In the past decade, India has witnessed a rise in number of students aspiring to fulfill their higher education in overseas study destinations. With constant development in the field of education, coupled with improvement in standard of living, many families in India are now capable of considering the choice of allowing their children to pursue their studies abroad.
Over the past couple of years, STEM courses have gained popularity all over the world, with many universities tying up with certain organisations to further lend their support to these fields of study. The most popular courses that Indian students wish to make a career in are the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education programs as such students stand to gain several lucrative job opportunities following their graduation in these subjects. Be it in Accounting, Computer programming, Life sciences, Statistics, or Engineering, STEM students can look forward to a rich and fulfilling career in multifarious industries.
In terms of studying abroad, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand have long been considered the top 5 destinations among international students. However, following recent global developments, many European nations are gradually joining the list of popular overseas study destinations, with Germany being the most favorite among Indian students in STEM subjects.
Germany: Fast emerging as a popular study destination for aspiring engineers
In terms of being an education destination, Germany saw a 14 per cent increase in number of international students from 282,201 to 321,569, enrolled in its education institutions between 2013 and 2015. The major source countries for international students in Germany were found to be China (12.8 per cent), India (4.9 per cent), and Russia (4.9).
Germany is one of the most popular European countries among Indian students, who are looking to pursue higher education abroad. The nation in central-western Europeans one of the best education infrastructure in the world, and is also considered by many as one of the top countries to specialize in engineering and technology.
According to a report published by World Education News and Reviews, Germany is home to 396 state recognised education institutions for higher studies. Out of those, 181 are universities and university-equivalent institutions, including specialised pedagogical universities, theological universities, and fine arts universities; and 215 specialisation-based universities of applied sciences (Fachhochschulen).
Five reasons why Germany is most preferred study destination among engineering students:
1. Little to no tuition fees:
While private universities in Germany are mostly financed from tuition fees received from students, public universities in the countrydo not charge any tuition fees for any of their Bachelor’s and/or Masters programs. This rule is applicable on both native and international students. Students typically need to pay an annual administration fees and semester fees, depending on the university where they wish to enroll. Some of the tuition-free universities in Germany are: University of Hamburg, University of Bremen, University of Cologne, and Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT).
2. Availability of courses taught in English:
Germany happens to be one of the few non-English speaking countries that offer courses taught in that language. Most universities offer Master’s degree programs in English exclusively for international students, especially in the fields of engineering and technology.
3. Scholarship programmes for engineering students:
Germany offers some excellent scholarship options for international students under the DeutscherAkademischerAustauschdienst (DAAD) – the German Academic Exchange Service, and Deutschlandstipendium. Some scholarships for Indian students in the Engineering field include: Bilateral Exchange of Academics, DLR-DAAD Research Fellowship Programme, Leibniz-DAAD Research Fellowships, etc.
4. Home to top ranking universities in the field of engineering:
Germany is home to some of the top ranking universities in the world, and is known for its overall academic excellence. As per the QS world university rankings, the top 7 German education institutions in the fields of engineering and technology in 2017 are: Technical University of Munich, RWTH Aachen University, TU Berlin, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, University of Stuttgart, Darmstadt University of Technology, and TU Dresden.
5. Work opportunities within the country post completion of studies:
As a country that is primarily focused and driven by its manufacturing capabilities, Germany offers lots of job opportunities for engineers. Moreover, since this country actively invests in advanced research and applied technology, the demand for experts in the STEM field is expected to remain high here for years to come. The average salary for engineering experts could be up to 46,126 EUR year. For international students, such opportunities can become a dream come true as Germany allows such students to work 120 full or 240 half days per year after they gain a permit from the ‘AgenturfurArbeit’ (Federal Employment Agency).
Going by above mentioned facts, it can be said that Germany is certainly becoming one of the most preferred study destinations in Europe among aspiring engineering students, and could top the list of overseas education destinations in the near future.
Authored article by Gurinder Singh Bhatti, Chairman and MD, ESS Global
[Source”indianexpress”]
