"Strong science in difficult times" - University starts the winter semester

According to the provisional enrolment figures for the start of the semester next Monday (14. 10.), the university is recording an increase in the number of first-semester students. International student enrolments are also on the rise. The total number of students has fallen slightly.

"I am delighted about the growing number of first-semester students," commented the President of the University, Prof. Dr. Ute Clement, but focused in particular on the international students: "We are becoming increasingly successful in attracting young people from abroad to study for a Master's degree. We want to improve this even further by helping them to gain a foothold in the German job market if they so wish. This also benefits the local economy." The University of Kassel has launched a 1.15 million euro program for this purpose this semester.

Ute Clement attributed the stabilization in student numbers to the successful introduction of new degree courses, among other things. The teaching degree course for special needs education, which was offered for the first time this year, exceeded the expected number of enrolments. The new minor in Sustainability also got off to a very good start, and the English-language Master's degree course in Agriculture, Ecology & Societies (AGES) in Agricultural Sciences has been running successfully since last year. Next year, up to ten additional sustainability courses will be launched. "We are offering the younger generation a course that will enable them to master the challenges of the future and shape the transformation towards a sustainable and just way of life," emphasized Ute Clement. "This gives young people excellent career prospects - and gives us a distinctive profile in the national and international comparison of universities."

However, the university management is concerned about the uncertain financial situation. The state budget for the coming year has not yet been drawn up and the negotiations for the medium-term funding of Hessian universities (Hessian Higher Education Pact) are taking place against a backdrop of falling tax revenues. Together with the other universities in Hessen, the University of Kassel is campaigning against cuts to education. "We must not cut back on innovative strength of all things," emphasized Ute Clement and appealed to the state government: "If Hessen wants to maintain its competitiveness, it must save a strong scientific community and an efficient educational landscape in these financially difficult times."

The enrolment figures now available are provisional and are likely to rise slightly in the coming days. The final figures ("cut-off date figures") will be available at the end of November. As of now, exactly 21,315 students are enrolled for the beginning winter semester 2024/25. This is slightly fewer than last year (21,898). In contrast, the number of students in their first semester ("freshmen") has risen to 4,570 so far (2023: 4,416). The slight decrease in the total number is therefore due to the fact that around 600 more people than last year did not continue their studies, either because they completed their studies - the number of successful completions has increased - or because they dropped out.

The number of international students has also risen to 3,078, which is only a minimal increase compared to 2023 (3,074). However, a slight increase is still possible here too. A closer look at the statistics also shows that the number of so-called "Bildungsauslaender" has risen more significantly (2,313 compared to 2,270). These are people who have obtained their higher education entrance qualification abroad. The number of international students on Master's programs has increased noticeably (1,692 compared to 1,469).

Press contact:

Sebastian Mense
University of Kassel
Communication and Marketing
Phone: +49 561 804-1961
Email: presse[at]uni-kassel[dot]de
www.uni-kassel.de