arrears. The similarity between universities in England and Germany is that both university authorities
charge a tuition fee from its students, whether it is exorbitant or not. Nothing is at absolute free of cost.The
differences and similarities are important to know because it gives a clear picture of the competitive educational
scenario in both of the countries with respect to fees, student arrears and types of universities.
Section 1: Portfolio Evidence III
Outline (recommended word count: 200)
Complete your essay outline below. An outline is a map of the main ideas included in your essay. You
should not write full sentences, just notes of the main points that you are going to write in each
paragraph of your essay, along with in-text referencing details (MB=Main Body).
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TITLE HIGHER EDUCATIONAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN ENGLAND AND GERMANY
INTRODUCTION
Background Information:
The concept of higher education in a broad sense. The structure of higher education in England and
Germany (Barber et al. 2013).
Thesis Statement:
The thesis statement is to state the fact that the higher education of Germany is preferable than
England in terms of both funding and quality.
MB Paragraph 1
Paragraph Focus: ……Comparison of funding in education between England and
Germany………………………..
Country A: England Country B: ……Germany………………..
The English universities are in general
financed by Government, with the exception of
few. The universities charge hefty tuition fees
from the students. The student debt ratio is one of
the highest in Europe.
The German universities receive
substantial funding from the federal
government. They only charge a per annum
minor management cost. There is however, an
anomaly to the above rule in case of subjects
chosen and the course duration.
MB Paragraph 2
Paragraph Focus: …Comparison of quality in education between England and
Germany………………………………..
Country A: England Country B: …Germany…………………..
The English universities are known for
research education. Cambridge and Oxford are
considered to be the crème de la crème. English
university libraries are stocked with enriching
The German universities are considered to be
one of the best in the global educational
scenario. German universities combine
theoretical knowledge with practical education.
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books. German universities contribute to overall
development of its students by enabling the
students to join clubs and groups.
CONCLUSION
Summary of main points
English universities as well as German universities are equally good, however Germany is the winner.
Recommendations/suggestions/predictions
England must lessen its fees and make the education system more egalitarian. Practical education must
be emphasised more.
Section 1: Portfolio Evidence IV
Paragraph structure (recommended word count: 300, including notes)
Write a MB paragraph for your essay below (funding OR quality). Then, highlight its parts using a
different colour for each one of them. Use the following colour code:
Topic sentence: RED
Country A (England): BLUE
Country B (………
Germany……………):
GREEN
Concluding sentence: ORANGE
In-text reference: PURPLE
Write your paragraph here. Then, colour the different parts.
Click here to enter text.
Higher education is a form of voluntary education, which can be acquired after the successful
completion of the high school term. Higher education encompasses bachelors and master’s education
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programmes (Barber et al. 2013). The higher education system in Germany comprises of three types of
academic establishments- Universitaten, Kunst and Musikhochschulen and Fachhochschulen (Bessey
2012). On the other hand, the education system in England consists of a fair amount of universities,
which offers all types of degree programs, ranging from core subjects like metaphysics or geography
to specialized subjects like fashion or art. The outline of this essay is to make a comparison between
the higher education of England and Germany in terms of funding. The higher education system of
Germany is preferable in terms of funding.
English colleges and universities follow a comprehensive pattern of funding. The majority of
the English universities are funded through government finances, with the exception of a few non-
public universities. In addition to this, all students studying at the English universities are bound to pay
annual tuition fees irrespective of their course of study, university type and nation of origin. The
government of England provides certain student scholarships though, based on merit or financial state.
The research panels like AHRC and ESRC regulate the funding of English universities, which offers
master degrees to students (Pryor 2012). In the past times, students studying at English universities
faced hefty student debts due to amplification of loans taken. The higher education system of England
was at turmoil and soon the Higher Education Funding Council took the matter into concern and
thoroughly revised the whole higher education structure of England. Contrastingly, all German
universities receive sufficient funding from their federal governments and they typically do not impose
inflated tuition price on the students, irrespective of their nationality. Most German states do however
charge a minor semester price from the students, which include a management cost, a price for the
student union organization, a price for the non-private modes of transportation and others. This
semester price is considered to be minimal and does not induce the students to apply for substantial
student loans. Germany has a special provision for fees for the students who plan to extend their course
duration (Hicks 2012). Courses, which usually qualify for such exceptional cases of fee submission,
can be BBA or MBA. In German educational curriculum, there is a tradition for students to complete
their course for a longer period of time, which is not found commonly in other countries. Students in
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Germany can take extended periods of leaves during their course study, which is perfectly acceptable.
There is however limited scope of scholarships available to the students, studying in Germany.
Conclusively, it can be said that English as well as German universities incessantly rank
among the world’s best universities in the popular educational journals and periodicals. However, there
are certain salient differences between the two countries. German higher educational system can be
considered to be more effective than the English higher educational system. This is because in
Germany, quality higher education can be obtained at low cost and eventually with that, students also
gain useful practical knowledge, which proves to be very helpful and rewarding in the professional
long run.
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Section 1: Portfolio Evidence V
Essay self-assessment form (recommended word count: 100)
Complete this form before you submit your portfolio.
Type a few comments below in relation to how well you
have addressed the following criteria in your essay.
ESSAY STRUCTURE
A. Has a clear structure including an
introduction, body paragraphs,
conclusion & bibliography.
I have compiled the introduction, body paragraphs,
conclusion and bibliography in a clear structure.
B. Has a clear thesis statement that
states the sub-topics and position.
I have given a clear thesis statement that states the
subtopics and position.
C. Has clear topic sentences in each
main body paragraph.
Clear topic sentences have been provided in each main
body paragraph.
D. Has features of an essay not a
report, i.e. no headings, no bullet
points etc.
Yes, it is an essay.
CONTENT
E. Has compared directly between the
two countries in each paragraph.
Yes, comparison has been made.
F. Has commented on what we learn
from the comparisons.
Yes, comment has been provided.
G. Has included suitable background
information in the introduction.
Yes, suitable background information has been provided
in the introduction.
H. Has included a suitable summary
and position in the conclusion.
Yes, suitable summary and position has been provided
in the conclusion.
I. Has written 750 words (+/- 10%). Yes, +10%
USE OF SOURCES AND REFERENCING
J. Has a minimum of 2 sources per
paragraph.
Yes.
K. Has in-text citations which follow
Harvard style. E.g. (Coughlan, 2014).
Yes.
M. Has avoided plagiarism. Yes
USE OF ENGLISH
N. Writes accurate sentences. Yes, It has been done.
O. Spells and punctuates accurately. Yes, It has been done.
P. Uses a range of language. Yes, It has been done.
Q. Writes in an appropriate academic
style.
Yes. It has been done.
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Things you feel competent at (approx. 50 words):
I am good at doing apt researching for any topic. I am competent at
paraphrasing languages in my own words. In addition to this, I am good at
delivering moderately good solutions, which meets the appropriate
grammar style and the entire requirement sets out.
Things you need to work on (approx. 50 words):
I need to work on my concise writing skills. I tend to enlarge my write-ups in such a way that it extends
the specific word count quota. I also need to put emphasis on my time management skills in completing an
assignment.
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Section 2: Written Task
Academic Writing (750 words)
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Please type your essay below (750 words).
Make sure that:
 Your essay has an appropriate title, an introduction, two main body paragraphs, a
conclusion and a reference list.
 You have used at least 2 references (in-text citations) in each of your main body
paragraphs (at least 4 references in total).
 You have discussed BOTH countries in EACH of your main body paragraphs (point-
by-point approach).
Title: Compare and contrast the higher education system in England with that of …
Germany………………. in terms of funding and quality. Which system is
preferable?
Click here to enter text.
HIGHER EDUCATIONAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN ENGLAND AND GERMANY
Higher education is a form of voluntary education, which can be acquired after the successful
completion of the high school term (Barber et al. 2013). The higher education system in Germany
comprises of three types of academic establishments- Universitaten, Kunst and Musikhochschulen and
Fachhochschulen (Bessey 2012). The education system in England consists of a fair amount of
universities, which offers all types of degree programs, ranging from core subjects like metaphysics or
geography to specialized subjects like fashion or art. The outline of this essay is to make a comparison
between the higher education of Germany and England in terms of funding and quality. The higher
education system of Germany is preferable in terms of both funding and quality.
A thorough study has been attempted in this paragraph regarding the funding of higher
education in England and Germany. English colleges and universities follow a comprehensive pattern
of funding. The majority of the English universities are funded through government finances, with the
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