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Whether Munich, Aachen or Freiburg, the names of German universities are showing up more and more often on the resumes of young Arabs from the Gulf states. In addition to the traditional advantages of an overseas education, Germany has very special appeal for prospective physicians, engineers and scientists, as these three field reports reveal.

Shamma AlReyami, Bader Almutairi and Farhan Nabeel all come from the Gulf region and decided to study in Germany. AlReyami, who lives in Munich and is studying environmental engineering there, already met some German engineers while working for an industrial water project in Abu Dhabi. “I liked their way of working,” the young Emirati woman says. “I had the feeling that it would be good for me to study in an environment that challenges me, yet also offers me the opportunity to collaborate in interesting projects.”



Bader Almutari is already one step further along. He just completed his Master’s degree in Aachen and does not shy from a little pathos about it. “Germany,” says the biomedical engineer, “is the right place for someone seeking wisdom and knowledge.” He was especially drawn by the strong reference of studies in Germany to practical work. He would like to return for his doctorate.




Farhan Nabeel is a resident at the University Medical Centre in Freiburg. He has been living in Germany for 15 years having spent his entire academic and professional career here. His medical studies in Heidelberg began with a slight shock when Nabeel realized that the subject was not taught in English, but today the physician from Mecca is glad about his good German skills. “Integration in a society is only possible via the language,” says the man from Mecca.



The production “My Life in Germany – Young Gulf Arabs in Germany” was initiated and organized by the Goethe-Institut Gulf Region with its cooperation partner Deutsche Welle TV. More information is located here.