Email from Prof (Mrs. Prof. Margret Wintermantel)

Dear students,

Studying at a university and preparing yourself for a professionally demanding job is a great opportunity for you. Never before has the value of education and knowledge, of science and research, been valued as highly as in our time. It seems clear to everyone that not only individual advancement and, yes, even individual happiness, but also the further development of society depend on the knowledge, education and problem-solving ability of individuals. Our world is characterized by globalization - due to free trade and the rapid transfer of information, nations have moved closer together. Never before has the need for well-trained people been as great as it is now.

And the competition for bright minds does not stop at national borders. What does this mean for you as a student? The only advice I can give you here is to ask yourself carefully and honestly what really interests you. Is it medicine, law, computer science, do you want to do research or would you rather teach at a university or something completely different? You should ask yourself what your interests are and what type of work you have in mind when you think about your future. Never before have there been as many opportunities to create your own educational biography as there are now. There is a wide variety of bachelor's and master's programs, which makes it possible to find the right path for yourself. I would like to encourage you to do this. Find out about the study options, but also combinations: business science and art history, computer science and biology, law and mathematics, to name just a few examples. You can choose, to do this you should actively search. Get advice and then decide. And remember: it is you who will be working for many years using what you have learned. What you do must also match your motivation level.

And another important point: Stays abroad used to be considered relatively exotic and only available to a privileged few. Fortunately, that has completely changed. A stay abroad should be a must today. The DAAD alone supports more than 110,000 people from home and abroad every year, including over 36,000 in the EU's ERASMUS program, for which we act as the national agency. The DAAD programs range from short- and long-term scholarships for students and doctoral students, work as a lecturer at a foreign university to research stays and guest lectureships.

There is certainly still room for improvement in the recognition of qualifications, but take advantage of the opportunity to see yourself and the world through a different lens. A study or research stay abroad is not just an essential personal experience. In a global society - quite apart from the specialist knowledge acquired - language skills and intercultural competence are prerequisites for a successful career in almost all professions.

And do you actually know that Germany is the third most popular host country for foreign students? This is primarily due to the high quality of teaching and research, but of course also to the relatively moderate cost of living compared to other countries.

So, take your chance and help shape it.

Yours, Prof. Margret Wintermantel, President of the DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service)

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Dear students, studying at a university and preparing yourself for a professionally demanding job is a great opportunity for you. Never before has the value of education and knowledge, of science and research, been valued as highly as in our time. Everyone seems to realize that not only

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