Post-secondary Colleges

There are post-secondary colleges [Akademien] for the following fields of study: social work, teacher training and training of para-medical staff.

Admission usually presupposes the "Reifeprüfung"-Certificate, the respective Higher Education Entrance Exam or a "Reifeprüfung"-Certificate and TVE-Diploma. Classes and exam procedures are similar to those at universities.

Lectures at post-secondary colleges are based upon curricula and exam as well as other regulations which may be autonomously designed.

Post-secondary Colleges for the Training of Para-medical Staff

Post-secondary colleges for the training of para-medical staff [medizinisch-technische Akademien] train for advanced para-medical professions, offer different fields of specialization and are installed at hospitals.

While laboratory findings are the province of diagnostic professions, therapeutic professions concern themselves with the treatment of patients. There are seven occupational groups which fall into the category of advanced para-medical professions:

• qualified physiotherapists
• qualified medico-technical assistants
• qualified radiologico-technical assistants
• qualified dieticians and nutritional advisors
• qualified ergotherapists
• qualified logopedists
• qualified orthopists

Courses at post-secondary colleges for the training of para-medical staff run for six semesters and are regulated by the Federal Ministry of Labour, Health and Social Affairs in co-operation with the Federal Ministry of Education. Students are subject to the legislation for the promotion of higher studies.

A well-balanced curriculum providing for general theoretical subjects, technical theory and practical orientation (work placements at the college and in hospitals) provides the students with qualifications necessary for independent and qualified exercise of the respective occupation right after completion of the post-secondary college.

Psychological know-how and communication skills prove to be of importance when dealing with patients. Post-secondary colleges for the training of para-medical staff end with a diploma exam which consists of a theoretical as well as a practical part and a thesis.

In order to qualify for special tasks, for teaching jobs and executive functions further specialized education programmes have to be attended.

Post-secondary Colleges for Social Work

Post-secondary colleges for social work [Akademien für Sozialarbeit] provide for a several years lasting training which provides students with the qualifications necessary for the exercise of white-collar jobs in the social sector (e.g. youth and family welfare offices, crisis centres, educational guidance, streetwork).

Education in post-secondary colleges for social work is complemented by work placement periods (800/720 hours).

There are also post-secondary colleges for social work for people under employment, these colleges are organized as evening classes.

Graduates are conferred the occupational title "Qualified Social Worker". The post-secondary college for social work provides students with qualifications which comply with the EU directive 89/48/EECa (recognition within the EU).

Post-secondary Colleges for Teacher Training

Post-secondary colleges for teacher training [Pädagogische Akademien] run for six semesters and are responsible for the training of teachers for primary, lower secondary and special needs schools and for the training of teachers for the pre-vocational year. In line with their high level of pedagogical and didactic know-how, these post-secondary colleges also provide for courses for non-school pedagogical occupations.

Applicants have to hold standard entry qualifications for university and do an aptitude test.

Educational Research

Apart from educating and training students, these colleges are also engaged in research work in the pedagogical field. Moreover, each post-secondary college for teacher training has an adjacent school for practical training which provides students with the opportunity to apply their hitherto acquired theoretical didactic know-how.

Post-secondary Colleges for the Training of Vocational Teachers

Post-secondary colleges for the training of vocational teachers [Berufspädagogische Akademien] run six-semester courses and train teachers for

• part-time vocational schools for apprentices,
• technical subjects at secondary technical and vocational schools and colleges (these subjects comprise practical training as well as specialized theory in the respective field at secondary technical and vocational schools and colleges),
• dietetics and home economics at technical and vocational schools and colleges,
• instruction in word processing (applicable to all school types).

Differing Admission Requirements

Admission to colleges for the training of vocational teachers presupposes the "Reifeprüfung"-Certificate. In some cases (practical subjects), however, the "Reifeprüfung"-Certificate may be substituted by a Master Craftsman Certificate.

Admission to courses for teachers at part-time vocational schools and for teachers of technical subjects also presupposes up to six years of work experience in the relevant field. As for courses for dietetics and word processing, this practical work experience forms an integrative part of the first section of studies.

Apart from educating and training students, these colleges also engage in research work in the field of vocational education.

Post-secondary Colleges for the Training of R.E. Teachers

Post-secondary colleges for the training of R.E. teachers [religionspädagogische Akademien] run for six semesters and are responsible for the training of R.E. teachers for primary schools, lower secondary schools, special needs schools, the pre-vocational year and for part-time vocational schools for apprentices.

Admission presupposes the "Reifeprüfung"-Certificate or the respective Higher Education Entrance Exam.

Depending on the need for it, post-secondary colleges for the training of R.E. teachers may also engage in field-specific pedagogical research work. Each post-secondary college for the training of R.E. teachers has to name schools where R.E. teachers may do a teaching practical.

Apart from the post-secondary colleges for the training of R.E. teachers of the Roman Catholic Church there is also a Protestant, a Jewish and a Muslim one.

In-service Teacher Training Colleges

In-service teacher training colleges [Pädagogische Institute] are post-secondary colleges for the advanced training and further education of teachers.

In-service teacher training colleges have been established in all federal provinces and are financed either by the federal government or the individual provincial governments. In-service teacher training colleges are responsible to the respective Regional Education Board.

Budgetary and curricula matters are regulated by directives and guidelines issued by the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Culture and the respective Regional Education Board.

"Exchange" for Experts

From an organizational point of view, these colleges are centres where information on further education possibilities is gathered, an "exchange" for experts holding resources of which teachers may avail.

In-service teacher training colleges also engage in pedagogical fact research. Depending on the target group, seminars may either be organized for the teachers of one school, one region or one or several (or even all) federal provinces. Moreover, seminars may be held for teachers of one or several subjects or for teachers of one or several school types.

In order to be able to meet the needs of teachers of all school types, in-service teacher training colleges are sub-divided into four departments corresponding to the main school types.

• Department for lower secondary schools
• Department for secondary academic schools
• Department for secondary technical and vocational schools and colleges
• Department for part-time vocational schools

Separate in-service teacher training colleges have been established for R.E. teachers. Further education of teachers at secondary schools and colleges for agriculture and forestry takes place at the training college for teachers in the field of agriculture and forestry [Land- und forstwirtschaftliches Berufspädagogisches Institut].

Main Points of Emphasis in Further Education of Technical and Vocational School Teachers

Teachers are to be offered courses on new academic and didactic developments in the respective fields of specialization and on the respective legal provisions. In addition to that, in-service teacher training colleges also offer

• courses for newly recruited teachers:
  these courses inform about the special features of technical and vocational schools and the subjects taught there;
• training of newly recruited technical and vocational school teachers:
  In-service teacher training colleges provide for pedagogical training of those newly recruited teachers who did acquire their specialized knowledge at university but did not do their State Examination for the Teaching Profession there. In addition to that, teachers-to-be at part-time vocational schools and teachers of specialized theoretical and practical subjects may do the first part of training for the teaching profession at an in-service teacher training college

Other Courses

Other courses provide teachers with additional qualifications necessary for the teaching of new subject fields and specialized areas. Accreditation of such courses requires the submission of curricula, exam regulations and the organizational framework for the respective in-service teacher training college.

As of July 1, 1997 the following courses have been nationwide accredited at in-service teacher training colleges (dpts. technical and vocational schools and colleges or part-time vocational schools):

Creative design, geriatric care and auxiliary nursing, quality management I, quality management II, waste disposal consultancy, clothing management, industrial design, clothing, business computing at secondary schools and colleges for occupations in the social and services sector, hotel management, basics of pedagogics for engineering subjects, school librarianship, design classes, electrical engineering, plastics engineering, vocational guidance, environment, multimedia, German and communication.

Imparting of Key Qualifications

• School development, school autonomy
• In-service teacher training colleges provide schools with assistance in the field of school development. This trend will be promoted by an increase in school autonomy.
• Further training and education of heads of schools
• In view of the fact that heads of schools have to fulfil important management tasks, special seminars are offered to them.
• Training firms
• In-company further training of teachers
• Internationalization – European consciousness
• Foreign languages and international certificates
• Communication technologies, multimedia and telecommunications
• Environment
• Principles of teaching
• Other services
  - co-ordination of teacher work groups,
  - project centres, partnership agreements with institutes of further education abroad,
  - realiziation and support of EU projects,
  - other projects like counselling activities in the field of organization development and training in the field of quality management

Geändert am 23.02.2007