Wissenschaft weltoffen 2025
Facts and Figures on the Internationalisation of Studies and Research in Germany and Worldwide
For 25 years, Wissenschaft weltoffen has provided a valid basis for monitoring the internationalisation of studies and research in Germany and around the world. Every year, it sheds light on developments relating to international students and researchers in Germany, the mobility patterns of students and researchers from Germany abroad as well as academic mobility patterns worldwide. As of 2024, it also analyses structural aspects of internationalisation, such as university administrative staff, the availability of English-language study programmes, international university partnerships and third-party funding, plus transnational educational programmes.
The project draws both on international data (published by UNESCO, OECD and Eurostat, for example) and national data (from the Federal Statistical Office and the findings of surveys carried out by the DAAD and DZHW). The regular data basis is supplemented by spotlights from guest authors on current topics. This year's spotlights focus on the impact of exogenous shocks on international researcher mobility, the mobility and career plans of international doctoral students in Germany and the state of virtual internationalisation at higher education institutions in Germany. Since 2001, this standard reference work has been issued as a collaborative effort by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and the German Centre for Higher Education Research and Science Studies (DZHW).
The project draws both on international data (published by UNESCO, OECD and Eurostat, for example) and national data (from the Federal Statistical Office and the findings of surveys carried out by the DAAD and DZHW). The regular data basis is supplemented by spotlights from guest authors on current topics. This year's spotlights focus on the impact of exogenous shocks on international researcher mobility, the mobility and career plans of international doctoral students in Germany and the state of virtual internationalisation at higher education institutions in Germany. Since 2001, this standard reference work has been issued as a collaborative effort by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and the German Centre for Higher Education Research and Science Studies (DZHW).
Summary
Development of the Internationalisation of Studies and Research in Germany and Worldwide
A International Academic Mobility
1 International student mobility
1.1 Mobility trends and mobility flows
1.2 Major host countries
1.3 Major countries of origin
1.4 Student mobility in the EU: structure, development and status of goal achievement
1.5 Student mobility in the European Higher Education Area
2 International mobility and cooperations among academics and researchers
2.1 Mobility trends and mobility flows
2.2 Major destination countries and the profiles of their countries of origin
2.3 Major countries of origin and their destination country profiles
2.4 International academics and researchers at public universities and research institutes
2.5 International co-publications
B International Students in Germany
1 International students in Germany overall
1.1 Mobility trends, first-year students and federal states
1.2 Regions and countries of origin
2 International students intending to graduate in Germany
2.1 Mobility trends and types of degree
2.2 Regions and countries of origin
2.3 Subject groups
2.4 University applicants
2.5 Preparatory colleges
2.6 University dropouts
2.7 Intent to stay in Germany and stay rates
3 International students on temporary study-related visits in Germany
3.1 Mobility trends and subject groups
3.2 Regions and countries of origin
3.3 Erasmus visits
C Students from Germany Abroad
1 Students from Germany intending to graduate abroad
1.1 Mobility trends and major host countries
1.2 Subject groups and types of degree
2 Students with temporary study-related visits abroad
2.1 Mobility trends, host regions and host countries
2.2 Organisation and funding
2.3 Virtual experience abroad
2.4 Erasmus visits
D International Academics and Researchers in Germany
1 International academics and researchers at universities in Germany
1.1 Mobility trends, regions of origin and countries of origin
1.2 Federal states and subject groups
1.3 Doctorates and habilitations
SPOTLIGHT
Mobility and career plans of international doctoral students in Germany
2 International academics and researchers at non-university research institutes in Germany
2.1 Mobility trends and regions of origin
2.2 Subject groups and occupational position
3 Guest researchers from abroad in Germany
3.1 Mobility trends, funding organisations and funded groups
3.2 Regions and countries of origin and subject groups
3.3 Guest researchers from abroad at non-university research institutes
3.4 Erasmus guest lecturers
E Academics and Researchers from Germany Abroad
1 German academics and researchers at universities abroad
1.1 Contractually employed academic staff
1.2 Doctoral students
2 Guest researchers from Germany abroad
2.1 Mobility trends, funding organisations and funded groups
2.2 Regions and countries of origin and subject groups
2.3 Erasmus guest lecturers
F Internationalisation Structures
1 Staff
1.1 International administrative staff at universities in Germany
1.2 Staff of international offices at universities in Germany
2 Organisation and funding
2.1 English-language study programmes at universities in Germany
2.2 International partnerships of universities in Germany
2.3 International third-party funding at universities in Germany
SPOTLIGHT
The state of virtual internationalisation at higher education institutions in Germany
3 Transnational education projects
3.1 Locations and formats of TNE projects hosted by German universities
3.2 Features of TNE projects of German universities
Appendix
Methodology
Development of the Internationalisation of Studies and Research in Germany and Worldwide
A International Academic Mobility
1 International student mobility
1.1 Mobility trends and mobility flows
1.2 Major host countries
1.3 Major countries of origin
1.4 Student mobility in the EU: structure, development and status of goal achievement
1.5 Student mobility in the European Higher Education Area
2 International mobility and cooperations among academics and researchers
2.1 Mobility trends and mobility flows
2.2 Major destination countries and the profiles of their countries of origin
2.3 Major countries of origin and their destination country profiles
2.4 International academics and researchers at public universities and research institutes
2.5 International co-publications
B International Students in Germany
1 International students in Germany overall
1.1 Mobility trends, first-year students and federal states
1.2 Regions and countries of origin
2 International students intending to graduate in Germany
2.1 Mobility trends and types of degree
2.2 Regions and countries of origin
2.3 Subject groups
2.4 University applicants
2.5 Preparatory colleges
2.6 University dropouts
2.7 Intent to stay in Germany and stay rates
3 International students on temporary study-related visits in Germany
3.1 Mobility trends and subject groups
3.2 Regions and countries of origin
3.3 Erasmus visits
C Students from Germany Abroad
1 Students from Germany intending to graduate abroad
1.1 Mobility trends and major host countries
1.2 Subject groups and types of degree
2 Students with temporary study-related visits abroad
2.1 Mobility trends, host regions and host countries
2.2 Organisation and funding
2.3 Virtual experience abroad
2.4 Erasmus visits
D International Academics and Researchers in Germany
1 International academics and researchers at universities in Germany
1.1 Mobility trends, regions of origin and countries of origin
1.2 Federal states and subject groups
1.3 Doctorates and habilitations
SPOTLIGHT
Mobility and career plans of international doctoral students in Germany
2 International academics and researchers at non-university research institutes in Germany
2.1 Mobility trends and regions of origin
2.2 Subject groups and occupational position
3 Guest researchers from abroad in Germany
3.1 Mobility trends, funding organisations and funded groups
3.2 Regions and countries of origin and subject groups
3.3 Guest researchers from abroad at non-university research institutes
3.4 Erasmus guest lecturers
E Academics and Researchers from Germany Abroad
1 German academics and researchers at universities abroad
1.1 Contractually employed academic staff
1.2 Doctoral students
2 Guest researchers from Germany abroad
2.1 Mobility trends, funding organisations and funded groups
2.2 Regions and countries of origin and subject groups
2.3 Erasmus guest lecturers
F Internationalisation Structures
1 Staff
1.1 International administrative staff at universities in Germany
1.2 Staff of international offices at universities in Germany
2 Organisation and funding
2.1 English-language study programmes at universities in Germany
2.2 International partnerships of universities in Germany
2.3 International third-party funding at universities in Germany
SPOTLIGHT
The state of virtual internationalisation at higher education institutions in Germany
3 Transnational education projects
3.1 Locations and formats of TNE projects hosted by German universities
3.2 Features of TNE projects of German universities
Appendix
Methodology
Nicolai Netz is a senior researcher in the DZHW's Educational Careers and Graduate Employment research area, where he oversees a number of projects on the effects of spatial mobility, educational decisions, returns to education, mental health and social inequalities.
Jan Kercher is a senior researcher in the DAAD's Research and Studies department and heads various publication and data collection projects in the field of international academic mobility and university internationalisation.
Naomi Knüttgen is a consultant in the DAAD's Research and Studies department with a special focus on international student, academic and researcher mobility for the Wissenschaft weltoffen project.
Inessa Fuge is a project assistant in the DZHW's Research Infrastructure and Methods department, where she is responsible for updating and evaluating the database for the Wissenschaft weltoffen project.
Jan Kercher is a senior researcher in the DAAD's Research and Studies department and heads various publication and data collection projects in the field of international academic mobility and university internationalisation.
Naomi Knüttgen is a consultant in the DAAD's Research and Studies department with a special focus on international student, academic and researcher mobility for the Wissenschaft weltoffen project.
Inessa Fuge is a project assistant in the DZHW's Research Infrastructure and Methods department, where she is responsible for updating and evaluating the database for the Wissenschaft weltoffen project.
weitere Infos
DAAD, DZHW (2025). Wissenschaft weltoffen. Facts and Figures on the Internationalisation of Studies and Research in Germany and Worldwide. Bielefeld: wbv Publikation. DOI: 10.3278/9783763979554
Bibliografische Angaben
- Auflage: 1
- Erscheinungsdatum: 19.03.2026
- Umfang: 131 Seiten
- Artikelnr: 7004002xew
- ISBN E-Book (PDF): 9783763979554
- DOI (E-Book): 10.3278/9783763979554
- Imprint: wbv Publikation
- Sprache: Deutsch
- Lizenzhinweis:
- Autor(en): Nicolai Netz, Jan Kercher, Naomi Knüttgen, Inessa Fuge