The structure of higher education in the German Democratic Republic

The ability of the East German state to produce large cohorts of highly skilled graduates has contributed much to its becoming one of the leading industrial nations in the world. Originally reverting after the War to Länder control of the universities and colleges like the rest of Germany, the GDR soon went the opposite way from West Germany, seeing the way to a strong higher education system to be through the strict centralization of control. This article describes the three university reforms which have taken place and examines the implications of policy decisions. An investigation of the various organs of the government of higher education elucidates the disposition of authority at each level.Abbreviations FDGB Freier Deutscher Gewerkschaftsbund (League of Free German Trades-Unions) - FDJ Freie Deutsche Jugend (Free German Youth) - GDR German Democratic Republik - MHF Ministerium für Hoch-und Fachschulwesen (Ministry for Higher and Vocational Education) - SED Sozialistische Einheitspartei Deutschlands (Socialist Unity Party of Vocational) - VVB Vereinigung Volkseigener Betriebe (Association of Nationally Owned Enterpises) This article was originally issued in the Yale Higher Education Research Group's Working Paper Series. The research for it was made possible by a grant from the Lilly Endowment.