JEDDAH, 1 April 2004 — Two German academics faced a variety of questions from local parents and students at a presentation organized by the Saudi German Business Group (SGBG) on Tuesday at the residence of German Consul General Dr. Stephan Keller.

“Is Germany safe enough for Saudi students in terms of security in the post Sept. 11, 2001 world?” one parent asked. “There are absolutely no security concerns in Germany. We’re an open society and respect different cultures and religions, and girl students are allowed to wear headscarves,” replied Dr. Christian Hulshorster, one of a three-member team from the German Academic Exchange Service. The team is here to give presentations at the Middle East Education & Training Exhibition and Symposium being held in the city.

“There were prejudices against Islam after the Sept. 11 attack on the United States but there have been no such signs in Germany,” said Dr. Hulshorster. Germany has 3,500 mosques and there is harmony in the neighborhoods with Muslim inhabitants. “All live together in harmony and work together,” he said.

Dr. Hulshorster gave an overview of undergraduate, graduate, postgraduate and professional courses available in Germany. Knowledge of the German language is essential for undergraduate studies, but not necessarily for medical and certain other postgraduate studies.

“The knowledge of the German language may not be necessary for higher studies, but certainly you’ll need the language for social interaction,” Dr. Hulshorster said.

Study opportunities are many in Germany, which has 320 universities. Research universities with independent research facilities and those for applied sciences are among the specialized ones. The country has institutions of higher education, the oldest of them being Heidelberg, which was founded as early as 1385.

Analyzing the current trend, which shows many students are more interested in courses of vocational relevance and practical experience than in pure science, Dr. Hulshorster said the universities of applied sciences have consequently become very popular with their shorter courses and practice-oriented curriculums clearly distinguishing them from the traditional universities.

More than 400 disciplines are on offer at German universities, which means it is possible to pursue nearly any specialization or interdisciplinary research one selects. A striking feature is that higher education institutions in Germany are committed to the principle of “academic freedom.” There is no prescribed curriculum in most degree courses and a student has to go through only a few compulsory lectures and studies depending on his personal interests. Bachelors, masters and doctorate degrees are more important for international students. In Germany these are taught partly in the English language. Studies at German universities are essentially free, with the exception of private universities that sometimes charge very high tuition fees. However, tuition fee waivers are available for international students. Students can work in their spare time to pay for their maintenance.

At German universities, various disciplines join together to form faculties or schools, such as the Faculty of Philosophy or the School of Medicine. Each discipline has its own institute or department. “It is here that a student can find the teaching staff, his fellow students or colleagues, a library with the specialist literature for his discipline, and opportunities to make academic and personal contacts,” Dr. Hulshorster said.

Outlining the various advisory services for students, he explained that the country’s International Office provides the study opportunities in a specific subject. The office guides a student on which scholarships or grants may be available for him. It also gives information on language tests, practical training or internships and how to finance his studies or plan them.

Professor Wolfgang Spyra, giving an overview of the country’s engineering courses, said Germany offered immense scope for studies and research in engineering subjects. “A strong connection with industry is an added advantage as students can look forward to practical experience and even job opportunities,” he pointed out, adding that mechatronics is one of the most preferred subjects as it combines mechanical and electronic engineering.

Professor Spyra advised that local students seeking German language courses should contact the German Embassy in Riyadh, the Consulate General in Jeddah or the SGBG.