Choose the university that suits you best

When pondering the question where to study abroad, students tend to focus their attention on the results of international rankings. In this regard, I think, a word of caution is necessary. These rankings will rarely be able to tell a student which institution serves him best. 

Germany is a case in point. I have yet to see the ranking that adequately reflects the diversity of the German university landscape. With diversity, by the way, I do not refer to the quality of education and facilities, which is rather even throughout the country thanks to close government supervision and control. Germany does not have a “shady” sector of college or university-level institutions, as may exist in countries with a more commercialised and less strictly regulated system of higher education.

Diversity, in the German context, mainly refers to the different types of universities, the size of institutions and important aspects of their locations. Starting with the last point, an aspiring young student from the Indian metropolis of Mumbai may be less than happy when she suddenly finds herself dropped into a German small town surrounded by idyllic countryside - with empty sidewalks most of the day and three shops to choose from. This is not an unrealistic scenario, as quite a number of German universities are situated in locations that big-city dwellers would describe as “rural”.

Of more importance, however, are pronounced differences in the academic orientation and size of universities in Germany. Before you start applying, you should be familiar with the differences between general universities (UNI), universities of technology (TH) and universities of applied sciences (FH or HS). If you are heading towards a career in academia and research, the first two types of institutions are your places of choice, as only they are entitled to award doctoral degrees. If you are more interested in the application of knowledge and technology to the solution of concrete problems (e.g. as posed by industrial work processes), then the third type of universities will offer you a variety of interesting study programmes.

The size of institutions can also make a big difference, especially for international students. Don't underestimate the factor of culture shock which everybody experiences who decides to live and study in a far-away land. Adjusting to a new lifestyle and different academic conventions can rarely be achieved without strong support from teaching staff, administrative personnel and fellow students. It is precisely the nature of human relations that tends to vary substantially between large-scale bureaucratic structures and smaller institutions which are closer to schools in size. Making friends and having a close rapport with professors and lecturers are easier in a less anonymous environment where you do not meet different people everyday. Studies have shown that developing emotionally satisfying human relationships contributes a lot to study success.

When you look at international rankings, it is mainly the large general and technical universities in Germany that make it to top positions. What a biased picture! Several years  of experience as an educational counsellor have provided me with ample evidence that many international students tend to feel lost at universities with 30,000 or more students and complain about a lack of personalised guidance and supervision, whereas those enrolled at educational institutions that are not listed in any rankings usually enjoy excellent guidance and graduate with above-average marks.

Which leads me to the last point that I would like to emphasise here. It is your individual academic performance and overall qualification that will eventually decide your professional future and not the name or reputation of any university – at least in Germany and many other European countries. If it is the “old continent” where you wish to work at least for some years after your graduation, choose the university that suits you best  and not the one that excels in rankings, unless – of course – both of these factors happen to overlap…

Chris

germanstudycentre@gmail.com