Ilmenau celebrates diversity: International students conquer the campus!

Ilmenau celebrates diversity: International students conquer the campus!

The Technical University of Ilmenau recently celebrated its cosmopolitan community. University President Prof. Kai-Uwe Sattler emphasized the tolerance and diversity that is present at TU Ilmenau. This celebration was a tribute to the students and employees who come from over 100 nations. In the festive atmosphere, former students shared their experiences with the newcomers.

Highlights included the musical opening by Noel Toms, a media technology graduate, and Saadman Abedin. Toms shared his journey from India to Ilmenau and talked about his projects at the Fraunhofer Institute and his current job at Brandenburg Labs. He emphasized that Ilmenau is a place where you can live, grow and discover.

Diversity at universities

Mainz University also demonstrated its international orientation. Around 130 new international students will start at the Department of Economics in the winter semester of 2025/26. This cohort includes students from five continents, including countries such as Ethiopia, Rwanda and India. In particular, the new bachelor's degree program in International Business is intended to further strengthen the university's international profile.

Prof. Dr. Daniel Porath, the international coordinator, highlighted the central role of the international and diverse student body for the campus. Gabriel Belinga Belinga, Head of the International Office, encouraged the students to become active and build networks. These initiatives are necessary to position the university as a place of academic excellence.

Internationalization as a future strategy

The current discussion about the internationalization of universities is underpinned by the results of a global survey by the International Association of Universities (IAU). This survey, which included over 700 universities from 110 countries, underlined the great importance of internationalization for German universities. A central aspect is strengthening intercultural skills and improving institutional reputation.

However, there are also risks, such as the increased workload for staff and a twofold increased ecological footprint due to international mobilities. However, challenges were also identified, such as recognition or visa issues, lack of financial resources and language barriers. In the future, measures for “internationalization at home” will be increasingly implemented.

Overall, these developments make it clear how important internationalization is for the future of universities in Germany. The TU Ilmenau and the Mainz University of Applied Sciences are just two examples of institutions that actively promote a diverse and international learning environment. The celebration of diversity at TU Ilmenau and the initiatives at Mainz University are an expression of this commitment and show the way to a globalized educational landscape.

While TU Ilmenau is taking remarkable steps to promote its cosmopolitanism and sharpen its international profile, such as tu-ilmenau.de reports, Mainz is also well positioned with its diverse range of international study programs and emphasis on networking, according to information from hs-mainz.de. The broad findings of the kooperation-international.de also provide a clear view of the challenges and opportunities associated with the internationalization of higher education.