KMK - Secretariat of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the Länder in the Federal Republic of Germany

The KMK is an association of the German government ministers, who—in their function as highest authorities of a Land—are responsible for education, science, and culture. The Länder work together on educational and cultural issues to develop common guidelines. Their primary aim is to guarantee an equal standard of quality in all German schools. They also reciprocally recognize different educational qualifications. In higher education, the KMK regulates German university admissions and guarantees the equivalence of academic achievements. The Pedagogical Exchange Service (PAD) offers projects and programs promoting the exchange of students and teachers. The German Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB) reviews 15,000 foreign educational qualifications every year.