Germany Seeks to Attract More Indonesian Students: Here’s Why

Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia — Germany is one of the destinations chosen by Indonesians pursuing higher education. More than 5,000 students from Indonesia are studying there.

“We are, of course, very interested in increasing that number by attracting the best talent from Indonesia as well,” said DAAD President Prof. Dr Joybrato Mukherjee at a press conference on Friday (23 October 2026).

The DAAD (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst, or German Academic Exchange Service) is the world’s largest funding organisation in the field of international exchanges for pupils, students and researchers. Founded in Germany in 1925, it comprises higher education institutions and student bodies in Germany.

Mukherjee said the DAAD supports more than 600 doctoral candidates, researchers and other participants. A total of 250 people also receive scholarships in Germany. There is no target for the number of international students who should study in the country in the future.

“So the focus is not simply on increasing the number of students from all over the world, but rather on identifying exceptional talent, the best students, those with the greatest interest and those who are most competent,” he said.

The DAAD, he added, offers a range of programmes, but the decision ultimately rests with the students.

Germany’s Deputy Ambassador to Indonesia, Oliver Sperling, made a similar point. He said it was difficult to determine an exact figure given Indonesia’s size.

“First, regarding the number of students, it is important to understand that Indonesia is a very large country with a very young population, so it is difficult to establish an exact figure. In my view, what is much more important is working to expand the cooperation itself,” Sperling said.

Sperling also explained that the skills needed in Indonesia are the same as those needed in Germany. These include addressing major challenges and examining the issues together.

“This is something we need to work on together so that we can improve and overcome the various challenges we face today, whether in technical, social or medical fields,” Sperling said.