Studenten Aus Der Dritten Welt in Beiden Deutschen Staaten

In 1984, the board of the Society for German Studies decided to establish a "Development Policy" specialist group and entrusted me (Prof. Dr. Hans F. Illy) with its leadership. This does not mean, however, that the society is only now addressing questions of the relations between the two German states and the so-called Third World; this had already been happening for years, albeit only sporadically, in the other specialist groups. Furthermore, its 1982 conference was devoted exclusively to this topic and the results were presented in a publication. The contributions in this volume, written by recognized experts, remain relevant and provide the background for these publications. The first conference of the "Development Policy" specialist group took place from June 14 to 17, 1985, at the Pan-European Study Center in Vlotho and focused on a specific aspect of foreign relations: the education of students from the Third World in both German states. At first glance, one might think this topic offers little new, as it has become a self-evident fact that hardly warrants questioning. However, recent years have demonstrated how important the exchange of people has become: foreign cultural policy has undergone certain changes, immigration regulations have become a significant determinant of foreign students, universities, as providers, are thinking about their students from developing countries, and German development policy is challenging the current practice of foreign students. The conference brought together experts academics and practitioners who introduced the individual problem areas, discussed and evaluated previous experiences, and outlined paths for the future. It became apparent that even the statistical records on foreign students are inadequate, and in some cases even contradictory. An open democratic system such as that of the Federal Republic of Germany attaches particular importance to international cultural relations, but has largely failed to develop a structured policy in the area of foreign students. Currently, there are four times more "free students" (approximately 56,000) than "program students" (approximately 14,000), all foreigners, and only the latter can be specifically selected according to the priorities and needs of their home countries. The GDR, on the other hand, subordinated foreign studies to precise foreign policy and foreign trade objectives from the outset. A closer examination of these realities would likely lead to the long-term conclusion that the right path lies somewhere in the middle. However, one should beware of hasty conclusions and one-dimensional proposals before examining current practice from all angles. This publication is intended as a contribution to this discussion. It can only imperfectly capture the atmosphere of a conference characterized by intensive and constructive discussions among the 39 participants and speakers. Among them were representatives from eleven developing countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, including those who had gained experience in both German states.