CASMIN and ISCED Classifications of Education

In national and international comparative research, education is one of the most highly utilized features and among the so-called “standard demographic features”.

In surveys of population statistics, educational information is collected at regular intervals, so that it is possible to conduct comparative studies over time. Given transformation of the German education system over the years and in particular the substantial modification to the way that education statistics are collected, the comparison across several measurement points is made more difficult.

To facilitate easier handling of education statistics by users who rely on data from official statistics, two education scales are now provided, which have increasingly gained importance over recent years both in national studies as well as in international comparison. Here, the scales in question were developed by social scientists and referred to as the CASMIN scale as well as the ISCED scale designed by UNESCO.

Provision of the educational classification includes the microcensuses since 1976, the 1970 population census, as well as the 1971 supplementary microcensus survey, thus ensuring that comparative studies are largely possible over more than a 30-year period. The study emerged in the context of the project Forschungsverbund Datenservicezentren: Verbesserung des Zugangs der Wissenschaft zu Mikrodaten (“Research Association Data Service Centers: Improving the Scientific Community’s Access to Microcensus”) funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).

Schroedter, Julia H.; Lechert, Yvonne; Lüttinger, Paul, 2006: Die Umsetzung der Bildungsskala ISCED-1997 für die Volkszählung 1970, die Mikrozensus- Zusatzerhebung 1971 und die Mikrozensen 1976-2004. ZUMA-Methodenbericht 2006/08 [.pdf] (1.12 MB).

Lechert, Yvonne; Schroedter, Julia; Lüttinger, Paul, 2006: Die Umsetzung der Bildungsklassifikation CASMIN für die Volkszählung 1970, die Mikrozensus- Zusatzerhebung 1971 und die Mikrozensen 1976-2004. ZUMA-Methodenbericht 2006/12 [.pdf] (481 kB).