FAQs for for university staff (e.g. student advisors)

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What is SelfAssessment international?

SelfAssessment international is a service of Student Services of the nine Technical Universities in Germany (TU9). It supports interested international students in their decision to study technical subjects in Germany. SelfAssessment means to evaluate oneself. As a result, SelfAssessment international offers interested international students the chance to find out through the Internet about the requirements for undertaking technical studies in Germany, and to receive personal feedback about their strengths and weaknesses in the context of such studies.

n whom does SelfAssessment international focus?

As a web-based consultation system, SelfAssessment focuses on young people worldwide who are considering studying or have concrete plans to study a technical subject at a technical university in Germany.

What exercises comprise SelfAssessment international?

The exercises in SelfAssessment international represent what is required at the beginning of studies. These requirements have been analyzed together with students, teachers and employees of the international offices of the TU9 universities. The SelfAssessment exercises include mathematical knowledge and logical problem-solving, as well as motivation for studying and willingness to perform. A German test from the TestDaF-Institute makes it possible to obtain a first impression of your language competence. Prior knowledge that can be easily obtained during the studies is not included in SelfAssessment because it is not prerequisite to the success of your studies.

How long does SelfAssessment international take?

The completion of SelfAssessment international lasts a total of 90 to 120 minutes. At first glance, this may seem like a lot of time. Consider the fact that this decision will impact the next 3 to 5 years of a student's life. In comparison, the completion time of SelfAssessment is a good investment. One has the possibility to take a break during the SelfAssessment and continue later.

What does the Results Feedback to the participants look like?

fter completing all of the exercises in SelfAssessment international all participants will receive feedback about their results. All of the exercises are explained and their relevance to the studies clarified. The results will be commented upon without a judgement just as "suitable/ not suitable". The Results Feedback also provides options for further preparation for study. The students are given recommendations for the use of the results to search for further information, to meet with alumni of the university they are interested in who live in their own country and, if possible, a meeting with guidance counsellors in the subject. As soon as a sufficient number of foreign interested students have participated in SelfAssessment, the individual results can be compared and used appropriately.

How do the participants register?

In order to participate in SelfAssessment, interested students must register with a username and password. As is usual when using the Internet, they will receive an E-mail containing a personal confirmation for the consultation process. With this confirmation, the participants can log in later to continue with the exercises or to read their Results Feedback. Furthermore, it is both possible and foreseen that within the framework of evaluation, the participants will be contacted at a later date by E-mail in order to stay in touch with them as they continue on their academic path.

How will the participants' data be saved and used?

The results of all participants will be saved within the framework of a research project of the Institut für Psychologie (Institute of Psychology) of RWTH Aachen University and for use in the evaluation and optimization of SelfAssessment. The results will be rendered anonymous for statistical and other purposes.

Can SelfAssessment international also be completed offline?

SelfAssessment can only be completed online. Your answers will be saved directly online so that at the end of the SelfAssessment you can read your feedback immediately. You have the possibility to take a break during the SelfAssessment and continue later.

Are there legal claims as a result of participation in SelfAssessment international?

Neither the participation in nor the results of SelfAssessment have any influence on acceptance to study at a German university. SelfAssessment is a tool for consultation and in the personal decision-making process. It does not replace either the certification of German language skills by a registered testing center or the selection processes of universities. Therefore, participation in SelfAssessment international does not lead to any legal claims.

Can SelfAssessment international be used to select students?

SelfAssessment is a self-evaluation tool that should support interested students in taking a decision for or against studying a technical subject in Germany. As opposed to student selection processes, SelfAssessment also contains questions about motivation and willingness to perform. Only in an anonymous environment can students be expected to give authentic information about themselves rather than presenting themselves as they would like to be seen by others (as is the case in selection processes). Because the decision to study is that of the participant personally, the SelfAssessment cannot replace the use of selection processes, but should be seen as a meaningful complement in the form of a self-selection.

Who developed SelfAssessment international?

SelfAssessment international was developed at RWTH Aachen by Univ.-Prof. Dr. Lutz F. Hornke, Dipl.-Psych. Verena Heukamp, Dipl.-Psych. Annika Milbradt and former Dipl.-Psych. Alexander Zimmerhofer at the Department of Industrial and Organizational Psychology as part of the PROFIS projects of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) for the TU9 Universities. The German test was provided by the TestDaF-Institute.

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