Fachhochschule

A Fachhochschule ( Fachhochschule ; FH; plural Fachhochschulen) or University of Applied Sciences (UAS) is a German tertiary education institution, specializing in topical areas (e.g. engineering, technology or business). Fachhochschulen were first founded in Germany, and were later adopted in Austria, Liechtenstein, Switzerland and Greece (where they are called TEI-Technological Educational Institutes). An increasing number of Fachhochschulen are abbreviated as Hochschule, the generic term in Germany for institutions awarding academic degrees in higher education, or expanded as Hochschule für angewandte Wissenschaften (HAW). Due to the Bologna process, Universitäten and Fachhochschulen award legally equivalent academic bachelor's and master's degrees. Fachhochschulen do not award doctoral degrees themselves. This, and the rule to call professors with a professional career of at least three years outside the university system, remain the two major ways in which they differ from traditional universities.