Growing Community of Students from India
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In contrast, the number of Indian students has grown continuously over the past ten years: compared to 2014, it has tripled. Almost all of them completed their secondary education as well as their bachelor’s degree abroad. About 90% are enrolled in a master’s program at TU Dortmund University. These students are almost exclusively interested in English-taught programs in engineering and data sciences. The “Automation and Robotics” master’s program, established in 2002, is particularly popular, with 60% of its 270 students coming from India. “Data Science” is also highly sought after, as are smaller programs such as “Chemical Engineering: Process Systems Engineering” or “Manufacturing Technology.”
The number of Indian students is growing not only in long-established English-taught programs but also thanks to new programs such as “Sustainable Energy Systems” or “Mechanics of Sustainable Materials and Structures.” The proportion of female students remains relatively constant at 30%.
Over 330 Indian students have successfully graduated from TU Dortmund University since 2014. Last year, there were 68 graduates, significantly exceeding the average of the past ten years. Given the increasing enrollments, a rising trend in graduations is most likely. Following their master’s degree, some Indian students pursue a doctoral degree in Dortmund. Currently, there are around 30 doctoral candidates from India at TU Dortmund University, conducting research in Engineering Sciences and Natural Sciences such as Chemistry and Physics in approximately equal proportions.
Expansion of collaboration
“We want to further expand our collaborations with India in research and student exchange,” says Prof. Tessa Flatten, Vice President International Affairs at TU Dortmund University. “We recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with a leading university in Mumbai and aim to strengthen our local contacts to attract outstanding students.” Since September, TU Dortmund University has also been an associate member of the German House for Research and Innovation (DWIH) in New Delhi.
Although India already leads the statistics of international students at TU Dortmund University, there is still more potential. After all, with 1.4 billion people, India is, alongside China, the most populous country in the world. Each year, 25 million children are born there – one in five globally. Additionally, Indian students are highly mobile: According to UNESCO figures, in 2021, they were the second-largest group of students studying abroad worldwide, focusing on English-speaking countries like the USA, Canada, the UK, or Australia. However, the number of Indian students coming to Germany is also growing: In 2022, India surpassed China to take the top spot among the most common countries of origin. Overall, about 50,000 Indian students are enrolled at universities in Germany.
Hemanth Selva Raaja: From the south Indian coast to the Ruhr region
Hemanth Selva Raaja has been enrolled on the “Automation & Robotics” master’s program at TU Dortmund University since the winter semester 2023/24. Like 60% of its students, he also comes from India. The low tuition fees and promising job opportunities in Germany were particularly relevant factors in his decision to study at TU Dortmund University.
In the “Automation & Robotics” program, Hemanth Selva Raaja especially enjoys the balanced workload, integration of practical components in the degree and the opportunity to take courses from partner universities of the University Alliance Ruhr. However, the most important factor for his choice was that the course is taught in English.
Hemanth Selva Raaja comes from the megacity of Vishakapatanam on the coast of the state of Andhra Pradesh in southern India, where he completed his bachelor's degree in computer science at Andhra University. The first winter and getting used to the German climate were very challenging for him after his move. “I wasn't used to such short days with very little sunlight, as I come from a place where the sun shines every twelve months,” says the Master's student. “It was only after I had survived the first winter that I was able to really settle in.”
The fact that German is not his native language also initially made it difficult for Hemanth Selva Raaja to make social connections locally, despite his good language skills. At university, he is involved in the Automation & Robotics Student Council and is Vice President of the Erasmus Student Network (ESN) Dortmund (2024/25). “Being involved has given me the opportunity to get in touch with both local and international students and broaden my perspective,” he reports.
After completing his master's degree, Hemanth Selva Raaja is aiming for a career in the field of entertainment and assistance robotics - if possible, in Germany.
