Offene Hochschule Niedersachsen (OHN)

In order for the Federal Republic of Germany to remain internationally competitive and thus sustainable, the increasing demand for highly qualified specialists must be met. At the same time, the additional challenges posed by an increasingly ageing society must be overcome.

In order for society to meet these requirements, a restructuring of the entire educational system is necessary. An important aspect here is to increase the permeability of the different education systems. In this way, the number of university graduates and, at the same time, the number of skilled workers available is to be increased. This means that a greater diversity of access to higher education must be introduced.

The demand for lifelong learning formulated in the course of the Bologna Process requires the creation of appropriate framework conditions, i.e. a restructuring of the educational landscape in such a way that a dissolution of the demarcation of the different areas of education is brought about.

Within the framework of the "Offene Hochschule Niedersachsen" (OHN) initiative, Leibniz Universität Hannover pursues the main objective of making it easier for industrially trained persons who do not have a classical university entrance qualification (general university entrance qualification / Abitur) to enter the university. Special study programmes are to be created in order to open the university to other target groups besides school leavers with Abitur and to make the admission to studies attractive. The crediting of their professionally acquired competences not only facilitates the transition from professional life to university; it also creates freedom during the course of studies to deal with deficits and deepen knowledge in areas with little previous knowledge. The initiative deals with the topics:

• Opening up universities to other target groups through special study programmes for professionals

• Facilitating transitions between VET and higher education by crediting competences

• Integration of offers from adult education/continuing education into higher education.

In this way, the aim of the state government is to increase the permeability of the various education systems and thus meet the increasing demand for qualified specialists in an aging society.