Equality of opportunity in the german higher education system

Abstract

This chapter also deals with developments at the micro level of the German higher education system. However, in contrast to Chap. 6 we change the focus of our analysis to the question of equal opportunity in the German higher education system. Equal opportunity of students, academics and administrative staff is a recurring and controversial topic in Germany, as it is in other countries. It is heavily related to the macro level of the system and embedded in broader society. Especially when gaining a degree leads to a lower chance of unemployment or higher earnings, the question raised is whether the opportunity to secure these benefits applies to all. Moreover, equal opportunity is particularly significant in academic careers not least because the award of a professorship goes hand in hand with high social status, autonomy and a higher level of social security. On top of this, equal opportunity is a critical variable in higher education and the scientific system. Individual performance and meritocracy are central sources of legitimation for both systems. A systematic and obvious infringement of this has the potential to deprive both systems of their legitimacy (Etzkowitz et al. 1994, 54; Engels 2015, 19–20).