Austria, low-cost Mecca for German students

Austria has voiced concern over another wave of immigration. But this time the influx is coming from the north in the form of 18,000 German students, who have enrolled in Austrian universities, reports Süddeutsche Zeitung. Having been turned away from German universities, which insist on increasingly stringent selection criteria, these "numerus claususrefugees" now account for up 50% of students in certain Austrian institutions. Their presence may also be prompted by an economic incentive now that "Austria has abolished enrolment fees," explains the Munich daily. SZ quotes the Rector of the University of Innsbruck who wonders, "Can we ask the Austrian tax payer to provide university infrastructure for most of Central Europe, which has flooded us with students since we stopped charging fees?" Noting that a similar issue exists in Wallonia, which is attracting large numbers of French students, Berlin wants a European solution to the problem. Vienna needs the matter resolved quickly, because it will shortly come under increased pressure. Germany's decision to reduce the duration of its school curriculum from 13 to 12 years will double the number of German school leavers between 2011 and 2013 — and a sizeable proportion of them will apply to study in Austria.