Information about Fachhochschule

A Fachhochschule (plural: Fachhochschulen) or "University of Applied Sciences" in Austria, Germany, Liechtenstein and Switzerland is a vocational university sometimes specialized in certain topical areas (e.g. technology or business) and without postgraduate doctoral programs.

Germany

Instead of using a direct translation of the term Fachhochschule, most German Fachhochschulen have decided to promote themselves as University of Applied Sciences in English. The Fachhochschulen were founded in the 1960s, usually by re-arranging pre-existing educational institutes, like schools of engineering, building academies or polytechnicals. The Fachhochschulen's teaching and research focus is, as the English name implies, on the practical application of science, while universities focus on scientific studies. Besides state-owned universities there are also church owned ones following similar principles (the protestant Evangelische Fachhochschule (EFH or EvFH) or the catholic Katholische Fachhochschule).

Since their founding a discussion has been going on on many levels, including politics, academia, but often also between individual teachers and students of traditional universities and universities of applied sciences. The universities of applied sciences seek recognition as being "real" universities, while traditional universities insist on being the only "real" universities. This has resulted in rather strange effects, e.g. that professors at traditional universities have started to use the title Prof. (univ.) to distinguish themselves from professors at universities of applied sciences. Another effect is that the Fachhochschulen are called equal but different in political documents. A remaining distinction between Fachhochschulen and "real" universities is that the latter can grant Ph.D. degrees, whereas Fachhochschulen can not. Given the importance of the doctoral degree and the title Dr. in the German culture, the matter of Ph.D. granting is often hotly debated.

Since the introduction of Bachelor and Master degrees, both types of universities grant both degrees.

In the past, one big obstacle was the German government's hiring and salary policy for civil servants. Two different career paths existed for graduates. However, this has changed. Now, Bachelors from both types of universities join the career path gehobener Dienst (roughly: above average service) and are paid significantly less than graduates with a master degree. The latter follow the höherer Dienst (roughly higher service) career path.

Bologna process

Main article: Bologna process

During the Bologna process the degrees in are changing. After finishing the process there is no more difference between a Bachelor or a Master from University and Fachhochschule. With a master from both there is the possibility to enter a doctoral degree program and with both bachelor degrees it is normally not allowed to enter a doctoral degree program.

Also with the Master degree of both kinds of universities the degree holders can enter the höheren Dienst.

Austria

The Austrian government decided to establish Fachhochschulen in 1990. In the academic year of 2004/05, there were 18 institutions officially considered as Fachhochschulen plus a number of other providers of Fachhochschulstudiengängen with a total of 25,554 students. About a third of the 136 Fachhochschulstudiengänge are organized as part-time courses of studies.

See also

• Vocational university
• Polytechnic
• Institute of technology
• Ammattikorkeakoulu