Germany Has a Great Reputation

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Mr. Grothus, why should students from the United States opt to study in Germany and not Great Britain or France, for example?

There are several reasons for this. There is obviously no better place to experience and learn about German history and culture than in Germany itself. Our institutions of higher education are very well-known when it comes to the fields of technology, music and the fine arts. A large number of young Americans come to Germany because they want to take advantage of these high academic standards.

How great is young Americans’ interest in studying at German universities or other institutions of higher education?

It is already significant and steadily growing. The New York Institute of International Education recently published new figures: in the 2004/05 academic year alone, the number of US Americans at German institutions of higher education rose by almost 10% to more than 6,500. Overall, Germany ranks seventh on the list of countries chosen by American students. This development is surely also linked to the fact that in recent years we have been doing more to attract American students to do bachelor’s degree courses in Germany. Our efforts are now beginning to pay off. However, the number of German students that decide to change to an American university or college is higher, at roughly 9,000.

How do you help young people who are interested in studying in Germany?

First, with wide-ranging information. We visit specific universities and colleges in the United States, are represented at fairs on studying abroad, and in 2006, for the second time, we won over students who had returned from Germany as “Young Ambassadors”. We train them so that they are able to pass on information about their experiences in and knowledge of Germany to other students. Second, we are also an organization that provides scholarships and has interesting offers available for undergraduate and postgraduate students. For example, we have a scholarship program that enables students in their third and fourth year to spend one or two semesters in Germany. We also offer scholarships for doctoral students and students who want to obtain a master’s degree in Germany. But the big hit at the moment are research internships. These give young graduates with a technological or scientific background an opportunity to work with German doctoral students in their laboratories for periods lasting between six and ten weeks. We had more than 600 applications for these alone last year.

What are the most popular subjects among the American students who decide to spend time in Germany?

Many of them are studying a subject that is directly linked with the country: German language and literature, politics or history. However, more and more American students from the fields of engineering and the natural sciences are going to Germany. American students often opt for a university in a place that is of interest to them, and the absolute favorites are Munich and the German capital, Berlin. However, there are a lot of students who deliberately choose a smaller university town, such as Marburg or Freiburg. Others simply tend towards the German institution that has a partnership with their own college or university. American students pay considerable sums of money for their studies – so it is important that their sojourn abroad is fully recognized.

What do American students generally expect to receive from a German university or college?

A good academic training and good research possibilities. And they have confirmed to us that that is also what they find in Germany. In terms of academic reputation, Germany is on a par with Great Britain and Japan as far as Americans are concerned. But American students also expect the universities and colleges to take care of them in the way that they are used to in the United States. On this point, however, they are occasionally disappointed. If German institutions of higher education had a better culture of student support they would be even more attractive for foreign students. There are, of course, a large number of students who deliberately decide to take a more responsible approach to their studies themselves and come to Germany for this very reason.

What image do young Americans have of Germany as a host country?

Most of them think Germany is great. In the case of the research internship program, most of the participating students had never been to Germany before and had no knowledge of the language. Nevertheless, after their stay, more than 90% said that they would like to return to Germany to study or work. Almost half of the interns did a course in the German language when they returned to the United States. When Americans come to Germany they discover a country that is both modern and rich in tradition – which appeals very much to students.

How closely do German and American institutions of higher education work together?

The number of exchange agreements is very large. There are 1,225 partnerships between German and American institutions of higher education. We only have more agreements of this kind with France, Great Britain and Spain. This figure is certain to rise as a result of the introduction of bachelor’s and master’s degree courses in Germany. This will also mean that German students will become more dependent on receiving credits for courses or coursework done abroad. The easiest way to achieve this is through university or college partnerships. Meanwhile many universities have opened liaison offices in our New York office. In this way contacts between universities and colleges in both countries will be easier to make in the future.