Publications

Due to increased demands on professorial appointment procedures and their high strategic importance, German universities employ a growing number of appointment managers for the procedural quality assurance of those procedures. In order to close the research gap on the concrete design of these new positions in university management, an online survey – designed as a full survey – was conducted, which was developed against the background of a qualitative preliminary study in the form of a participant observation. The article gives an overview of this new type of position, its relevant structural features and the status of its establishment at German universities.

Recent years show an increasing demand for reliable data about Early Career Researchers expressed by Higher Education Institutions as well as political decision makers. At the same time it has become more difficult for empirical higher education researchers who produce such data to get access to the field. For many of these studies the support of HEI´s is needed to systematically reach the target groups. However, HEI´s often react reluctantly to corresponding inquiries by researchers, because of the effort involved and diverging expectations regarding the studies’ thematic priorities and the presentation of results. The article outlines and assesses in this context the strategic approach of the National Academics Panel Study (Nacaps).

In higher education research and policy the thesis is widespread that the strong growth in the participation in higher education is one reason for the increasing heterogenization in the composition of the student population. Based on several indicators the following article analyses to what extent the structure of the student population has actually become more heterogeneous. For this purpose the analysis refers to time series data which allow a comparison between at least two points in time. According to this evidence the result is differentiated. Whereas some indicators show increasing heterogenization other indicators prove the contrary, a rising homogenization in the social structure of students.

With the increased influx of refugees in the years 2014 to 2016, many people seeking protection came to Germany with advanced school qualifications or existing study experience. This resulted in a higher demand for preparatory language and subject courses, which must be completed in order to acquire the formal requirements necessary for admission to study in Germany. Until 2016, there were no scientific findings on the preparation of refugees for university in German-speaking countries. There was also little international research on the topic. The WeGe project therefore explored the topic and developed initial findings on the conditions for successful study preparation.

This paper introduces the concept of standard-relevant publications, complementary to standard-essential patents and framed by the concept of knowledge utilization. By analyzing the reference lists of the around 20,000 standards released by ISO, authors of scientific papers cited in standards who are working at German institutions were identified. The institutions include universities, independent research societies, ministerial research institutes and companies. Almost thirty interviews were conducted with the most-cited of these authors. The interviews addressed the processes by which scientific publications come to be referenced in standards, and the motivations, the barriers and the effects of this.