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	Member of the International Partnership of Business Schools Bloomington, Boston, Dublin, Lancaster, Madrid, Piacenza, Puebla, Reims, Reutlingen

In order to seek to reverse this trend, the Schröder government has been at the forefront in the debate concerning the necessity of establishing German elite universities. According to the concrete plans, a small number of German universities should already have been declared elite-universities. The education minister Ms. Buhlmahn did however not succeed in realising her plans for elite-universities on schedule.

Education "made in Germany" What went wrong.
Ever since the discussion about elite-universities has been running in the press and has been a part of the public debate, it has been clear that Germany needs top tier universities, or more precisely, Germany needs excellent research opportunities and facilities to ensure that the smartest heads remain in the country. This new wave of research would give industry and the economy in general important innovative impulses. For this reason, billions of Euros ought to be spent on a small selected group of German universities, so that these in turn may transform themselves into German Harvards and Oxbridges. This is the common ground and the apparent logical explanation of what needs be done. It could however be argued that those involved in this discussion, especially politicians, lack important in-side knowledge and appear not to know the real strengths and weaknesses of the German university system, and that therefore inadequate analysis have been made. Here are a few truths which ought to be generally known and not only to insiders of the education system:
> The average quality of the often highly praised American universities is notably poor; Less than 10% of American Universities and Colleges can match the level of the Abitur, the German school leavers diploma. (The top 1% of US Universities are at the same time undoubtedly in a class of their own)
> German students abroad tend to study at the absolute top universities in the respective countries
> Germany does not spend less on education than other countries. The big difference (in particular to the US) is that private donations to universities are virtually non-existent in Germany.
> Germany has a leading position when it comes to engineering science, and German engineering education enjoys a higher reputation worldwide than the corresponding Anglo-American education.
> In some parts of the world such as Latin America, China and the Arabic countries German education or German business practices holds a better reputation than the Anglo-American alternatives.
> Germany has through its institutes such as "Max Planck" and "Fraunhofer" for years conducted world-class research. These institutions are however not counted as universities. There are, nevermind of these corrective truths few reasons to glorify German universities:
> Universities are mostly measured on the quality of academic publications and the actual quality of education is not properly assessed.
> Nearly all graduates and doctorates find their way into industry; university education is at the same time still strictly based on the academic ideal of primary research.
> Unclear degree programmes without defined durations reveal deficient structures and organisational arrangements
> The bureaucratic ways in which German Universities are organised make them unattractive for overseas students. In a global context, German universities hence remain marginalised.

What characterises a real elite institution
Regrettably, very few front bench politicians have a background from an elite university (an exception to this is the former German president Richard von Weizsäcker who graduated in Oxford). Moreover, German politicians are, in contrast to their French or American peers, not recruited from a small number of elite-institutions. It might be difficult even for those who have studied at a top overseas institution to exactly define and appreciate what characterises an elite-university. As can be seen in Fig. 1 the focus lies on a consequent emphasis on the actual education of students from selections procedures to alumni networking: It is all about creating optimal conditions and opportunities for personal development for the brightest heads and consequent potential future leaders.

Whereas traditional German universities fail when it comes to focusing on important facets, which characterise elite-education, it is to be noted that ESB Reutlingen (like the private schools WHU and EBS) fulfil most of these criteria.

The fact that German mass education universities now suddenly are to be turned into elite institutions is more than questionable. After all, hardly any of these universities fulfil the elite criterion. Even if public spending on elite institutions was to be increased, one might rightly fear that none of the elite-criteria will be reached, as long as the strongly rigid system and outdated tradition of the role of civil servants in German universities is not fundamentally changed. As shown is Figure 2, the CHE analysis reveals how unconvincing the aspirations for elite universities in Germany are, and furthermore, that ESB Reutlingen would have something to offer to those who dream of elite universities in Europe’s largest economy. This in itself should be reason enough for ESB to raise its voice in the elite-discussion.

The unpromising discussion on elite-universities in Germany is all the same an excellent opportunity for ESB to strengthen its own strategies: The mere fact that ESB was different right from the beginning is the reason behind this rare German success story. The foundations for this success were laid when Prof. Dr. Hans Tümmers, the founder of ESB, 25 years ago designed an internationally orientated German business school, which was to be based on a practice orientated French Grande Ecole. ESB graduates all have broad international experience, possess first-rate analytical skills, and are able to excellently master time management. Today’s top employers certainly know to appreciate these qualities. In relation to its 150th anniversary, this clearly is a very nice present to Reutlingen University.