The recent "Bildungsmonitor 2012" report determines which German regions have
the best education systems. The ranking is created by the employer
lobby group "Initiative Neue Soziale Marktwirtschaft" and pays
particular attention to economic issues such as employability and
skills shortages.
The two first places in the ranking go to Saxonia and Thuringia
in the east. They are followed by the two economic hubs in the
south, Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria. Hamburg, Bremen and
Brandenburg were the regions which managed to improve the most
compared to last year.
STEM fosters long-term growth
"The greatest growth opportunities for the German education
system can be found where access to education is expanded to groups
in society that are subject to 'Bildungsarmut'." The latter refers
to an individual lacking educational qualifications and skills.
A finding which stands out is the significant increase in STEM
(Sciences, technology, engineering, mathematics) graduates. Their
numbers have doubled between 2000 and 2010, which corresponds to
168,000 people cumulatively. The report authors forecast that this
will increase Germany's long-term growth rate by 0,35%.