Germany’s International Student Population Grows 6%
Recent data from DAAD, the German Academic Exchange Service, the international student population in Germany rose to 340,000 in 2016, according to the PIE News. The growth is remarkable considering the German government released a six-year plan in 2014 to increase international student numbers from 100,000 to 350,000 by 2020. Germany will likely surpass its goal by the end of the 2017 academic year.The increase in English-taught Masters programs has been credited with the 12% increase in foreign master’s degree-seeking students as it attracts people not only from English-speaking countries, but all over the world. The number of students seeking Bachelor’s degrees also increased by 10%. Perhaps unsurprisingly, given Germany’s historic prestige in the field, the most popular major among foreign students remains engineering.As the world’s fourth largest economy, Germany has prioritized education in recent years and increased federal education spending by 9.3% of GDP, according to the Education in Germany 2014 report. The UN predicts Germany’s population to decline from 82 million to 74.5 million by 2050. Attracting international students is one way in which the country hopes to maintain its status as a global innovator and the EU’s largest economy.Germany’s challenge will be to ensure that the students obtaining degrees in English-taught programs have the incentive and capability of staying and working in Germany after graduation. So far Germany’s efforts are reaping rewards. A new study by the British Council shows that even publicly declaring a welcoming policy on its own helps to attract international students.
