A total of 79 program students are starting their studies at the KU in the winter semester, 49 of them at the Eichstätt campus. Program students are both traditional exchange students who study at the KU for one or two semesters and students who come to the KU for one to two years as part of double degree programs – such as German-French Political Science or Intercultural Advertising. Most of them come from Italy, France, Brazil, the USA and Ukraine. Overall, the group is even more diverse: the KU's International Office counted 39 partner universities from 20 countries for this semester’s group. Business Administration is particularly popular among the program students, with 26 students for these programs alone.
The proportion of international students at the KU is around 15 percent on average, because in addition to the program students, there are also "degree seekings", i.e. students who have applied and enrolled for a complete course of study at the KU on their own initiative. The number of this group has been rising steadily for years; the International Office currently estimates them to be more than 80. The lion's share of them study the English-language Bachelor's degree in Data Science or the Master's degree in Business & Psychology at the Ingolstadt campus.
At the reception in the Spiegelsaal of the Eichstätt Residenz on Tuesday evening, the Vice President for International Affairs and Profile Development of the KU, Prof. Dr. Klaus Stüwe, personally welcomed around 50 of the international students and introduced the University and the region. He emphasized that the KU has a lot to offer, despite or precisely because of its small size, and referred in particular to the outstanding learning atmosphere at Germany's most popular university and to the bridge between the academic world and society, which is a central concern of the KU.
In his speech, District Administrator Alexander Anetsberger said he was delighted about the cultural diversity and variety that the KU brings to Eichstätt through its international programs. Being a former graduate himself, he said it filled him with "pride that Eichstätt is home to this University". He wished the international students an unforgettable time and encouraged them to really experience and enjoy the region. Referring to the perhaps somewhat difficult to understand Bavarian accent, he assured with a wink: "We are sometimes a little complicated - but the world knows that. But you will see that we can also be a tiny bit likeable." To prove his words, the District Administrator invited the students to a traditional snack and beer after the official ceremony.