An international city such as Hamburg naturally attracts students from all over the world. There are quite a lot of choices: 46 English-taught degree programs are available. Currently, there are 10,958 international students enrolled in Hamburg’s institutions of higher learning.
One of the reasons why Germany’s Northern metropolis is so attractive for youngsters is that they can always feel welcome and cared for here. Every January, there is a senate reception in the town hall for international students. This year, for the first time, all internationals, including those from private universities, were welcomed in the marvelous town hall. 400 people attended the event which was held in the main banquet hall. Lena Johannes, as the representative of the MLB Team, and I had the honor to attend this event.
The deputy mayor started the meeting by welcoming the international students and university and government officials who were in attendance. While she was quite pleased with the current state of international education in Hamburg, she also expressed her hopes for further internationalization in this field.
Three students were also invited on stage to speak about their experience and feelings during their study. Ms. Bar Avni from Israel who is enrolled in a Master’s Program in Orchestra Conducting. She was attracted by Hamburg’s leadership in this field and pointed out that she had made the right choice. Ms. Margarita Ilieva from Bulgaria, currently enrolled in a B.A. in Media and Communication Studies and East European Studies, decided to return to Hamburg after a first visit, and stressed that she especially enjoys the hospitality of the local people. Mr. Parth Kumar from India is here to study architecture and is enrolled in a M.Sc. Program in Resource Efficiency in Architecture and Planning. Their experience is a testament to the efforts and achievements made in international education in Hamburg.
After the speech, we had the chance to talk with the deputy mayor. She was glad to hear from us that the international programs at Bucerius are gaining more and more attention due to their high quality.
This event showed hospitality and care of the Hamburg authority, and also provided an opportunity for international students to interact with each other and have a more direct understanding of the current accomplishments of international education in Hamburg.
Zheng Ye, MLB student
