"Schools: Partners for the Future" Initiative
Pupils of the German school in Abu Dhabi (T. Koehler/photothek.net)
In February 2008 Federal Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier launched the "Schools: Partners for the Future" Initiative. The goal is to create a worldwide network of German-language partner schools. The first year was a striking success: the number of partner schools doubled to more than 1000, 100 additional experts were seconded and some 800 German teachers received further training.
Schools as places where young people can meet and get to know one another, where they can learn alongside one another and be creative together – that is the idea behind the "Schools: Partners for the Future" Initiative (PASCH). At the same time, the partner schools arouse interest in modern-day Germany and enable pupils to develop lasting personal ties with Germany.
Federal Foreign Minister Steinmeier therefore launched the PASCH initiative last February with a view to anchoring German more firmly as a foreign language in national education systems abroad.
The partner schools include German schools abroad and schools which offer the German Language Certificate (which makes it possible for young people to study at a German university). In 2008 the initiative received funding in the order of 45 million euro. The Federal Foreign Office is responsible for coordinating the initiative, which is being implemented in cooperation with the Central Agency for Schools Abroad, the Goethe-Institut, the Educational Exchange Service of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the Länder in the Federal Republic of Germany and the German Academic Exchange Service.
Minister Steinmeier at the German school in Jakarta, February 2008 (© T.Imo/photothek.net)
The first year was a striking success
The network of partner schools was extended to include some 500 new schools and now consists of 1060 schools. 15 German schools abroad joined the network, some 170 schools are now introducing the German Language Certificate, while almost 320 schools are expanding their German tuition.
Steinmeier emphasizes the fundamental importance of such programmes:
"Education creates prospects – multilingualism opens new horizons. At our partner schools abroad we not only desire to provide students with access to our language and education system, we also want to generate interest in and understanding for one another. There is no contradiction between being open to the diversity of cultures and tolerant of their differences."
Beckenbauer in Puente Alto
(Walter Krumbach)
The rapid expansion of the network highlights the interest in Germany and the great demand for German as a language of tuition.
The focus is on growth regions such as India and China, as well as around the EU, for instance in Ukraine and Russia. In countries in conflict and crisis regions, for example Afghanistan, the Initiative is helping to strengthen the education sector as a whole: teachers are receiving intensive further training and the development of school infrastructure is being supported.
Pupils of the German School at Jakarta (© T.Imo/photothek.net)
Promoting networking, guaranteeing quality
The network is to be expanded through numerous targeted measures. For example, in 2008 some 100 additional experts and teachers were seconded, whose job it is to advise schools and guarantee the quality of German tuition. Around 800 German teachers received further training in the theory of teaching and methodology, as well as German cultural studies. 120 scholarships were awarded by the German Academic Exchange Service to graduates of partner schools to allow them to study in Germany. Further scholarships were awarded for study programmes offered by German universities abroad. A video competition for the partner schools was launched in which 53 schools took part.
In future, the business community is to play a larger role in the funding of scholarships.
In 2009, the networking of schools is to be promoted and the quality of teaching guaranteed for the future.
Federal Minister Steinmeier at the German school in Mexico during his visit to Latin America in April 2007 (Ingo Stender)
German schools abroad
The worldwide network of German schools abroad is designed to cater for the needs of Germans who are working abroad and who want their children to have a German education. Most of them are "contact" schools today and admit children from the host country and other nations, allowing them to get to know Germany, its culture and language. The system of German schools abroad is an example of public-private partnership. The schools are run by independent bodies. They raise much of their funding (on average 70% of the school budget) themselves through fees and donations. The Federal Foreign Office also provides funding. German schools abroad account for one of the largest shares in the cultural relations and education policy budget.
Last updated 05.01.2009
