Over the past 20 years, the private higher education sector has evolved from a marginal phenomenon into a significant component of the German higher education landscape. With their great diversity, private higher education institutions contribute to the differentiation of the education system and promote competition. In doing so, they operate at the intersection of entrepreneurial and academic logics and can thus be regarded as a distinct category of higher education institutions.

Given their growing importance, the contribution of private higher education institutions to high-quality education and research and the resolution of societal challenges is becoming increasingly relevant. Through its recommendations, the German Science and Humanities Council aims to enhance this contribution.