As clearing agency of the German Bishops’ Conference for the promotion of foreign students and scientists in Germany, KAAD presents this study based on 68 questionnaires from all German dioceses as well as from 11 relief organisations and orders for the eighth time (last survey for 2005).

The process of internationalisation, pushed ahead in Germany since the middle of the 1990s, has faced a decreasing significance in public during the last years. From 2006 on, the number of foreign students has decreased for the first time since decades (mainly among students from Eastern Europe and China). According to the latest data (winter semester 2008/2009) Germany still ranks third among the guest countries world-wide (behind the USA and Great Britain) with approx. 239,000 foreign students (11.8 % share of the total number of students).

The study also considers social aspects of the internationalisation, especially since around 78% of all foreign students come from developing or Eastern European countries. Their economic starting point is clearly less favourable as compared to German students and it becomes even more difficult due to a tight labour market and the increasing financial dependency of this group on student jobs.

In view of the global migration of the highly qualified, it must also be considered that an increased recruitment of foreign specialists resulting from this internationalisation should only be done in a fair balance of interests with the developing countries and the transforming countries of Eastern Europe and that the re-integration of highly qualified into these countries must be actively promoted.

An increase in the internationalisation of the universities is a most desirable process also for the Catholic Church as long as it includes better access to education and research for poorer countries of the world and the creation of platforms for continent spanning, interdisciplinary and inter-religious dialogues. Such platforms should be accessible while studying abroad, despite the increased pressure to perform, shorter and denser curriculums due to the Bologna Reforms.

The Catholic Church responds to this situation with an extensive offer of counselling (including the procurement to about 100 Catholic hostels), dialogue and pastoral care which until now is not sufficiently taken note of by the public. The Catholic university and student chaplaincies play a decisive role in this field. In 2009 the German dioceses were again able to grant financial aid of approx. 1.27 million Euros to foreign students (including smaller scholarship programmes of some dioceses). This means an increase of 5% in comparison to 2005, partly due to a broader database. Additionally, 350.000 Euros came from public- and third-party-funds.

Moreover, this report shows the use of scholarship funds by the World Church oriented foundations, in the first place by KAAD itself as a central scholarship organisation (about 3.8 million Euro in 2009) as well as by the other organisations which grant scholarships usually outside Germany (Adveniat, Misereor, Missio, Renovabis, „Stipendienwerk Lateinamerika-Deutschland“) and some orders. In 2009 the Catholic Church spent a total amount of about 5,9 million Euros for the support of foreign students and scientists in Germany (payment in kind; additionally for the university chaplaincies personnel was determined in numbers).

Sponsorship of and dialogue with foreign students and scientists are focal points of the World Church oriented and pastoral efforts of the German Catholic Church. They should maintain this position - despite decreasing revenues from church taxes. The presence of these multipliers in Germany and the resulting opportunities for inter-cultural and inter-religious dialogues – the bridging to (local) partner churches – can form a substantial part of parish activities and the life of the Catholic Church in Germany in general.

Download the entire Survey (German)