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In-Country Representative

Building Bridges Between Dortmund and India

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Photo: A person with dark, shoulder-length hair wears a brown blouse and a delicate necklace against a neutral background. © Roland Baege
Maneesha Jakku represents TU Dortmund University in India, building connections with students and institutions and fostering opportunities for academic collaboration.
Since June, Maneesha Jakku has been representing TU Dortmund University as the in-country representative for India. In October and November, she visited Dortmund to get to know the city, the campus, students, researchers, and colleagues from the administration. In this interview, she reflects on her first months in the role, outlines how she connects Indian students and institutions with TU Dortmund University, and shares her perspective on opportunities for academic collaboration between the two countries.

What were your first months as an in-country representative like?

Maneesha Jakku: Those initial months were a period of intense learning and strategic groundwork. I focused on understanding TU Dortmund University’s study programs and research profile while mapping India’s educational landscape to identify collaboration opportunities. Connecting with TU alumni in India was especially insightful. Their experiences helped me represent the university authentically.

What do your daily tasks involve, and what are your long-term goals?

My daily work combines proactive outreach with strategic planning. I advise prospective students and families, build relationships with school counselors and education agents, and strengthen the university’s network across India. Long-term, my goal is to establish a sustainable presence for TU Dortmund University by increasing qualified applications, formalizing partnerships with top Indian institutions, and developing strong alumni communities in key cities.

What opportunities does TU Dortmund University offer Indian students?

TU Dortmund University has an excellent reputation in engineering, natural sciences, and computer science. As a public university, it offers English-taught master’s and Ph.D. programs without tuition fees as well as access to leading research facilities and industry connections in Germany. To reach Indian students effectively, I organize workshops at top institutions, use digital platforms like LinkedIn for targeted outreach, and engage our alumni as ambassadors to share their success stories.

How appealing is it for Indian graduates to stay in Germany after their studies?

Germany is very attractive for skilled professionals thanks to labor shortages and supportive immigration policies. Graduates benefit from an 18-month post-study visa that allows ample time to find employment; afterward, obtaining a work permit or EU Blue Card is straightforward. Those who learn German tend to integrate more easily and advance faster professionally.

Which Indian universities partner with TU Dortmund University?

TU Dortmund University collaborates closely with IIT Bombay and works alongside the German House for Research and Innovation (DWIH) in New Delhi. These partnerships foster joint research projects, co-authored publications, and student as well as faculty exchanges—creating valuable cross-cultural academic experiences on both sides.

What do you enjoy most about your work? And what challenges do you face?

I truly enjoy being a bridge between two cultures: representing TU Dortmund University while connecting it with India’s vast talent pool is deeply rewarding. The biggest challenge is managing expectations and addressing misinformation about German universities or visa processes. This requires patience, clarity, and up-to-date knowledge of institutional policies.

You visited TU Dortmund University during the winter semester. To what extent will your experiences in Dortmund influence your work in India?

Experiencing the university firsthand has been invaluable. It allows me to speak authentically about campus life, cutting-edge research facilities, and the unique dual-campus system linked by the H-Bahn monorail. Meeting colleagues helped me understand how we can align our efforts for greater impact—a foundation that will strengthen my work back in India.

Maneesha Jakku holds a Bachelor of Commerce and an MBA. She began her career in 2022 at a private business school in Berlin, where she gained experience in international higher education management. Eighteen months later, she joined a university of applied sciences, focusing on the global higher education landscape, particularly the Indian market. In that role, she collaborated with educational partners and recruitment agencies across India to support the enrollment of qualified students into international study programs.

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