The working unit "Structures and Systems" combines projects that focus on the structural framework conditions for educational decisions, processes and outcomes. In this context, we define structural conditions as infrastructural conditions on the one hand and the small-scale social composition of neighborhoods on the other. On the other hand, we understand structural conditions in institutional terms. In this context, we focus primarily on the school regulations of the federal states, as well as on the school framework of individual schools.  

The research work of the department concentrates firstly on the analysis of changes in the framework conditions. This includes the analysis of small-scale segregation processes within German cities and their conditioning factors. Furthermore, the change of school policy and its determinants are to be seen as well.

On the other hand, it is about the analysis of the effects of changing framework conditions on educational paths. The analytical focus is mainly on social inequalities. Special emphasis is put on the role of private schools, the implementation of inclusion and the social and ethnic segregation of cities. 

In addition, the research area reviews, acquires, and prepares data on structural conditions that can be fed into the NEPS data in order to expand the analytical potential of the NEPS.

Since the research in the working unit deals with general and current sociological questions in education, we try to make the findings available to the public in an appropriate way.