Centre for Higher Education

German organization

Centre for Higher Education

Centrum für Hochschulentwicklung

Abbreviation| CHE
Established| 1994
Founder| Reinhard Mohn, Hans-Uwe Erichsen [de]
Type| Non-profit limited liability company (gGmbH)
Purpose| Higher education reform
Headquarters| Gütersloh, Germany
Budget| €5 million (2018)
Staff| 50 (2020)
Website| che.de
Headquarters of the Centre for Higher Education in Gütersloh

The Centre for Higher Education (CHE) (German: Centrum für Hochschulentwicklung) is a German organization dedicated to higher education reform. Founded in 1994 by the Bertelsmann Stiftung and the German Rectors' Conference as a non-profit limited liability company, it is best known to the public for its published university rankings.[1]

## History

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The institution was founded as a gGmbH by the Bertelsmann Stiftung and the German Rectors' Conference in Gütersloh on 9 February 1994 and commenced operations on 1 May 1994.[2] In 1996, Detlef Muller-Boling was head of the CHE.[1] The Executive Director is Frank Ziegele (until 2021 together with Jörg Dräger).[3]

An advisory board advises the centre on its content. The members of the advisory board include Walter Rosenthal, Carsten Könneker, Anne Lequy and Birgitta Wolff.[4]

## CHE University Ranking

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Main article: CHE University Ranking

Introduced in 1998, the annual CHE University Ranking is the most comprehensive ranking of German universities and Fachhochschulen.[5]

## Criticism

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CHE has been criticized for lobbying the media, politics and society to increase the acceptance of tuition fees and "elite" universities. The relationship between CHE and Bertelsmann is seen as particularly problematic. Since CHE is largely financed by the Bertelsmann Stiftung, which is the majority owner of Bertelsmann, critics doubt the sociopolitical neutrality and non-profit nature of the institution and assume that CHE's policies are significantly influenced by the interests and ideas of the media corporation.[6][7] For example, the main content of the North Rhine-Westphalia Higher Education Freedom Act, which aimed to denationalise universities, was formulated by the CHE and adopted by the FDP education minister, Andreas Pinkwart, in largely the same form in the government draft.[8]

## References

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1. ^ a b "Germany accused of wasting money on dropouts". Times Higher Education (THE). 7 June 1996. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
2. ^ "CHE - Centre for Higher Education". www.bertelsmann-stiftung.de (in German). Retrieved 17 December 2024.
3. ^ "Neuordnung des CHE Führungsteams zum Jahresbeginn". Retrieved 17 December 2024.
4. ^ "Über uns" (in German). Retrieved 17 December 2024.
5. ^ "About the Ranking". ZEIT Campus. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
6. ^ Wernicke, Jens. Netzwerk der Macht – Bertelsmann. Der medial-politische Komplex aus Gütersloh (in German) (2nd ext. ed.). Marburg. ISBN 978-3-939864-02-8. OCLC 244292097.
7. ^ Alidusti, Kyrosch (17 October 2007). "Wie das Centrum für Hochschulentwicklung Politik an Hochschulen macht". www.studis-online.de (in German). Retrieved 1 January 2021.
8. ^ deutschlandfunk.de (3 July 2015). "Bertelsmann, Vodafone & Co. - Wie Stiftungen die Bildungspolitik beeinflussen". Deutschlandfunk (in German). Retrieved 17 December 2024.

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF

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* Germany