Standards and specific issues of student advisory services at universities are described in a resolution passed yesterday by the German Rectors' Conference (HRK). The HRK General Assembly identifies the support of prospective and current students throughout the entire student life cycle as an integral part of the responsibility of universities. This relates to informing and counselling prospective students, the recruitment, selection and admission of students, the individual stages of study and finally the entry of alumni into the working world.
This is why having in-house high-quality advisory services is a profile-building element for every university. The HRK General Assembly highlights the universities' great experience in this field. In Berlin today, HRK President Prof Dr Peter-André Alt stated his views on this: "The offers are now extensive and varied in order to meet respective individual needs. In addition to the central and subject-specific student advisory services, this includes support for entering the professional world, for example for students who are thinking of starting a business or want to establish a career in academia. In recent years, universities have invested heavily in the development of career services and alumni work. The staff in the advisory centres are highly qualified and specialist counselling is provided by teachers."
The HRK demands that external providers of comparable advisory services work just as independently, competently and oriented towards the interests of students as the universities. It is up to the respective university to decide whether to involve external providers. In this case, it would have to agree on clear criteria for quality and performance with the partners and review them.
Text of the resolution
