Fulbright U.S. Administrators in Germany Program

Today we were at the Fulbright Office in Lützowufer Street. In the picture I am sitting between Dr. Angela Miller, Director of Study Abroad Services at the University of Florida and Dr. Andrew Sobiesuo, Director of the Center for International Education at College of Charleston. The focus of today was to learn more about the German system of higher education. The system has much to offer in addition to the absence of tuition fees! The Excellence Strategy (formerly Initiative) will make major investments in the research universities over the next several years. But with enrollment at record numbers (2.8 million students) they face many of the issues we do in the US – funding and student retention.

We were constantly reminded about the unfortunate decision of the UK to Brexit: a move that will have major implications for international collaboration in research and higher education in Europe. If the intent of the Brexitiers was to cause chaos, as Billy Bragg noted recently in Seattle, then they have certainly met that outcome within the higher education community in Germany.

Many of the goals of German universities match those of our Honors College: a focus on liberal arts, internationalization, and study aboard. By 2020 the policy goal is that 50% of graduates should have realized a minimum of 6 months study abroad experience (the current number is 28%). In Honors we have reached as high as 40% in some graduating classes.