The University celebrated the start of the first international Master's program with numerous guests from Offenburg, Germany, and around the globe, including Dorothea Rüland, General Secretary of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). "Science is always international and knows no borders," explained Rüland, recalling the increasing mobility of young people since 1945; Germany and Europe are now in competition for future students.

Twenty years ago, Offenburg University recognized the importance of the internationalization of education and initiated the development of the Graduate School with its first English-language Master's program. The University now offers six such programs, and more than successful 1200 graduates have been "released into the wide world."
"Every country today wants to be part of a knowledge society, the major problems must be thought of globally," emphasized Rüland: "Smart minds from abroad are in demand. Our own junior staff must be prepared for the internationalized, globalized world." She was impressed by Offenburg University's long-standing international orientation.

The Graduate School, launchedin 1999, bundles the six international degree programs and offers comprehensive support for foreign students, cooperating with the International Office and the Senior Service Offenburg, among others.
Rector Winfried Lieber emphasized that special thanks go to all these colleagues and employees. He welcomed Wolfgang Bruder, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, who has been actively supporting the University for over 40 years, and Beate Heller, who as Head of the International Office played a major role in shaping the internationalization of the Hochschule.

Professor Lothar Schüssele in his speech recalled the "adventurous start" of the Graduate School, thanks to which Offenburg was the only university of applied sciences at that time to be accepted into the DAAD Master's program alongside eight universities throughout Germany. "We immediately started successfully with 18 students from eight different countries. Further Master's programs followed in the next few years, the number of applications rose rapidly."

Professor Torsten Schneider, Director of the International Center and the Graduate School, referred in his speech to disturbing developments such as xenophobia and protectionism as well as the erosion of a middle class worldwide. "I hope that students will not be deterred from studying internationally by these politics or the well-meaning caution of their parents. Graduate Mohamed Hanbal from Cairo emphasized in his passionate and humorous speech how enriching while also challenging it was to study in a community of 25 different nations: "I didn't just study for an MBA, but for life!"

Students of the international Master's programs provided the musical program - Korean student Hanhee Kim on the piano, Firas Baz Radwan with Spanish guitar sounds, and a group of Indian dancers with modern Indian dance choreographies.