Terms A-Z

A Bachelor’s degree is the first qualification offered by institutions of higher education after completion of an undergraduate ... programme. In Germany, Bachelor’s courses were introduced in connection with the Bologna process. The standard period of study of most Bachelor’s degree courses is six semesters, but can be up to seven or eight semesters (i.e. three to four years). Students can then proceed to a more advanced Master’s degree programme or, in exceptional cases, a doctorate.

The Federal Training Assistance Act regulates government support for the education of school students and university students ... in Germany. The main aims of the BAföG are to improve equal opportunities in the education system and to mobilize academic potential in lower-income population groups.

Core funding of higher education institutions comprises funding for current expenditure from the higher education funding ... bodies’ own resources.

Current expenditure (core funding) refers to the portion of higher education expenditure that funding bodies provide from their own resources to higher education institutions for ongoing purposes.

Current expenditure (core funding) is calculated by taking higher education institutions’ expenditure for current purposes (personnel expenditure and current non-personnel expenditure), adding imputed social contributions (supplements for pensions and healthcare) for tenured civil servant staff, and subtracting revenues. In addition, rents and lease payments are deducted.

Current expenditure (core funding) does not include capital expenditure.

Basic research is experimental or theoretical work undertaken primarily to acquire new knowledge of the underlying foundations ... of phenomena and observable facts, without any particular application or use in view. Basic research is carried out mainly at higher education institutions and research institutions.