The German education and training system has been the subject of considerable attention from other nations, and has often been seen as a model for other systems. In the Federal Republic, responsibility for educational matters is devolved to the state parliaments, giving the system a degree of autonomy which does not exist in countries with centralised education systems. In order to fully examine the reasons behind the traditional success of the German system, and the implications this has for the UK debate, David Phillips brings together articles from some of the best known names in the field, including Mitter, Glowka, Hearnden, Fuhr, Robinsohn, and Prais and Wagner. The book is organised into four parts. Part I examines the historical inheritance of the present education system, Part II covers standards and assessment and Part III discusses vocational education and training, an area of the German education system which has attracted much admiration. Finally and crucially, Part IV addresses questions about the future of the current education system in a unified Germany.