Universities worried about fall in international students

German universities have voiced concern about their international students, both in terms of the financial and psychological problems they are facing during the COVID-19 crisis and declining first-year student numbers.

Around 100 universities spoke out on concerns and challenges regarding internationalisation and the COVID-19 crisis at a recent virtual meeting organised by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).

“Several of our member universities are worried about recruiting and retaining international students,” said DAAD President Joybrato Mukherjee.

“The declining numbers of first-year students are just as worrying for university managements as the frequently poor psychological and financial situation of young people who have already been studying in our country for some time,” Mukherjee stated.

“They refer to students suffering from the absence of social contact, increasing numbers of students consulting university counselling services and many seeing little light at the end of the tunnel, given what will probably be a digital summer semester.”

Mukherjee stresses that international students are ideal candidates for specialist posts both in Germany’s higher education and research system and in industry – especially with a view to an economic upswing once the pandemic is over.

“We as society must therefore not lose sight of this group, even in challenging times,” he warns, and calls on education politicians to give more attention to international students in the coronavirus crisis.

More psychosocial services needed

Mukherjee says that in addition to the wide range of support provided by universities, it is up to the state governments to step up psychosocial services for international students and create additional options to facilitate learning together as well as personal contacts, and hence, ultimately, integration, in coronavirus times.

According to Mukherjee, many international students remain in a tight financial situation. DAAD estimates that 100,000 of the roughly 320,000 students from abroad have to rely on part-time jobs, often in the catering industry and the cultural events sectors, both of which have seen a considerable drop in employment since the onset of the crisis.

Mukherjee therefore welcomes the payment of bridging support by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research via the Deutsches Studentenwerk (German National Association for Student Affairs) being continued until September, but calls for a greater volume of support.

The overall number of international students increased last year, although there was a 20% drop in the number of first-year students from abroad last summer semester. For the year as a whole, DAAD is reckoning with a slightly lower drop in first-year international student numbers, of between 10% and 15%.

Universities are also concerned about the impact of Brexit and the United Kingdom’s departure from the Erasmus+ programme.

“The effects Brexit is having and the ending of cooperation with our partners in the UK in the context of the Erasmus+ programme represent an uncertainty factor for several universities with a view to internationalisation,” Mukherjee says.

DAAD’s Kompetenzzentrum Internationale Wissenschafts-kooperationen (Centre of Expertise for International Collaboration) drew attention to its international support measures, comprising counselling, further education and information, during the virtual meeting of universities.

Michael Gardner E-mail: michael.gardner@uw-news.com