Technische Universität Chemnitz internationally highly appreciated
International students at TU Chemnitz award outstanding assessment results to their university within a survey implemented by the DAAD at universities throughout Germany
-
During the orientation week organized and supported by the International Office and its Student Buddy Program at the beginning of each term, international students get a deep insight in the university and the city of Chemnitz. Photo: Student Buddy Program of the International Office
“Technische Universität Chemnitz is always worth a stay for studies.” In that way and in modification of the famous sentence “Paris is always worth a mass” expressed by the French king Henry IV. in the 16th century could be resumed the assessment results given by the international students at Technische Universität Chemnitz to their university within a survey implemented by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) at universities throughout Germany.
11.471 international students at German universities in total participated in this survey undertaken in the period between November 2013 and January 2014 which equal approximately six percent of the total number of international students in Germany. With regard to TU Chemnitz, 118 international students took part in this survey. Thanks to this engagement, the university reached an above-average participation rate of more than ten percent and belongs to those universities that were awarded by the DAAD with the provision of a detailed evaluation of the institutional results in comparison to the average of all German universities.
Although the primary objective of this survey at German universities consisted on the interest of the DAAD to get to know to what extent the international students are satisfied by the implementation of measures at German universities funded within its “Scholarship and Support Program (STIBET)”, the detailed evaluation of institutional results of TU Chemnitz in comparison to the average had the positive side-effect that for the first time comparatively representative results of the specific target group of its international students concerning the assessment of internationalization at TU Chemnitz are available. In addition, the results provide the breeding ground for prospective optimization and intensification measures.
Thus, TU Chemnitz scores extraordinarily well within the category “Aspects for the selection of the host university” in nearly all queried items, especially in the areas quality of teaching and research, recognition of awarded degree(s) in Germany and in the home country, (no) tuition fees and moderate costs of living. Only with regard to the international visibility of the city of Chemnitz there is still potential for enhancement.
Very interesting are as well the results concerning the most common contact groups of international students of TU Chemnitz. It became obvious that international students at the university are above average together with fellow students originating from their home country and a bit below average in contact with international students of other nationalities and German students. So the deriving task is to go on providing additional opportunities for integration and to further increase the mutual interest of students for each other.
Delighting are furthermore the assessment results given by the international students to the advice and assistance opportunities provided for them by TU Chemnitz: On the one hand our international students are extraordinarily willing to participate in those offers and on the other this target group is very content with the existing opportunities. In consequence, especially the Student Buddy Program of the International Office, the advice and support within the enrolment process, the offer of (orientation) events, field trips as well as the variety of sportive and cultural activities are reaching best ratings. However, the international students would very much appreciate the further enhancement of academic support, for example by tutorial programs.
Closely linked to this high commitment to profit from the existing advice and assistance opportunities is the very welcoming attitude concerning the further enhancement of offers of this kind for international students at TU Chemnitz with regard to organizational and linguistic but also academic aspects. Maybe this might serve as the most crucial finding and at the same time as mission that TU Chemnitz may conclude from this survey for prospective measures in that area.
The International Office would like to take this opportunity to express its gratitude to all people who thanks to their engagement contributed to these positive and encouraging assessment results of this survey: to the international students for their high participation in the survey and for their very important evaluation, to the University Management for the strategic orientation and support, to all international and German students engaged (voluntarily) in the Student Buddy Program of the International Office as well as in numerous and various student organizations and initiatives but also to all the staff members in the Central Institutions, the Central Administration and the faculties who jointly have contributed to this success and will definitely do so also in the future.
For more information, please contact Dr. Wolfgang Lambrecht, phone 0371 531-35679, Email wolfgang.lambrecht@iuz.tu-chemnitz.de.
(Author: Dr. Wolfgang Lambrecht)
Katharina Thehos
06.08.2014
