Hesse
Recent developments:
- University senates can include a number of additional members with consultative rights
- Shift to ‘system accreditation’ with institutions able to accredit their own study programmes if their institutional systems are assessed positively
Organisational autonomy: medium high
The selection of the executive head is essentially a matter internal to the university, as is the dismissal process, although the procedure is set in law, as is the term of office. University boards consist of up to ten members, all of whom are external and appointed in part by an external authority.
Financial autonomy: low
Universities in Hesse cannot borrow money nor own buildings and are not allowed to charge tuition fees. They can, however, freely allocate funds internally and can keep surpluses.
Academic autonomy: high
Overall student numbers are negotiated with an external authority and at Bachelor level admissions criteria are co-regulated between universities and an external authority. At Bachelor and Master levels all new degree programmes must be submitted to a prior accreditation or self-accredited by the university. Universities are free to decide on the language of instruction, design the content of their programmes as well as to choose from quality assurance agencies.
Staffing autonomy: medium high
There are restrictions on the recruitment of senior academic staff as the selection procedure is specified in the law. Senior academic staff salaries are restricted due to an overall limit on all staff payments and senior administrative staff salary bands are negotiated with other parties. Dismissals for both academic and administrative staff are strictly regulated due to civil servant status for all staff and there are restrictions on promotions for both groups of staff based on age.
Organisational weighted 77% unweighted 75%
100% Selection procedure for the executive head
The selection of the executive head is not validated by an external authority
87% Selection criteria for the executive head
Other restrictions
This applies to 4 other countries: Brandenburg, Hungary, North Rhine-Westphalia, Serbia
80% Dismissal of the executive head
Other restrictions
0% Term of office of the executive head
The exact length is stated in the law
57% External members in university governing bodies
Universities cannot decide as they must include external members
This applies to 23 other countries: Austria, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, Flanders, France, Wallonia, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland
External members are partly appointed by the university and partly by an external authority
100% Capacity to decide on academic structures
Universities can decide on their academic structures without constraints
This applies to 19 other countries: Austria, Brandenburg, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Flanders, Wallonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
100% Capacity to create legal entities
Universities can create legal entities without constraints
This applies to 18 other countries: Austria, Brandenburg, Croatia, Estonia, Finland, Flanders, France, Wallonia, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Serbia, Spain, United Kingdom
Financial weighted 35% unweighted 24%
60% Length of public funding cycle
One year
100% Type of public funding
Block grant and there are no restrictions on the allocation of funding
This applies to 15 other countries: Brandenburg, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Flanders, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom
0% Ability to borrow money
Universities cannot borrow money
This applies to 5 other countries: Hungary, Norway, Portugal, Serbia, Switzerland
100% Ability to keep surplus
Surplus can be kept without restrictions
This applies to 15 other countries: Austria, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Italy, Latvia, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom
0% Ability to own buildings
Universities are not allowed to own their buildings
This applies to 6 other countries: Brandenburg, Hungary, Lithuania, North Rhine-Westphalia, Serbia, Sweden
0% Tuition fees for national/EU students at Bachelor level
There are no tuition fees
0% Tuition fees for national/EU students at Master's level
There are no tuition fees
0% Tuition fees for national/EU students at doctoral level
There are no tuition fees
This applies to 10 other countries: Austria, Brandenburg, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Poland, Slovakia, Sweden
0% Tuition fees for non-EU students at Bachelor level
There are no tuition fees
This applies to 3 other countries: Brandenburg, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway
0% Tuition fees for non-EU students at Master's level
There are no tuition fees
This applies to 3 other countries: Brandenburg, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway
0% Tuition fees for non-EU students at doctoral level
There are no tuition fees
This applies to 6 other countries: Brandenburg, Denmark, Finland, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Sweden
Staffing weighted 63% unweighted 62%
83% Recruitment procedures for senior academic staff
Recruitments are carried out freely by universities
This applies to 17 other countries: Austria, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Flanders, Iceland, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Other restrictions
100% Recruitment procedures for senior administrative staff
Recruitments are carried out freely by universities
This applies to 20 other countries: Austria, Brandenburg, Estonia, Finland, Flanders, Wallonia, Hungary, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
67% Salaries for senior academic staff
The decision on individual staff salaries is restricted due to an overall limit for all staff payments
This applies to 3 other countries: Brandenburg, Flanders, North Rhine-Westphalia
Salary bands are prescribed by an external authority for some staff
This applies to 2 other countries: Brandenburg, North Rhine-Westphalia
67% Salaries for senior administrative staff
Salary bands are negotiated with other parties
This applies to 6 other countries: Brandenburg, Finland, Iceland, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway
20% Dismissal of senior academic staff
Dismissals are strictly regulated due to civil servant status for some staff
This applies to 6 other countries: Austria, Brandenburg, Ireland, North Rhine-Westphalia, Portugal, Serbia
20% Dismissal of senior administrative staff
Dismissals are strictly regulated due to civil servant status for some staff
This applies to 6 other countries: Austria, Brandenburg, Ireland, North Rhine-Westphalia, Portugal, Spain
71% Promotion procedures for senior academic staff
Other restrictions
71% Promotion procedures for senior administrative staff
Academic weighted 88% unweighted 87%
60% Overall student numbers
Universities negotiate with an external authority
This applies to 10 other countries: Brandenburg, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, North Rhine-Westphalia, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain
60% Admissions procedures at Bachelor level
Admission criteria are co-regulated by an external authority and universities
This applies to 11 other countries: Brandenburg, Croatia, Denmark, Latvia, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Portugal, Serbia, Spain, Sweden
100% Admissions procedures at Master's level
Admission criteria are set by the university
This applies to 18 other countries: Brandenburg, Estonia, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain, United Kingdom
60% Introduction of programmes at Bachelor level
Other restrictions
60% Introduction of programmes at Master's level
Other restrictions
100% Introduction of programmes at doctoral level
Universities can open degree programmes without prior accreditation
This applies to 12 other countries: Austria, Brandenburg, Denmark, Flanders, Ireland, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
100% Termination of degree programmes
Universities can terminate degree programmes independently
This applies to 25 other countries: Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Flanders, France, Wallonia, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
100% Language of instruction at Bachelor level
Universities can choose the language of instruction for all programmes
This applies to 19 other countries: Austria, Brandenburg, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
100% Language of instruction at Master's level
Universities can choose the language of instruction for all programmes
This applies to 20 other countries: Austria, Brandenburg, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
100% Selection of quality assurance mechanisms
Universities can select quality assurance mechanisms freely according to their needs
This applies to 2 other countries: Brandenburg, North Rhine-Westphalia
100% Selection of quality assurance providers
Universities can choose the quality assurance agency freely according to their needs (including agencies from other countries)
This applies to 7 other countries: Austria, Brandenburg, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, North Rhine-Westphalia, Switzerland
100% Capacity to design content of degree programmes
Universities can freely design the content of degree programmes and courses (other than for the regulated professions)
This applies to 25 other countries: Austria, Brandenburg, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Flanders, France, Wallonia, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom