I think the article is very quick to dismiss the difference in number of graduates between Germany and the UK (27 vs 48%, was it?). Why do half of young Brits get a University degree, while only a quarter of young Germans do? One part of the answer is of course the German school system, which only permits students who attended a "Gymnasium" (grammar school) to attend university, but that applies to roughly half of all students [1]. Since schools are tiered by academic ability, it would be safe to assume that those wishing to pursue higher education would attend a Gymnasium, so we're nearly back to square one.
Statistics [1] also show that in Germany 43% started a university education, but only 28% completed one. Meanwhile, UK universities boast with their high retention rates, which might raise the question of how they achieve this without compromising the quality of the degrees. (My experience in the UK was that just about anyone got a degree, and a third (that's a grade, not a fraction) is basically worthless)
All this, I think, leads to two points. First, a lot of jobs in the UK require a degree, although it is not clear to me why. Secondly, while German universities might not be as present at the very top, the baseline seems to be a lot higher than in the UK (several factors play into this, among them the ability to switch subjects (due to lack of fees and very little social stigma) and not caring about retention rates, i.e. letting bad students fail), which is probably while the German diploma was so highly regarded.
(Another major difference I noticed was that in German universities, nobody checks up on you, and you are expected to take responsibility as an adult, whereas in England, it felt like the University was trying to be my Mummy.)
Lastly, the omnipresent reminder: foreigners don't pay tuition in Germany, either. There is a language barrier, but I probably don't need to point out all the articles which were here on HN not so long ago about increasing numbers of US and British students in Germany.
You have to remember that British universities include Cambridge, but they also include places like Thames Valley University, which at one time was in danger of losing its recognition, the University of Luton, which tried to drop its awful reputation together with its name, and the University of Staffordshire, which some 15 years ago received much money from Saudi Islamists and consequently offered courses explaining that the Jews were Evil. The two-tier system of polytechnics and universities over there is still very much alive, except that it's now inofficial, and the polytechnics have lost their way.
Good point, but I would like to compare the entire educational/job training spectrum. In Germany, many people decide to go for an apprenticeship or a position in the dual educational system [1], even if they qualify for the university path with the matura. These are not counted as university students.
I agree on the remark on baseline quality of university.
Sure, and many argue that this system prepares these people a lot better for their jobs than a (inherently rather theoretical) University degree can. This feeds back into my point about tons of UK jobs requiring a degree, even if it doesn't make all that much sense.
> First, a lot of jobs in the UK require a degree, although it is not clear to me why.
I knew a couple who wouldn't hire a babysitter that didn't have a four-year degree with a GPA of at least 3.7. They weren't wealthy or eccentric. Their combined family income was probably around $65k a year and the job only paid $8 an hour. There were simply enough people looking for work that they never had trouble finding someone who met their requirements.
Granted, the above anecdote was from the USA, but I haven't found things that different here in the UK.
I'm fully aware, but allgemeinbildendes Gymnasium and technisches Gymnasium account for nearly everyone at university in my state. There are a bunch of different ways of getting into uni, which also kinda vary by state, but that's not all that relevant here.
In the US it's the result of racial politics. Employers are asking to get sued if they use any kind of generic IQ-type testing to rank applicants, so they rely on credentials.
Statistics [1] also show that in Germany 43% started a university education, but only 28% completed one. Meanwhile, UK universities boast with their high retention rates, which might raise the question of how they achieve this without compromising the quality of the degrees. (My experience in the UK was that just about anyone got a degree, and a third (that's a grade, not a fraction) is basically worthless)
All this, I think, leads to two points. First, a lot of jobs in the UK require a degree, although it is not clear to me why. Secondly, while German universities might not be as present at the very top, the baseline seems to be a lot higher than in the UK (several factors play into this, among them the ability to switch subjects (due to lack of fees and very little social stigma) and not caring about retention rates, i.e. letting bad students fail), which is probably while the German diploma was so highly regarded.
(Another major difference I noticed was that in German universities, nobody checks up on you, and you are expected to take responsibility as an adult, whereas in England, it felt like the University was trying to be my Mummy.)
Lastly, the omnipresent reminder: foreigners don't pay tuition in Germany, either. There is a language barrier, but I probably don't need to point out all the articles which were here on HN not so long ago about increasing numbers of US and British students in Germany.
[1] https://de.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abiturientenquote_und_Studie...