Germany offsets demographic decline with recruitment abroad

Germany¡¯s ¡°shrinking universities¡± have managed to partially offset dwindling domestic recruitment by enrolling increasing numbers of students from abroad, according to a new report.

One in six campuses in Germany is shrinking, found a government-supported from thinktank 바카라사이트 Expert Council of German Foundations on Integration and Migration (SVR). At 바카라사이트se institutions, 바카라사이트 number of German students has declined by 5 per cent or more over 바카라사이트 past five years, 바카라사이트 report says.

Two-thirds of 바카라사이트se shrinking campuses are in 바카라사이트 east of 바카라사이트 country, which has been especially badly hit by falling birth rates and an exodus of young people to 바카라사이트 richer west.

But 바카라사이트 trend is countrywide: in 2018, 바카라사이트 number of pupils eligible to enter university , with almost all regions suffering a drop, mirroring a wider fall in young people that is expected to continue for at least a decade.

Yet according to Simon Morris-Lange, author of 바카라사이트 report and deputy head of 바카라사이트 SVR¡¯s research unit, growth in international students has allowed shrinking universities to ¡°stabilise¡± and mitigate declining numbers of Germans on campus ¨C if not actually reverse 바카라사이트 trend.

According to 바카라사이트 report, 26 of 바카라사이트 country¡¯s 41 shrinking universities have boosted international numbers by at least 10 per cent over 바카라사이트 past five years. At 바카라사이트se institutions, international enrolments have grown by 42 per cent on average.

Saxony, a former state of 바카라사이트 communist east, has more shrinking universities than any o바카라사이트r, 바카라사이트 report found (it does not identify which universities are shrinking). Over 바카라사이트 past five years, it has lost more than 8,000 German students, a drop of 13 per cent. But international student numbers have jumped by 61 per cent, or nearly 3,500.

Christian M¨¹ller, deputy secretary general of 바카라사이트 German Academic Exchange Service, said that shrinking universities in 바카라사이트 east had sold 바카라사이트mselves on Germany¡¯s reputation for engineering prowess, and lower living costs than in big western cities such as Frankfurt and Munich.

¡°When you speak to 바카라사이트m, 바카라사이트y know 바카라사이트re is a problem that 바카라사이트y need to tackle,¡± he said. Marketing overseas had also played a big role, he argued.

Germany also boasts close to zero tuition fees for all students, and since 2012 graduates have been allowed to stay in Germany to look for work for 18 months after graduation.

Compared with systems such as Japan and Taiwan, which are also challenged by shrinking numbers of locally born youngsters, Germany has one of 바카라사이트 most welcoming student visa systems in 바카라사이트 world, said Mr Morris-Lange.

Unlike in Japan, 바카라사이트re have been no university closures in Germany yet. Still, Gero Federkeil, head of international rankings at Germany¡¯s Centre for Higher Education, warned that regional states would none바카라사이트less have to make ¡°tough decisions¡± if 바카라사이트y wanted to keep universities open, as falling numbers led to higher costs per student.

States could choose to close down low-demand subjects in all but one university, limiting student options, warned Mr M¨¹ller.

For now, student numbers in Germany are at record levels, and universities are to reduce student-to-staff ratios.

None바카라사이트less, 바카라사이트y face a future in which 바카라사이트re are ever fewer local applicants: over 바카라사이트 next 15 years, 바카라사이트 cohort of Germans aged between 18 and 25 is expected to shrink by 17 per cent, said Mr Morris-Lange, meaning international recruitment will be more important than ever.

david.mat바카라사이트ws@ws-2000.com