Chapter 10
Deutsche Weiterbildungsgesellschaft

Category: Proprietary distance training institution

Country: Germany

Location: Pfungstadt

Language of instruction: German



Address Ostendstrasse 3,
64319, Pfungstadt.
Telephone 004961578060

Deutsche Weiterbildungsgesellschaft mbh (The German Continuing Education Institute) is a grouping of training institutes with headquarters in Pfungstadt.

Official status and history

The group is composed of:

ILS Institute für Lernysteme GmbH. ILS was founded in 1977 in Hamburg at 20 Doberaner Weg Telephone 004940-67570103. It was part of the Bertelsman, Hamburg distance training provision. All its distance training courses are officially approved and authorised by the German government accrediting body ZFU (Zentralstelle für Fernunterricht) in Köln.

AAA. The Axel Andersson Akademie Gesellschaft für Fernstudien mbh was founded in 1976 and provides distance training courses at all levels in languages and journalism. Address: Neuman-Reichart Straße 27-33 Hamburg. Telephone 004940-6580933.

HFB - Hochschule für Berufstätige. The HFB was founded in 1996 as an Open Polytechnic, which may evolve into an Open University. It is located at Gutenbergstraße 2, Pfungstadt and is directed by Professor Dr. Börje Holmberg. Telephone: 00496157-80653. All its courses are approved and authorised by the German government accrediting body ZFU (Zentrallestelle für Fernunterricht) in Köln.

HAF. Hamburger Akademie für Fernstudien GmbH. The HAF is a new higher level distance training structure founded in 1997. Address: Morewoodstraße 25, Telephone 004940-6580911, Hamburg

Studiengemeinschaft Werner Kamproth Darmstradt GmbH. This is a large distance training college with a wide range of courses located at Ostendstraße 3, Pfungstadt. Telephone 00496157-80653

FEB Fernakademie für Fernstudien GmbH was founded in 1990 as a second brand name for ILS and enrols 20,000 students per year in association with ILS. Same address and telephone numbers as ILS.

EKS Die Strategie Wolfgang Mewes GmbH. This institution was founded in 1996 for a planned 1000 students per year in management Strategy. Address Gutenbergstraße 2, Pfungstadt. Telephone 0049 6157-80653.

Training Provision: Courses

The ILS brochure lists 140 courses offerings in Business Languages, management and Business Studies and Technological Studies. The length in months study ranges from 3 to 42. Price per month ranges from Euro/Ecu 75 to 118. Price for full courses range form 500 Ecu to 5000. Each course offering is accompanied by its ZFU authorisation number, that is the Government authorisation to offer the course given by the Staatlich Zentralstelle für Ferunterricht in Köln.

The other members of the group list hundreds of other courses, both at further education and at higher education at a distance. All the courses are at a distance, ranging from Polytechnic level to adult basic education.

Training provision: certification

The SGD brochure lists the certification for each course - government examination for O and A levels, other government examinations, Cambridge Certificate for ESL and EFL, and SGD Certificates and Diplomas

Training provision: Statistics

The group enrols 55,000 to 60,000 students annually at a distance.

Course development polices

All study materials are developed within the group. Authors are contracted to develop the materials and then the relative institutions edit and produce the materials. They do not write commentary courses on existing textbooks, but develop the full distance educational materials for each course themselves.

Student support services

The group states that service to students is their business and that all levels of communications technologies are made available to students including mail, fax, internet, email, telephone.

Employment created

Staff Contracts 
ILS/FEB 90 300 
HFB SGD EKS 80 350 
AAA EKS MFB 25 70 
HAF AAA 25 150 
220 870 

Plans

The development of the Hochschule für Berufstätiger - the group's Private Distance Polytechnic or University for Taxpayers will be closely observed as the group attempts to set in place a private German Open University.