c. Teacher qualification The required level of certified education to work as a teacher is the second stage of tertiary
education in usually two subjects and in educational sciences and the completion of the preparatory service (Vorbereitungsdienst) with the second Staatsprüfung (state examination). In recent years, consecutive study courses have been introduced in initial teacher education.
In December 2004, the Standing Conference adopted Standards for Teacher Training: Educational Sciences. In October 2008 the Standing Conference adopted common content requirements for subject-related studies and subject-related didactics in teacher training which apply to all Länder. In conjunction with the Standards for Teacher Training in the Educational Sciences, these serve as the basis for the accreditation and regular evaluation of all teachertraining courses.
The efforts of many Länder aim to focus on the following measures, amongst others, to enhance the quality of their teacher-training courses: a more extensive practical orientation during teacher training, intensification of the relations between the theoretical and practical phases of training, particular significance of the induction period for newly qualified teachers and measures to improve teaching practice with regard to diagnostic and methodical competence.