Comparative Study of Higher Education System Between India and Germany in the Present Era

Abstract

The study paper provides a comparison between the higher education system of India and higher education system of Germany in respect of aims and objectives, structure, curriculum, opportunities and current issues or their common focus areas in the present era. The paper also gives a glimpse of history of higher education in ancient India-the era when India used to provide world class higher education and also history of higher education of Germany. The data are collected from primary and secondary sources. The methodology adopted for the study is documentary analysis. The results reveal that both India and Germany have same type of educational structure comprising of bachelor degree, master degree, doctoral and post-doctoral programs and emphasize on professional expertise but India focuses primarily on theoretical knowledge and democratic values inculcation, science and spiritual education and Germany focuses chiefly on practical implementation of theoretical knowledge, skill development, research and innovations, capacity building in higher education, forming intellectual property, entrepreneurial development, creating diversity of people and ideas, promoting global citizenship and societal sustainability. The USP of German higher education is that quality higher education is provided at a very low cost or no tuition fees charged at the world class German universities, offers diversified course, dual study programs and a lot of flexibility like switching major and education policies are formulated frequently considering the present need and demand. Recently both countries’ focus areas are digitalization of higher education, teacher improvement program for higher education, internationalization, foreign students and faculty exchange programs, increase in spending on education and decentralization of higher education. The paper concludes with India being a largest democracy and one of the developing nations, Indian higher education system can consider German higher education system as a benchmark and can imbibe the positive qualities for improvement and enrichment.