A Huge Surge in International Students at Erfurt's Universities
International student enrollment surges at the university, revealing a significant increase in statistical data. - International studies experience significant data growth due to increased participation in higher education
Talk about a city boom! A single university in the heart of Erfurt, Thuringia, has drawn in a massive wave of international students like never before. In the winter semester of 2018/19, Thuringia's universities counted a mere 7,099 international scholars. But by the winter semester of 2023/24, that number skyrocketed to 21,088! No other German state recorded such a breathtaking growth in international student numbers over these five years, according to the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). Most of this expansion can be attributed to the "IU Internationale Hochschule."
The "IU Internationale Hochschule" played a significant role in shaping this statistical surge, as it moved its headquarters from North Rhine-Westphalia to Erfurt. As a result, the 2023/24 winter semester enrollment at the IU alone amounted to a whopping 12,665 international students—representing a colossal 60 percent of all international students in Thuringia. Now, that's some serious influence!
As for the remaining public Thuringian universities, the Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Technische Universität Ilmenau, and Hochschule Schmalkalden saw 2,152, 1,916, and 1,163 international students, respectively, in the winter semester of 2023/24.
Turning our attention to the Erasmus program, the DAAD reported that, in 2023, only 588 students from abroad came to Thuringia via this esteemed European education initiative. Though modest, this figure accounted for 3.1 percent of all international students in the state. Ironically, this percentage was even lower in Saxony-Anhalt, standing at a mere 2.5 percent.
- IU Internationale Hochschule
- Thuringia
- Erasmus Program
- German Academic Exchange Service
- Erfurt
- Students
While the search results do not explicitly confirm the relocation of the IU Internationale Hochschule to Erfurt nor its direct impact on Thuringia's international student numbers, general trends point towards enhanced university cooperation and student mobility as potential growth drivers within the greater German education landscape.
In light of the impressive increase in international students in Thuringia, the Community policy for education-and-self-development could consider focusing on online-education and vocational training to accommodate the growing number of international students. For instance, the IU Internationale Hochschule, now based in Erfurt, offers unique opportunities through its vocational training programs, potentially impacting the wider German education system. On a related note, it would be interesting to explore the potential of online vocational training for international students participating in the Erasmus program.
