The University of Weingarten in the German State of Baden-wuettemberg is interested in instituting courses in German language in collaboration with the University of Kerala, the university’s Vice Rector for Research International Affairs and Transfer Michael Pfeffer has said.
He was speaking to The Hindu after a three-day trip to the State on Tuesday. Dr. Pfeffer held discussions with Kerala University Vice Chancellor P.K. Radhakrishnan.
What with the ongoing refugee problem in Germany, there is a huge shortage of personnel for teaching the German language to non-German people. Germany also faces a shortage of skilled personnel, including engineers and para-medical personnel.
The University of Weingarten would like to institute a language programme wherein German students learning to be school teachers can do a stint at the University of Kerala, teaching the German language to students here.
This way the students from Germany would get experience teaching the language to those who do not know German.
Such students can then go back to Germany and teach the language to refugees. Those who learn German here can then go to Germany either to work or to pursue courses in higher education, Dr. Pfeffer said.
Public varsities
A majority of universities in Germany are public universities. It is forbidden in Germany to collect tuition fee from students. As such there are only very few private universities in the country.
However, even in State universities it would be nice if they were allowed to collect some kind of “service fee” to help foreign students integrate with the German way of life and the customs and traditions of that country.
For instance, two-thirds of foreign students in the Weingarten university are from India, studying engineering, nursing, social sciences, business studies and so on. Such students have to be coached to integrate themselves into the German way of life.
Funds needed
For this, funds are required, Dr. Pfeffer pointed out. Even State-run universities are today seeking to establish ‘private’ or ‘commercial’ ventures outside of Germany.
The cheapest thing to do would be to set up a business school, he added.
Over the last five to ten years, there has been a quadrupling of students who apply to go to Germany for higher studies, he said.
It is forbidden in Germany to collect tuition fee from students
Two-thirds of foreign students in Weingarten University from India
