In 2016, German universities enjoyed another big rise in international students, according to the latest data. As numbers in the UK suffer, Germany recorded close to a 7 percent increase in international students coming to the country. This follows a jump of nearly 8 percent over the previous year. Numbers have risen about 30 percent since 2012.
In most English-speaking countries, this kind of news would have university finance chiefs grinning from ear to ear: more international students means lots of extra cash from hefty tuition fees. But in Germany, students — on the whole — famously pay no tuition fees, regardless of where they come from. Seen from the US or the UK, this policy may appear either supremely principled, or incredibly naive. With international students making up nearly one in 10 students (and even more if you count non-citizens who went to German schools), why does the country choose to pass up tuition fee income and educate other countries’ young people for free?
One reason is that Germany has a much bigger demographic hole to fill than the US or the UK. It is second only to Japan in terms of the proportion of its population over 60, according to the United Nations, and so needs young, skilled workers to keep its economy going. Germany still offers 18-month post-study work visas for graduates from outside the European Union; the UK scrapped a similar scheme in 2012.
International students certainly seem to want to stick around: about half plan to remain in Germany after graduation, according to a survey conducted by the German Academic Exchange Service, with three in 10 planning to stay permanently.
Although this is far from their only role, “universities are motors of economic welfare, they attract people to Germany”, explains Marijke Wahlers, head of the international department of the German Rectors’ Conference (HRK). “International graduates are very welcome to stay in Germany — either for a certain period of time or for life.” But, she stresses, “we are, at the same time, very much aware of the impact of brain drain around the globe, so we like to think about this issue in terms of a global circulation of brains”.
The “soft power” argument plays a role too: overseas graduates are also seen as generating goodwill for Germany globally. “The idea of Germany being part of an international community is valued very highly,” says Wahlers. “Of course, we invest a certain amount of money (in their education), but what we get back is worth much more. The international students, when they graduate, will be partners for Germany in the world. This kind of international network building is of immense importance to us,” she says.