New Delhi [India], September 1: When 17-year-old Aarav stepped into the bustling Education Fair at the Indo-German Education Conclave in Delhi, he didn’t expect to have his dream evaluated on the spot. Within minutes, a professor from Hochschule Furtwangen had gone through his academic profile and given him the green signal to apply for their International Engineering Program. “It feels like Germany is suddenly within reach,” he said, clutching the brochure with a smile.
Stories like Aarav’s played out in both Delhi and Pune, as the Indo-German Education Conclave 2025, co-organized by g.a.s.t. e.V. and Study Feeds, brought German Public universities, embassy official, and Indian school leaders together under one roof. The Conclave, hosted at the India Habitat Centre on August 18 and Pune’s MCCIA Trade Tower on August 21, drew packed halls of teachers, principals, parents, and eager students.
Teachers Recharged, Classrooms Transformed
The mornings began with a German-only teacher training seminar, immersing educators in both language and pedagogy. For many, it was a refreshing change. “Usually, we teach from books. But here, we were learning as if we were students again,” said Ritu Sharma, a German teacher from Delhi.
The sessions, led by Mr. Michael Klees of g.a.s.t. e.V. and Ms. Shatabdi Ghosh Laskar of Study Feeds, covered everything from the TestDaF language exam to TestAS aptitude testing. Teachers left not just with official training certificate from g.a.s.t. e.V. but with a sense of renewed purpose. “If we strengthen our teaching, our students can dream bigger,” Ms. Sharma added.
Principals on a Shared Mission
At the heart of the Delhi edition was the School Leadership Panel, which featured a thought-provoking discussion between school principals and key representatives leading the India and South Asia offices of prominent German institutions. The panel included Ms. Viktoria Apitzsch (German Embassy, New Delhi), Mr. Himanshu (RWTH Aachen), Ms. Vibhuti (FU Berlin), Dr. Amisha (University of Cologne), Dr. Weingärtner (Managing Director, g.a.s.t.), and Mr. Ankur Chaudhary (Managing Director, Study Feeds).
Ms. Apitzsch highlighted the opportunities awaiting future graduates, pointing to Germany’s renowned ‘Hidden Champions’—the mid-sized companies that form the backbone of its economy—as highly attractive employers.
Dr. Anita Mehra, principal of a leading school in Delhi, summed up concisely: introducing German language by Grades 6–8 ensures that students gain confidence by the time they apply to German universities. She emphasised that such forums should be organized annually.”
A Parent’s Relief: Visa Guidance in Pune
While Delhi centered on big-picture strategy, Pune resonated on a more personal level. The hall was packed with parents as Ms. Anne Kaletsch from the German Consulate in Mumbai guided them step by step through the student visa process.
“It was such a relief,” said Prakash Deshmukh, father of a Class 12 student. “We’ve heard so many conflicting things online. But here, we got clarity straight from the source.” The session, peppered with questions about paperwork and timelines, ended with a round of applause from grateful families.
Universities Meet Their Future Students
At the Education Fair, rows of German public universities displayed their programs. Students crowded booths of RWTH Aachen, University of Cologne, Freie Universität Berlin, and Hochschule Furtwangen, Hochschule Zittau Görlitz, and Ruhr University Alliance, asking questions ranging from scholarships to campus life.
The highlight of the event was the participation of 50 students from St. Froebel Senior Secondary School, Delhi. For them, it was their first time meeting German university representatives directly. “It felt like the world opened up in front of us,” said Neha, a Class 11 student who dreams of studying computer science in Germany.
The World Takes Notice
On August 20, Germany’s national broadcaster Deutschlandfunk (ARD) ran a five-minute radio feature about the Delhi event. The program, titled “Berlin statt Harvard: Indische Studierende an deutschen Unis” (“Berlin Instead of Harvard: Indian Students at German Universities”), highlighted why more Indian students are choosing Germany over the United States.
“For many Indian students, Germany has become the clear alternative to the U.S. — world-class universities, no tuition fees, and strong career prospects make it the smarter choice,” the broadcast observed.
A Shared Future
Reflecting on the success of the event, Mr. Ankur Chaudhary, Managing Director of Study Feeds, remarked, “This Conclave marks only the beginning of a much larger journey. We are committed to making German higher education more accessible to Indian students while also preparing them linguistically and culturally to thrive abroad.”
Echoing this sentiment, Dr. Jörn Weingärtner, Managing Director of g.a.s.t. e.V., noted, “German universities are becoming increasingly interested in students from India—not just for their academic talent but also for the diversity and fresh perspectives they bring. The enthusiasm we have seen here reaffirms that India will play an important role in Germany’s academic future.”
Together, both leaders also emphasized a crucial next step: building capacity among German language teachers in India. “It is not only about creating opportunities for students, but also about ensuring that qualified trainers are guiding them,” said Mr. Chaudhary. Dr. Weingärtner added, “Together, we want to support and elevate the skills of German language trainers in India, because strong teachers create strong students”
As one participant aptly summed up, “This Conclave isn’t just about studying abroad — it’s about building lasting bridges between India and Germany.”
(Names of participants changed to maintain anonymity)
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