Education report: Germany is attracting more and more foreign students

According to a study, the German university system can score more and more in the international competition for young scientists. Germany is increasingly attracting international students, the annual report “Education at a glance” of the industrialized organization OECD, the results of which were presented for Germany in Berlin.

The proportion of foreign students has significantly increased from 7.1 to 12.7 percent in 2023 since 2013. In the OECD average, it is 7.4 percent. At 44 percent, students from Asia formed the largest group in Germany, 31 percent came from other European countries.

More recent data from the Statistical Federal Office of March show that the trend continues: According to this, 492,600 students from abroad in Germany were enrolled last winter semester, which corresponds to a share of around 17 percent in 2.87 million students.

Students from abroad strategically important

According to the report, Germany is in first place among the non -English countries in the number of foreign students and in total fourth place behind the USA, Great Britain and Australia.

The “strategic importance” of increasing internationalization is emphasized in the study: foreign students could make a noticeable contribution to economy and innovation, especially if they remained in the country after studying.

Bär: Germany MINT world champion

Federal Research Minister Dorothee Bär (CSU) emphasized the many degrees in the so-called MINT area (math, computer science, natural sciences and technology) when presenting the OECD study in Berlin. Germany is a highly qualified MINT country and MINT world champion. According to the report, 35 percent of all graduates of a bachelor’s or equivalent program conclude in a MINT subject in Germany. This is the highest proportion among the OECD countries (average: 23 percent).

The annual study contains a comprehensive data collection on the educational systems of the member states and other partner countries. It is shown, for example, how much money will spend on education, what the care key in educational institutions looks like, how large school classes are and how high the costs for studying are. Some selected findings for Germany:

There is a growing gap in the educational qualifications: the proportion of young adults between 25 and 34, which have neither high school diploma nor a professional qualification, has increased from 13 to 15 percent since 2019. Only Italy, Portugal and Spain are worse in the EU. On the other hand, the proportion of young adults with a university degree rose from 33 to 40 percent (OECD average 48 percent). Germany invests more than the average of the industrialized countries in its education system per educational participant. Measured by the country’s gross domestic product, the educational expenses at 4.4 percent are below average. Accordingly, they are significantly below those of Norway or Great Britain who invest more than 6 percent of their GDP in education. The origin and family continue to influence educational success in Germany: If parents have a higher degree, the likelihood that the children will also achieve this and vice versa. The head of the Pisa study, Andreas Schleicher, criticized in the “Stuttgarter Zeitung” and the “Stuttgart Nachrichten” that Germany is worse than the USA in terms of opportunities for opportunities. This corresponds approximately to the OECD average of 54 percent additional income.

In the OECD, 38 industrial and higher-developed countries have come together. The organization regularly creates analyzes and studies such as the PISA study and gives political recommendations. According to the organization of the market economy and democracy, the member states feel committed.