Self-regulation as a future skill
The less work is controlled by external guidelines or other people and the more opportunities arise, the more important it is for individuals to manage themselves well. Self-regulation has therefore become a crucial core skill in the new world of education and work. The importance of self-regulation and self-directed learning for academic success was only […]
Data Literacy in Higher Education: An Important Ingredient of Critical Thinking
In academia, the ability to comprehend and analyze graphically presented data is often referred to as “data visualization literacy.” This skill encompasses not only understanding visualized information but also the capacity to discern patterns, trends, and relationships within data, fostering quantitative reasoning and analytical capabilities. Similarly, the term “statistical literacy” involves interpreting information from graphs […]
Future Skills in higher education
In many contexts, there is currently a debate about which skills and competences will be (more) important in the future. The OECD has also looked at this issue, with a particular focus on education, and has identified different future skills that can be grouped into three categories: There is no doubt that these skills are […]
Critical thinking as a future skill
Critical thinking is a familiar term and seems to be very important these days, but what is it exactly and how can it be measured? What is critical thinking? The definition of critical thinking varies among individuals, scientists, and test developers. Following a review of the literature, it’s evident that most definitions include cognitive abilities […]
Academic aptitude as a neglected factor for foreign students
Back in 1895, Albert Einstein, a brilliant young man from southern Germany, sought admission as an international student to what would become ETH Zurich in Switzerland, but was initially rejected because he did not meet the necessary requirements – the formal qualification and sufficient French language skills. Recognising the need to assess more than just […]
Improving academic success of international students
Germany needs international students to compensate for the declining number of students and to meet the demand for highly skilled workers. Foreign students who successfully complete their studies can then integrate into the labour market. At first glance, this is already happening quite well, as statistics and reports on the number of international students show […]
Worldwide Admission Test Dates for 2024
As in 2023, four of our admission tests are available worldwide on fixed test dates. Institutions of Higher Education also have the option to reserve individual test days for their applicants. Tests are conducted online with video supervision, offering flexibility through various time slots, allowing prospective students everywhere in the world to take the tests […]
Really powerful! How ants help to optimise admission tests
Psychological tests are very popular and play an important role in education – for example, in the selection of students. But where do ants come into play here? Of course, we want a maximum amount of information about candidates using the least amount of resources (i.e. testing time). One benefit of shortening tests is an […]
How to improve the experience of test takers
How do applicants react when they have to take a study aptitude test for their application? And what does it depend on whether they are satisfied with the test or not? What do we need to do if we want a test to be accepted by our applicants? We asked over 2,000 test takers on […]
Increasing diversity in admission procedures
Selection procedures are supposed to identify those who later have the best grades and are most successful in their careers. But what if such an approach creates a homogeneous student body that is predominantly a reflection of today’s elite? What about people with low-SES (socio-economic status) background, from non-academic families, with migration background, non-native speakers? […]