Conception and Development of New Study Programmes
Decisions by the faculties and the Presidential Board on whether to establish a new study programme and by the Ministry about compatibility with the Federal State’s Higher Education Plan are taken on the basis of a Key Issues Paper.
This contains extensive information about the responsible institutions (where relevant including external partners) and the human and material resources available in this respect, presentations on the target group, the planned degree programmes concept, its role in the strategic plan of the faculty concerned and/or the University, and about competing offers, especially those in the vicinity, furthermore planned entrance requirements, possible fields of employment for graduates, and where relevant also initial plans for actual modules and learning paths. As a whole, therefore, it gives a sound basis for considered decisions on whether or not to introduce a proposed degree programme. The Key Issues Paper also enables comparison with the structural requirements and standards that arise from the Structural Guidelines of the Conference of Ministers of Education, the criteria of the Accreditation Council, the audit criteria of the Ministry of Science and Culture and the University’s internal standards and guidelines for degree programmes. Even before the creation of a Key Issues Paper, some essential features of the planned offer (thematic focus, target group, planned partners (including international), availability of resources) are usually informally set out for the responsible member of the Presidential Board, for assessment of whether a degree programme concept has a basic chance of success.
Degree programme concepts which are approved by the Presidential Board must be submitted to the Ministry of Science and Culture by 31 March of the year before the one in which it is planned to start in the winter semester, and the Ministry checks that they are compatible with the Federal State’s Higher Education Plan. Then – if the decision is positive – the study programme is included in the study programme target agreement and the accreditation process can be started.