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This paper compares the findings of two studies on the publication patterns in leading Australian, English and German education journals. The first study was funded by the German Research Association and the second one was unfunded, and they were conducted by a team of international researchers. The first study compared three English and three German leading education journals. The second study analysed the publication patterns in three leading Australian education journals. All papers published between 2001 and 2010 in the nine selected education journals were analysed according to their author profile, thematic focus and methodology used. The analyses (covering three geographical regions) showed the publication patterns in the selected journals, indicating similarities and also some key differences. This paper focuses on the Australian education journals and how their publication patterns relate to the English and German journals.

This paper discusses rationales for comparative work in education and draws on two projects on analysing publications in educational journals internationally. It uses the cases of Germany and England to illustrate the points made. The paper outlines some of the major developments in education in these two countries and identifies their implications for the work of academics in this discipline. The main argument is that the analysis of journal publications provides for tracking of the development of academic disciplines, and that the comparisons of publication patterns in two countries offers insights into the particular starting points and trajectories of a field of study such as education.

As of September 2012, the undergraduate tuition fee cap at English universities was raised from £3375 to £9000 per annum. This article explores the rationales underpinning prospective students' decision whether or not to apply to higher education following the fee increase, specifically, how this decision is influenced by perceptions of study-related debt and expected earnings. The article draws on data obtained from prospective undergraduates in year 13 and conceptualises their decision-making using the notion of "bounded rationality". The data show that participant's primary response to the fee increase and associated study-related debt is that "there is no point worrying". This is because in the short term, a higher education degree is considered vital to securing employment in a competitive labour market. In the long term, there is a perception that the income contingent nature of student loan repayments makes the Treasury, not the student, liable for any resultant financial losses.

This paper presents findings from two studies of publication patterns in leading English, German, European and US journals of education. The studies were funded by the German Research Association and conducted by an international team of researchers. All papers published in 14 selected journals between 2001 and 2010 were analysed in terms of their author profile, their methodological approach and their thematic focus. The analyses resulted in publication patterns for the selected journals and at an aggregated level for the four geographic areas in which journals are published, highlighting many similarities, but also distinct differences. As far as the differences are concerned, the lower share of female authors and the relative low proportion of papers drawing on empirical research in German journals are noteworthy. For US journals, the comparatively low importance of papers drawing on the international research discourse seems to be particularly important. Based on an analysis of related studies in this field the paper demonstrates a degree of alignment of publication patterns with disciplinary traditions and formation processes in the field of education. However, the trend analysis provided also shows that some of the traditional boundaries of education as an academic discipline are in a state of flux.

This article outlines some of the findings of a project funded by the German Research Association which conducted an analysis of six leading journals of education in Germany and England. All articles published in these journals between 2001 and 2009 were analysed according to thematic foci, methodological approaches and characteristics of authors. The findings of this analysis demonstrate that there are clear differences and similarities in publication patterns between different journals and countries and that some of these patterns have changed substantially over time. The comparative perspective used for the analysis results in conclusions regarding nation-specific trajectories of the discourse and research in the area of education. (Contains 7 tables, 9 figures and 12 notes.)

This paper presents some of the findings of an evaluation of the development of the first fourteen 14-19 Diplomas in England. It focuses on the question whether the government's aim to develop the new qualifications in an employer-led way has been fulfilled. In order to answer this question, the paper evaluates the contributions of employers in the Diploma development process, the strategies used to engage employers and employers' satisfaction with the outcome. The paper concludes that while employers have had a significant role in defining the content of Diplomas, they have been by no means leading or driving the overall process of qualification making. Due to the complex nature of the qualification system and the need for collaboration of a variety of actors, the role of employers may more accurately be described as key partners in the development process. (Contains 8 notes.)

This article reports on an evaluation of the development of a new type of qualification that is being introduced in England between 2008 and 2011. These diplomas are aimed at 14-19-year-olds, and are expected to present young people with an alternative to established academic qualifications, and also an alternative to established vocational qualifications. The article sets out and discusses the methods used to evaluate the development process of these diplomas. On this basis, it identifies two issues in the development process that raise questions regarding governance structures in education and training in England. The first issue concerns the way in which a multitude of actors and stakeholders have collaborated in the development process of these diplomas. The second issue focuses on the way in which employers have been brought into the development of a qualification that aims at preparing young people better for employment. For both of these issues, the article concludes that new governance structures have been set up that are only partly successful in reaching the goals set by the government. The weaknesses identified are then discussed within the wider contexts of the English qualification system and the relevant regulatory framework in education and training. (Contains 1 table, 3 figures and 10 notes.)