Roundtable on the Education Progress Register

On June 26, 2025, the German Data Forum (RatSWD) and the RWI – Leibniz Institute for Economic Research hosted a round table on the education progress register in Berlin. The project, which is anchored in the coalition agreement between the CDU, CSU and SPD, has been strongly demanded by the German Data Forum (RatSWD) for many years. The event brought together experts from politics, science and administration.

After the welcome and introduction by Prof. Dr. Kerstin Schneider, Chairwoman of the RatSWD and member of the extended Executive Board of the RWI, keynote speeches were given by Dr. Friederike Hertweck, Prof. Dr. Kai Maaz and Dr. Tobias Brändle. These highlighted a variety of perspectives on the education progress register – from potential for education science and international best practices to practical applications in policy advice.

The participants then discussed the opportunities and challenges of the education progress register in depth, particularly with regard to data standards and political control options. The constructive exchange contributed significantly to creating a common understanding of the necessary steps for the successful further development and implementation of the register and at the same time strengthened the networking of stakeholders from politics, science and administration. In view of the current legislative period, there is a favorable window of opportunity to advance the further development of the education progress register and thus provide targeted support for education policy in Germany.

We would like to thank all participants for their contributions and the stimulating exchange and look forward to the next steps in the implementation of the education progress register.