Paderborn University is experiencing an extraordinary increase in the number of international students in the current winter semester. 587 international first-semester students were welcomed, an increase of more than a third compared to the previous year – a new record. This number even exceeds the previous maximum of 520 students in the 2019/20 winter semester. "I am delighted to welcome everyone who is helping to make our campus even more diverse and vibrant," says Prof. Dr. Torsten Meier, Vice President for International Relations. "If we take a closer look at the figures, we see an increase in international first-year students in almost all degree programmes with an international focus. However, the largest share of the sharp rise is attributable to the nine English-language Master's degree programmes, where new enrolments have increased by around 50 per cent compared to the previous year," he explains.
Almost one in six students from abroad
The proportion of international students at Paderborn University continues to rise overall. The figure is currently more than 16 per cent, which means that one in six students has come to Paderborn from abroad. The proportion of international students is significantly higher than average in computer science, the natural sciences and engineering subject areas as well as in internationally oriented study programmes in the Faculties of Business Administration and Humanities. "This development shows that the path taken a few years ago towards greater internationalisation of teaching continues to be very successful. The high demand impressively underlines the fact that our degree programmes are also internationally competitive and attractive. As we are continuously improving and expanding our range of courses, we can assume that numerous international students will continue to find their way to Paderborn University in the future," says Meier.
Very good ratings in "THE World University Ranking"
In the latest Times Higher Education (THE) World University Ranking, Paderborn University has improved significantly in all categories assessed. "This is due, for example, to its excellent infrastructure, extensive industry contacts and the very high proportion of doctoral candidates," explains Meier. Thanks to diverse and innovative offers, for example in coordinated research programmes such as Collaborative Research Centres and Transregios, the proportion of international doctoral candidates has risen to almost a quarter. After completing their degree or doctorate, graduates have numerous career prospects in the region. Networking with regional stakeholders is also the focus of the "InRegioFit" project based at the University's International Office, which is funded by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) with around 1.2 million euros as part of the "Campus Initiative for International Professionals".
This text was translated automatically.
