A dataset of study program availability in German higher education between 1971 and 1996

Educational systems are dynamic. They shape human capital, technological and societal progress, and also economic growth. Higher education, in particular, fosters innovation, with varying fields of study contributing differently to this process. Yet, despite its importance, no dataset has previously documented the evolution of academic fields across higher education institutions in a specific country. Addressing this gap, we present the RWI-UNI-SUBJECTS1 dataset, the first extensive collection of study opportunities across German higher education institutions between 1971 and 1996. The dataset originates from annual study guides by the German Federal Employment Agency for high school students. To extract the data, a custom-developed computer vision algorithm was used. We further enriched the dataset with administrative codes for fields, institutions, and districts, enabling seamless integration with additional datasets, such as social security data, official student statistics, or the National Educational Panel Study (NEPS). Covering a total of 105,307 study programs between 1971 and 1996, RWI-UNI-SUBJECTS1 offers a valuable foundation for interdisciplinary research on education, innovation, and economic development.