New Pathways Towards Tertiary Degrees in Europe - Lessons for Educational Policies and Comparative Research
New Pathways Towards Tertiary Degrees in Europe - Lessons for Educational Policies and Comparative Research

Summary/Abstract: This paper deals with the new dual university courses in Germany and Italy and with the arguments legitimating their creation: diffused critics of the classical university courses for being too theoretical, and the argument of a broad company need for engineers with practical competence and company experience. Based on empirical research in Germany and Italy, the paper criticises these very popular arguments. It shows that many other (and more important) interests of companies, and also certain university interests including the research funding policies of the European Commission play an important role in the dissemination of these ideas and in the corresponding “innovative reforms” of the university sector. As a conclusion, some more general methodological principles of internationally compared research are illustrated by the findings of the research work done on this matter.

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