Now that the enrolment deadline has passed, Rhein-Waal University of Applied Sciences can announce a new record figure for the current 2017/2018 winter semester: with a total of 7,222 students, it has now surpassed the next 1,000 mark. In future, however, the university intends to focus more strongly on its consolidation.
Rhein-Waal University of Applied Sciences’ growth appears to be continuing unabated. There are currently 7,222 students enrolled on 25 bachelor’s and 11 master’s degree programmes. During the same period last year, the number of students stood at 6,757. This represents an increase of approximately seven per cent. The university was originally designed to accommodate 5,000 students. “We are therefore reaching our capacity limits, which we must address in the medium and long term. We must ensure that we can maintain the university’s high standards in the long term,” comments Dr Heide Naderer, President of Rhein-Waal University of Applied Sciences, on the figures. And Dr Oliver Herrmann, Acting Chancellor of the university, adds: “For this reason, we will have to focus more strongly on consolidation in future. Growth on this scale will simply not be possible in the coming years.”
However, the figures demonstrate just how popular and highly regarded the university has become. Well-equipped and financially secure, the university also stands out for its international character. Almost 46 per cent of students come from abroad. The proportion of students from other EU countries is just over five per cent. Overall, the international student body has grown by more than twelve per cent. “We are particularly pleased about this. It shows us once again that, thanks to our range of programmes, we are rightly regarded in Germany as the most international university,” says Dr Naderer.
This international character is also reflected in the enrolment figures for the 2017/2018 winter term. This year, 27 per cent more students from abroad enrolled than in the 2016/2017 winter term. The winter term began with a total of 1,747 enrolments. This means Rhein-Waal University of Applied Sciences is on a par with last year’s figures. The President and the Chancellor therefore believe the university is well positioned for the future. “Furthermore, we have firm commitments from the state of North Rhine-Westphalia regarding sufficient, long-term funding for the future. These funds are available to the university in addition to its general funding. This puts us in a more than comfortable position,” reports Dr Herrmann.
