DAAD-President Prof. Dr Joybrato Mukherjee said:
"Germany is one of the top 3 destination countries for international students and doctoral candidates. At the same time, the shortage of skilled labour in our country is reaching dramatic proportions. It therefore makes sense to attract international talent to Germany for a longer-term stay after they have successfully completed their studies. German universities want to be a driving force in attracting international skilled workers. This is also reflected in the high level of participation in the calls for proposals for the ‘Campus Initiative’. From April, we will therefore be funding a total of 114 projects at 104 universities in all federal states in order to better pave the way for international talent from university to the German labour market."
The skilled labour initiative consists of two programme lines: “FIT” and "Pro plus”.
FIT programme line: Promoting Academic Success and Labour Market Integration of International Talents
As part of the “FIT” programme, German universities can support international students seeking a degree in Germany with additional services at the start of their studies, during their studies and during their transition into the German labour market. One focus is on career-related counselling and support. The promotion of networking between universities, companies and business-related institutions is also intended to make it easier for international graduates to enter the German labour market.
Pro plus programme line: Academic Training for the German Labour Market
In the “Pro plus” programme line, German universities can promote the professional qualification of international academics with a foreign university degree. The programme provides international academics with additional specialist knowledge for the German labour market and enables them to develop their language and social skills. Cooperations with German companies and institutions from the respective professional fields also make it possible to gain practical experience and build professional networks.
International students as the specialists of tomorrow
According to a DAAD quick survey, German universities are heading for a new record of around 380,000 international students in the winter semester 2023/24. This means that Germany remains the third most popular destination for international students worldwide, after the USA and the United Kingdom. According to another DAAD survey, good career prospects are an important reason for international students to choose to study in Germany.
Further Reading
- DAAD (05.03.2024): DAAD promotes the recruitment and qualification of in-ternational talents
