German Universities as State-Sponsored Co-Operatives

IÖB Discussion Paper No. 1/07

24 Pages Posted: 16 May 2007

Date Written: January 2007

Abstract

Most universities in Germany are public firms but they have many properties of co-operatives. The most important thereof are described and analysed together with the characteristics of state-sponsorship. The real companions of the university as a co-operation are its professors. The same is true for the faculty level, perhaps even more so. However, especially the students are also organised in a co-operative form as are the representatives of all membership groups together. The state is making some crucial reforms that transform this university model or may even destroy it. In any case, the change is slow, painful and open-ended.

Keywords: co-operative, Germany, higher education, professor, reform, tenure, university

JEL Classification: J54, I20, H75, P13, L32, L31, J45, J24

Suggested Citation

Dilger, Alexander, German Universities as State-Sponsored Co-Operatives (January 2007). IÖB Discussion Paper No. 1/07, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=986974 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.986974

Alexander Dilger (Contact Author)

University of Münster ( email )

Institute for Organisational Economics
Scharnhorststr. 100
Münster, D-48151
Germany
+49-251-83-25330 (Phone)
+49-251-83-28429 (Fax)

HOME PAGE: http://www.wiwi.uni-muenster.de/io/en/organisation/Dilger.html