The number of international students enrolled in higher education institutions worldwide has skyrocketed in the past two decades. Understanding what attracts international students to opt for a study destination and what will make them recommend the experience to others is key. Whether students decide to stay in their study destination, return to their home country or go to a third country, understanding what makes them brand ambassadors for their study destination is key.
Based on the above, DAAD, Germany’s national body for Academic Exchange Services has run an international student satisfaction survey at a selection of German institutions in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2016, and 2018. From 2016 to 2018, we noticed a decrease in the likelihood to recommend Germany as well as lower student satisfaction in a global comparison. If we look for reasons, there are two main areas that stand out: the lower satisfaction around the arrival phase and the lower satisfaction around employability. Nevertheless, based on the ISB 2018 data, one of the main conclusions is: Germany offers a high-quality degree at a relatively low cost. The student satisfaction survey will be run again in the academic year 2022-23 to help understand how Germany is perceived as a study destination against other countries (such as Australia, Canada, the US and the UK) and what sets the German International Study experience apart. The main outcomes of the survey will be presented against a global comparison.
The 3 presenters each will bring their own perspective, Nannette Ripmeester will paint the global comparison for the German findings (10 mins), Dr. Ursula Maria Egyptien Gad will elaborate on how DAAD will use the national findings (10 mins) and Dr Arnim Heinemann will elaborate how the data will be used at an institutional level and what messages have been implemented already based on similar data (10 mins). We will end the session with a structured discussion around the use of data in the internationalization of (marketing of) higher education. The session is designed in such a way that the discussion around the topic is paramount.
