The Standing Conference, founded in 1948, provides a forum for the ministers and senators responsible for education, higher education and research, and cultural affairs in the different federal counties. As an associated website explains “The functions performed by the Standing Conference derive from the fact that responsibility for education and cultural affairs lies primarily with the Länder. This distribution of authority (the cultural sovereignty of the Länder) is laid down in the Basic Law of the Federal Republic of Germany.”

“One key task of the Standing Conference is to ensure the highest possible degree of mobility throughout Germany for pupils, students, teaching personnel and those working in the academic sector by means of consensus and cooperation. The following tasks are derived from this: to agree on the equivalence and comparability of certificates and final qualifications, to work towards safeguarding quality standards in schools, vocational training and higher education, to promote cooperation among educational, scientific and cultural institutions.” For more details see http://www.kmk.org/information-in-english/standing-conference-of-the-ministers-of-education-and-cultural-affairs-of-the-laender-in-the-federal-republic-of-germany/organization-and-proceedings.html

The deputy secretary general will travel to Taiwan to learn more about Taiwan’s system of education and to deepen exchange and collaboration between German and Taiwanese education facilities. Weidenbach-Mattar, who took office last year, is very much looking forward to her visit and is pleased to have the chance to visit Taiwan.