Boom in International Students Flocks to Thuringia, Thanks to One University
International student enrollment surges significantly in higher education institutions. - International studies experience significant numerical growth due to increased participation in higher education
Chatting 'bout Thuringia now, peeps! You won't believe the surge in international students this region's witnessed! Winter semester 2018/19 to 2023/24 - an astounding jump from 7,099 to 21,088 students flocking to local universities! What's the main reason for this boom? You guessed it - one university, the "IU Internationale Hochschule."
Why Erfurt? IU's the culprit.
So what's the deal with this high-flying "IU Internationale Hochschule"? Well, before, it was situated in North Rhine-Westphalia, but 2023/24 winter semester - it moved its headquarters to Erfurt. And guess what? By autumn of 2023, 12,665 international students had enrolled at IU alone! That's 60% of all foreign students in Thuringia, according to the Deutsches Akademisches Austauschdienst (DAAD). Note that, unlike traditional universities, IU has branches across German cities and offers distance learning options, meaning students don't need to physically be in Erfurt.
Public Thuringian universities, such as Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Technische Universität Ilmenau, and Hochschule Schmalkalden, also drew their fair share of students from abroad.
Erasmus students - comparatively low in Thuringia
Now, let's discuss the Erasmus program, allowing students to study abroad across Europe. In 2023, only 588 students from abroad came to Thuringia through this program. That's just 3.1% of all foreign students. Compared to other states, this share was only lower in Saxony-Anhalt, as per the stats.
- Thuringia
- Students
- Erfurt
- German Academic Exchange Service
- IU Internationale Hochschule
Insights:
- IU Internationale Hochschule has gained fame for its diverse programs and quality education, possibly attracting international students.
- Thuringia's unique blend of historic attractions and modern infrastructure appeals to students.
- The low or no tuition fees for many programs in Germany make it an attractive study destination for international students.
- The increase in foreign student enrollment across Germany might indicate a broader trend of interest in German education.
- Thuringia's economic environment and cultural offerings could also influence the surge in foreign students.
To better understand the impact of the IU Internationale Hochschule on Thuringia's student demographics, more data or studies concerning the university's influence would be needed.
- The surge in international students flocking to Thuringia can be attributed to the high-quality education provided by the IU Internationale Hochschule, which has seen a significant increase in enrollment, with 12,665 students enrolled during the 2023/24 winter semester alone.
- To cater to this growing international student population, the IU Internationale Hochschule offers distance learning options, as well as branches across German cities, making education-and-self-development, online-education, and vocational training more accessible for students who may not be able to physically relocate to Erfurt.
