Why Germany educates international students for free
As
the country succeeds in attracting even more students from overseas, a mixture
of demographics, ‘soft power’ concerns and local politics help explain its
policy
Twitter: @DavidMJourno
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 per cent increase in international students coming to the country.
This follows a jump of nearly 8 per cent the previous year.
Numbers have risen about 30 per cent 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 an 18-month post-study
work visa 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”, explained 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 stressed, “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,” said Ms Wahlers. “Of course, we
invest a certain amount of money [in their education], but what we get back is
worth so 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.”
Number of international students in German universities,
by country, and as proportion of total international students, 2016
Country
|
Number
|
%
|
China
|
32,268
|
12.8
|
India
|
13,537
|
5.4
|
Russia
|
11,413
|
4.5
|
Austria
|
10,129
|
4
|
Italy
|
8,047
|
3.2
|
Source: German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)
But
there is a third reason why Germany is happy to educate overseas students that
has less to do with global soft power, and more to do with local politics.
After 2006, seven German Bundesländer, which set fee levels, rather than the
federal government, introduced (modest) fees, only to hastily scrap them under
pressure from the public and left of centre parties, explained Ulrich Müller,
head of policy studies at the Centre for Higher Education, a German thinktank.
Introducing
fees for international students could be interpreted as a prelude to charging
all students, he explained. “For that reason, most politicians maintain a
distance from this topic,” he said.
This
anti-fee consensus is showing signs of cracking, however: from this autumn the
south-western state of Baden-Württemberg will start charging non-EU students
€1,500 (£1,252) a semester. “Other Bundesländer are watching very carefully
what will happen in Baden-Württemberg when it introduces fees for international
students,” said Ms Wahlers. The HRK’s view is that all students should pay
“moderate and socially acceptable fees”, she explained.
Free
university for overseas students – and indeed German students as well – may
come under increasing pressure after 2020, when Bundesländer will be forced to
run balanced budgets, explained Mr Müller.
And
it remains true that while Germany has ramped up international student numbers
in recent years, the proportion remains about half that in the UK, where nearly one in five comes from outside the country.
“The issue of tuition fees in Germany will soon be raised again,” he
forecasted.
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