German qualifications framework
The German Qualifications Framework (DQR) is an instrument for classifying qualifications in the German education system . It aims to increase transparency, comparability and mobility both within Germany and in the EU (in connection with the European Qualifications Framework (EQF)) . The orientation towards learning outcomes forms the basis for the classification. H. of acquired skills . The transparent description of learning outcomes is intended to make educational programs and qualifications between European countries easier to compare. Due to the orientation towards learning outcomes, it is also possible to assign non-formally and informally acquired competences. The DQR has an orientational character and influences neither access regulations nor collective bargaining classifications.
classification
The starting point for the development of the DQR is the existing European Qualifications Framework (EQF) with its eight levels. In order to take national particularities into account, the states of the EU each develop their own national qualification frameworks, which in turn refer to the EQF and thus enable international comparability. The German Qualifications Framework thus has two objectives - it promotes transparency, comparability and mobility in Europe and within Germany.
When assigning qualifications to the eight levels of the DQR, all formal qualifications of the German education system, i.e. qualifications from general education , higher education and vocational training - each including further education - should be included. In addition, it is also a declared aim to include the results of non-formal and informal learning .
The DQR and the qualifications framework for German university degrees (HQR) are compatible. Levels 1 ( Bachelor ), 2 ( Master ) and 3 ( PhD ) of the qualifications framework for German university degrees correspond to levels 6, 7 and 8 of the German qualifications framework with regard to the requirements and competencies described.
When using the DQR matrix, it should be noted that different qualifications at one level are equivalent, but not the same. A “master” does not automatically have the academic degree “Bachelor” or vice versa. An academic degree can only be acquired at a university. The DQR does not replace "the existing authorization system in Germany", i. H. the assignment of qualifications is not associated with a new regulation of access authorizations. In particular, the assignment of a qualification to a DQR level does not automatically entitle the holder to access an educational measure at the next higher DQR level. The federal states determine which degree or which qualification enables access to university studies.
The DQR portal of the BMBF and KMK provides detailed information on the legal status of the DQR and the educational policy objectives of the DQR development.
Development process
The decision to develop a German qualifications framework was made in October 2006. After the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the Conference of Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs (KMK) had agreed on this goal, the federal and state governments established a joint coordination group (BL-KG DQR ) set up to develop a German Qualifications Framework (DQR). In order to include other relevant actors - institutions of higher education and vocational training, social partners and experts from science and practice - in the drafting process of the DQR, the federal and state governments have also set up a German Qualifications Framework Working Group (AK DQR).
The members of the German Qualifications Framework Working Group are recruited from the BMBF , the KMK , the University Rectors ' Conference , IG Metall , DGB , ver.di , the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy , the Federal Employment Agency , the fzs , the Federal Institute for Vocational Training and the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry .
The coordination is accompanied by a DQR office in which the Research Institute for Company Education (f-bb) and BBJ Consult AG are involved. The jointly developed discussion proposal for a German qualifications framework for lifelong learning was presented in February 2009. From May 2009 this draft of the DQR was tested by experts from business, science and educational practice in the four selected occupational and activity fields of health, trade, metal / electronics and IT.
The aim of the second development phase of the DQR was to arrive at comprehensible, consensus-based allocations of selected qualifications, to check the manageability of the DQR matrix and to develop it further if necessary. The occupational and activity fields to be considered in the development phase should already represent the German qualification system with a certain breadth and representation - especially taking into account all eight levels. It was assumed that this was the case in the four selected occupations and fields of activity. A working group was formed for each of the four named occupational and activity fields, the members of which assigned selected qualifications to the DQR matrix as an example of an expert vote.
On January 31, 2012, the bodies involved agreed on a procedure that would apply for the next five years. While there is agreement that the professional qualifications master (certified), specialist (certified), business administrator (certified), operational professional (IT) (certified) and the technical college degrees - such as B. "State-certified technician" and "State-certified business economist" are assigned to level 6 (= Bachelor level), the problem was whether the German Abitur would be level 4 (proposal by the social partners and chamber organizations ) or 5 (KMK proposal), postponed to a later date; this was assigned to level 4 in spring 2017.
In December 2012, the so-called “referencing report”, which describes, explains and justifies the link between the DQR and the EQF, was successfully presented to the European Commission.
This created the prerequisites for the introduction of the DQR. The "Joint Resolution of the Standing Conference of the Education Ministers of the Federal Republic of Germany, the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, the Conference of Economic Ministers and the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology on the German Qualifications Framework for Lifelong Learning (DQR)" came into force on May 1, 2013 .
According to the joint press release of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology , the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, the Conference of Ministers of Education and the Conference of Economic Ministers of the Federal States of May 16, 2013, the “joint resolution” creates the basis for gradually acquiring qualifications from summer 2013 onwards to a DQR To assign level and to show this on the qualification certificates ".
construction
Like the EQR, the DQR has eight levels. While the EQF differentiates between "knowledge", "skills" and "competencies", the DQR differentiates between "professional competence", divided into "knowledge" and "skills", and "personal competence", divided into "social competence" and "independence" . Together with a "level indicator", which summarizes the requirement structure characteristic of a level, these components form a level description:
The list of qualifications assigned to the DQR is updated annually on August 1st on the DQR website. The entire list can be downloaded. Individual qualifications and educational qualifications can also be easily researched using the search function in the DQR database. Qualifications and degrees that cannot be found in the list of assigned qualifications or the DQR database have not yet been assigned to the DQR. Should other websites or the like DQR assignments of qualifications and qualifications that are not recorded in the list or the DQR database are unauthorized assignments.
The following qualifications or qualification types have already been assigned to the DQR (as of May 2017):
| level | Qualifications |
|---|---|
| 1 |
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| 2 |
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| 3 |
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| 4th |
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| 5 | |
| 6th |
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| 7th |
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| 8th |
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1 Further qualifications of the professional advancement training are assigned consensually according to the procedure described in the "joint decision".
2 State examinations and thus state exams are usually assigned to level 7; For exceptions see "List of assigned qualifications".
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Note: The Bachelor is equivalent to the "Diplom (FH)" and the Master is equivalent to the "Diplom" (Univ.), Regardless of whether a (technical) university or a technical college awarded the Bachelor or Master degree. Restrictions apply to the master's degrees awarded on the basis of a university course .
As is no longer recorded in the EQF, the postdoc level at which the completion of a habilitation or junior professorship would be classified is.
discussion
The details of the introduction of a German qualification framework are not undisputed. The controversy is about the question of whether the DQR can meet the demands of a framework that spans all educational areas. The mapping of both labor market-related qualifications from the field of vocational training and further education as well as general school-leaving qualifications, which are rather remote from the idea of exploitation in the labor market, is associated with challenges. The question of the recognition of informal and non-formal learning is generally viewed positively, the forms of recognition and possible integration of the learning outcomes are the subject of ongoing discussions in the DQR committees. Intercultural and democracy-relevant competences were initially excluded in the first drafts of the DQR (cf. Dehnbostel et al. 2009). Some advanced and advanced training qualifications - both from the formal (e.g. regulations of the competent bodies according to § 54 BBiG, so-called "chamber regulations") and from the non-formal education area, have not yet been assigned to the DQR. They are still the subject of discussions in the DQR committees. In addition, the qualifications framework for German university degrees (HQR) and thus also the DQR do not provide for a separate educational level that corresponds to the habilitation.
In particular within the extracurricular youth and adult education there are controversies about the classification of learning outcomes in a qualification framework. For example, it is asked whether it is possible and sensible to disclose everything that a person learns in their résumé (cf. Brokmeier; Ciupke 2011). The position that the learners themselves should clarify the extent to which they allow non-formal and informal learning to be recognized is widespread (see Federal Committee on Political Education, no year). This is countered by the fact that the DQR, as a transparency instrument, refers to qualifications and not to individual educational paths. This means that it is not the competencies of the individual that are assigned, but qualifications (qualification refers to the formal result of an assessment and validation process in which an institution responsible for this has determined that the individual learning outcomes meet specified standards). In connection with the recognition of non-formal and informal learning, it can only play a supporting role, as it is not itself linked to competence assessment and recognition procedures.
literature
- Büchter, Karin; Dehnbostel, Peter; Hanf, Georg (Ed.): The German Qualifications Framework (DQR). A concept to increase permeability and equal opportunities in the education system? W. Bertelsmann Verlag Bielefeld, 2012
- Boris Brokmeier, Paul Ciupke: Extracurricular political education between descriptors and levels. On the current debate about the German qualifications framework. In: ADB-Forum, No. 1 (2011), pp. 135-139 ( PDF )
- Federal Committee on Political Education: The DQR must become a grid that encompasses all learning areas. Interview with Theo length. Bonn / Berlin undated (2009) online
- Peter Dehnbostel, Harry Neß , Bernd Overwien: The German Qualification Framework (DQR) - positions, reflections and options. Expert opinion on behalf of the Max Traeger Foundation, Frankfurt / Main 2009 ( PDF )
- Sloane, Peter FE : On the basics of a German qualification framework (DQR). Concepts, categories, construction principles. Bielefeld: Bertelsmann 2008.
- Dorothea Henzler , in conversation with Manfred Götzke: Is the Abitur worth more than the training? - Dispute between social partners and the education ministers. In: dradio.de, Deutschlandfunk , Campus & Karriere , December 9, 2011, accessed on December 10, 2011
- DQR manual. Structure - assignments - procedures - responsibilities. Federal-State Coordination Office for the German Qualifications Framework for Lifelong Learning, 2013 ( PDF )
- German EQF referencing report. Federal-State Coordination Office for the German Qualifications Framework for Lifelong Learning, 2013 ( PDF )
Web links
- The German Qualifications Framework for Lifelong Learning
- BiBB presentation on the DQR and EQF (2007) (PDF file; 128 kB)
- The German Qualifications Framework for Lifelong Learning. Federal Ministry of Education and Research
- German qualifications framework. United Services Union
- European dialogue on current challenges and innovative measures in vocational training
- Thomas Reglin: The German Qualifications Framework. A transparency instrument for Europe. Karlsruhe Transfer No. 40. 2009/2010 (PDF; 627 kB)
- DQR database
Individual evidence
- ↑ https://www.dqr.de/media/content/DQR_Handbuch_01_08_2013.pdf
- ↑ German qualifications framework. FAQ. In: http://www.dqr.de/ . 2017, Retrieved September 28, 2017 .
- ↑ http://dqr.de/
- ^ German qualifications framework - DQR working group. Retrieved June 17, 2019 .
- ↑ http://f-bb.de/
- ↑ http://bbj.info/
- ↑ General education qualifications and further professional training qualifications assigned. In: dqr.de. Retrieved April 27, 2019 .
- ↑ Download area on the DQR website
- ↑ a b German Qualifications Framework. (PDF; 1.1 MB) List of assigned qualifications - updated: August 1, 2017. In: http://www.dqr.de/ . August 1, 2017. Retrieved September 28, 2017 .