This study aimed to synthesize the scattered sources of information available on the 3-year, technically oriented Fachhochschulen type of higher education in the Federal Republic of Germany. Organized into six sections, the book starts with a review of the organization of the higher education system including the trend towards a unitary system, the establishment of the comprehensives and the Fachhochschulen, institutional patterns, options for qualified school leavers, higher education objectives, and administrative and legal arrangements. The second section examines course content and organization including entrance qualifications and admissions, duration of studies, practical periods, certification, and curricular innovation. A third section seeks to assess the prestige of institutional types in particular the Fachhochschulen versus the universities. Section four provides a statistical overview in the form of tables with detailed explanation. The fifth section treats teachers in the Fachhochschulen as they compare to the staff at universities qualitatively, and with regard to career, status and duties beyond their major functions. The concluding section takes a look at the past and future of the Fachhochschulen, in particular the difficulties this type of higher education faces due to the societal environment in West Germany which continues to regard the traditional university education as best. (JB)