Jul 24 2014 : The Times of India (Delhi)
Germany hot new destination for Indian students
Ramya.M@timesgroup.com
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Chennai
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For an increasing number of Indians, Germany is emerging a favoured higher education destination overseas. nation overseas.
There has been a 114% increase in the number of Indian students enrolling for higher education courses there since 2008, according to the latest figures released by the regional office of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).The number of students enrolled has increased from 3,516 in the 2008-09 academic year to 7,532 in 2012-13. The US, UK, Australia and Canada have been the most favoured destinations for Indian students, partly due to the absence of a language barrier.
But Germany , which has the fifth biggest Indian student population on campuses, has sought to bridge the gap by introducing courses in English and easing visa norms to allow students to look for jobs there after completion of studies.
Engineering courses were the chosen area of study for nearly half the number (close to 48%), followed by mathematics and natural sciences (19.8%).
Information technology (13.8%), law, economics and social sciences are the other courses sought after by Indian students in Germany . Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Franziska Lindhout, director of the DAAD Information Centre in Chennai, said Germany encourages Indian students to sign up for masters and research in engineering as not many natives show an interest in the discipline.
“It’s least taken up by those in Germany, and the country needs students in these areas, so Germany is interested in cooperation with Indian technical higher educational institutions,” she said.
Lindhout said efforts were being made to internationalize German institutions. “It’s no longer a prerequisite to learn German to study there. We invite Indian students to pick up the language to help them adapt better. But it is not required to pursue a masters or for the visa procedure. It is part of the internationalization process, and DAAD has been pushing for it,” she said.
Germany has made a conscious effort by sponsoring initiatives aimed at enabling Indians to study in that country. Since 2009, 46 new co-operation projects have been forged between Indian and German universities.
For the full report, log on to http://www.timesofindia.com
There has been a 114% increase in the number of Indian students enrolling for higher education courses there since 2008, according to the latest figures released by the regional office of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).The number of students enrolled has increased from 3,516 in the 2008-09 academic year to 7,532 in 2012-13. The US, UK, Australia and Canada have been the most favoured destinations for Indian students, partly due to the absence of a language barrier.
But Germany , which has the fifth biggest Indian student population on campuses, has sought to bridge the gap by introducing courses in English and easing visa norms to allow students to look for jobs there after completion of studies.
Engineering courses were the chosen area of study for nearly half the number (close to 48%), followed by mathematics and natural sciences (19.8%).
Information technology (13.8%), law, economics and social sciences are the other courses sought after by Indian students in Germany . Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Franziska Lindhout, director of the DAAD Information Centre in Chennai, said Germany encourages Indian students to sign up for masters and research in engineering as not many natives show an interest in the discipline.
“It’s least taken up by those in Germany, and the country needs students in these areas, so Germany is interested in cooperation with Indian technical higher educational institutions,” she said.
Lindhout said efforts were being made to internationalize German institutions. “It’s no longer a prerequisite to learn German to study there. We invite Indian students to pick up the language to help them adapt better. But it is not required to pursue a masters or for the visa procedure. It is part of the internationalization process, and DAAD has been pushing for it,” she said.
Germany has made a conscious effort by sponsoring initiatives aimed at enabling Indians to study in that country. Since 2009, 46 new co-operation projects have been forged between Indian and German universities.
For the full report, log on to http://www.timesofindia.com
