The Higher Education Pact in Germany, which ran from 2007 to 2020, was a funding program that had a significant impact on student numbers and the overall stability of the higher education system. According to the Wissenschaftsrat, the pact was the most extensive funding program for German higher education to date.
The scheme helped address the strains that the higher education system faced due to numerous reforms. It emphasized cooperative action over competition, which was seen as a positive shift in approach. By focusing on cooperation, the pact strengthened the higher education system’s ability to adapt and change.
Wolfgang Wick, chair of the council that advises the government on science and humanities, highlighted the importance of the pact in stabilizing student numbers and growing them further. Overall, the Higher Education Pact in Germany was viewed as a successful initiative that positively influenced Germany’s higher education landscape.