The National Report on Education

The national report on education periodically presents a major empirical review which covers the entire German education system. Published every two years, each report provides indicator-based information about the general conditions, features, results and output of education processes. The reports analyse the entire structure of the education system from early childhood education and school education to vocational training, higher education and adult education.
As a data-based, problem-centred analysis the reports do not include assessments and recommendations. What is special about these reports is that they are mainly based on selected indicators, i. e. combined statistical parameters, each representing a central feature of education processes or a central aspect of education quality. These indicators are derived from official data and representative socio-scientific assessments and wherever possible, they are compared as regards developments over the past years and decades, broken down by the federal states (Länder) and compared internationally. However, this claim to quality and explanatory power of the data also renders evident the limits of the educational report. It can only take into account current problems in the development of education to the extent that reliable data have been ascertained. The core set of indicators remains the same in each report, hence a comparison of developments is guaranteed while the accentuation differs. Educational reporting receives its specific informative power from this consistency. Moreover, each volume includes further indicators for additional subject areas.

The brochures below present the main findings of each national education report in English language.

1st volume, 2006

Educational Reporting Consortium: Education in Germany - An indicator-based report including an analysis of education and migration
(Konsortium Bildungsberichterstattung: Bildung in Deutschland - Ein indikatorengestützter Bericht mit einer Analyse zu Bildung und Migration)
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2nd volume, 2008

Authoring Group Educational Reporting: Education in Germany 2008 - An indicator-based report including an analysis of transitions subsequent to lower secondary education
(Autorengruppe Bildungsberichterstattung: Bildung in Deutschland - Ein indikatorengestützter Bericht mit einer Analyse zu Übergängen im Anschluss an den Sekundarbereich I)
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The national education reports are jointly commissioned by the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the Länder in the Federal Republic of Germany (KMK) and the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and collaboratively written by an authoring group that is also jointly accountable. The members of the authoring group hold responsible functions in the following research institutions and statistical offices: the German Institute for International Educational Research (DIPF), the German Youth Institute (DJI), the Higher Education Information System (HIS), the Sociological Research Institute at the University of Göttingen (SOFI) as well as the Federal Statistical Office and the statistical offices of the Länder; the chief responsibility lays with the DIPF.