Berlin/Beijing – German students are increasingly seeing the People’s Republic of China as an attractive country for pursuing their studies and obtaining internships.

According to data from the Federal Office for Statistics, the number of German students in China has grown to more than 6,271 in 2012.  By 2015, a further increase to 20,000 is expected. Internships are becoming progressively more important in the development of a talent pool.

China’s significance for the German economy is being reflected in the interest of German students in the People’s Republic. An ever-increasing number of German students are choosing to pursue their studies in China. The number of students rose from 2,187 in 2004 to 6,271 in 2012.  During intergovernmental consultations, it was agreed that the number of students from Germany would reach 20,000 by 2015.

Over 800 German-Chinese higher education collaborations drive interest in China. State and private universities have incorporated overseas semesters and foreign exchange programs into their curriculum, offering students a wide selection of programs.

In addition to a university degree, a growing number of students are considering an internship in China to be a fundamental stepping stone to career development. “Nowadays, companies expect top candidates to have first-hand experience in China, primarily in the form of internships or exchange semesters,” says Dirk Mussenbrock, who supports European businesses in the recruitment of Chinese and European technical and management personnel through the China-focused job portal SinoJobs and the employment fair SinoJobs Career Days.

“For European companies, the use of interns at their Chinese sites is an integral part of staff planning.  Internships allow a talent pool to be established at an early stage,” says Dirk Mussenbrock.

The number of German companies in the People’s Republic of China is steadily increasing.  At present, there are about 6,500 businesses that are active in China through a subsidiary or joint venture.

Mussenbrock & Wang GmbH Company Profile:

Since its foundation in 2008 Mussenbrock & Wang has developed into the leading supplier of recruitment solutions in the European Chinese context. With the job portal SinoJobs and the recruiting event SinoJobs Career Days, we offer specialized solutions for the recruitment of Chinese and European professionals and managers in Greater China and the EU to European enterprises.

The Sino HR Conference – the German-Chinese Human Resources Conference – and special seminars on the subject of the German-Chinese HR management are offered to executives and human resource managers having a focus on China. Source: Mussenbrock & Wang