IN CONVERSATION: "Enthusiasm for learning German has skyrocketed"
Arik Matthias Jahn, head of the Language Department of the Goethe-Institut in Ho Chi Minh City, on why more Southeast Asians are learning German
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No one doubts that English is the dominant foreign language for Southeast Asians, and French is maybe second, although Mandarin probably gives it a run for its money. But interest in learning German is on the rise. When I reported on this for DW in January, a spokesperson for Germany's Federal Foreign Office told me that they think 14,000 people in Vietnam are learning German, as well as 15,000 in Malaysia and more than 17,000 in Thailand. “Supporting the learning and teaching of the German language abroad has long been a priority of Germany's foreign policy in the field of culture and education," they said.
In order to find out more, I spoke to Arik Matthias Jahn, head of the language department of the Goethe-Institut in Ho Chi Minh City, who had some key insights into why Southeast Asians increasingly want to learn German—and it’s not just for work.
Have you noticed any recent increase in interest in learning German in Vietnam?
Absolutely, the enthusiasm for learning German in Vietnam has skyrocketed, especially since the country reopened after COVID in 2022. This can be seen clearly in the number of German exams taken at Goethe-Institut Ho Chi Minh City both by our students and external students. The overall number of exams has increased by over 150% since 2019, and will soon reach triple the amount of 2019. This surge is fueled by Germany's new Immigration Act for Skilled Workers: People see that their chances to enter the German labour market are higher than ever and that having good German knowledge is key to a long-term perspective in the country.
What are the main reasons why students want to learn German?
The reasons are diverse but almost always include the plan to actually go to Germany, be it for family reunification, to study or to start vocational training in Germany or to enter the German labour market as skilled workers. Especially the latter has seen a considerable increase, as Germany opens up and removes obstacles for skilled workers to enter the country even without a fully recognized degree or professional qualification. We notice that many decide to set all other things aside to solely concentrate on learning German, which helps them to reach the B1 or B2 level they need faster, and also shows how serious they really are about their plans to go to Germany.
If Vietnamese or other Southeast Asians wanted to learn German for business opportunities, what advice would you give them about what are the most important things to learn about the language and what areas they should focus on?
It depends on what one understands by business opportunities.
When it comes to starting a business in Germany, there’s no way around mastering the language thoroughly—both spoken and written. In Southeast Asia, we often encounter a focus on grammar, following the motto: “Whoever masters the language system also masters the language.” We consider this to be the wrong approach because language structures are merely a means to an end, and that end is: I want to communicate successfully in German. That’s what you should practice from the very beginning—using the language, not just theorizing about it. Fear of mistakes definitely gets in the way of your learning process. And believe me: You can actively and successfully use the language right from the very first German lesson and your first “Guten Tag, mein Name ist…”
On the other hand, if you only want to surprise your German business partners with the occasional German sentence, I recommend learning in chunks: It’s enough to automate typical phrases like “Schön, Sie kennenzulernen.” (“Nice to meet you.”) through repetition in realistic situations until they become second nature. For this, you don’t need to analyze structures. And then it’s back to: Apply them, or you’ll forget them eventually.
What advice would you give Southeast Asians wanting to make the move to Germany for work? What would be some of the intercultural differences you would highlight?
Certainly, there are many obvious differences, when it comes to living and working in Germany as a Southeast Asian. One might highlight the classics: the stereotypical German punctuality, for instance, different views on what work-life balance actually means, or how you understand the concept of privacy.
However, for those who truly want to integrate into a German environment, the key lies in the way you interact. Should I actively ask when I want something? Can I admit when I haven’t understood what my boss just said? Should I express my opinion openly? In short, in 95% of the cases, the answer to all three questions will be: Yes. However, effective interaction requires practice.
Therefore, my advice for preparing to work and live in Germany is to actively observe one’s own ways of interacting, to get to know the new culture – and to give other, alternative ways a try.
What’s the future of German-language education in Vietnam?
We believe that online formats will continue to become more and more important. In the major cities, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, there is an extensive offer of German classes. In the smaller cities or the countryside, however, that is rarely the case. While the Goethe-Institut is keen to support the formation of German teachers also outside of the metropolises, it is through online offers that German learning is made available for Vietnamese all over the country, with indeed no loss in quality. We believe this will remain a trend, and online classes will play an even bigger role in German learning in the future.
Also, we see a shift in the perception of the importance of German proficiency for a future in Germany. Vietnamese used to learn German exclusively to get their language certificate and then attain their visa to Germany. Now, more and more seem to realize that the higher their language level, the higher their chances to not only go to, but be successful in Germany. In short, receiving a language certificate shouldn’t be the end of your learning career but really a new start to it. People are beginning to understand that.
In the future, Vietnamese will not learn to get their German certificate, they will learn to reach the highest proficiency possible in German before their departure, which simply means: allocating more time and effort to learning the language beforehand to then be able to actually communicate in German once they arrive. And talking to our partners in Germany shows us that this is time well invested and will be appreciated by future employers.
Lastly, the new Immigration Act for Skilled Workers will lead to more Vietnamese making their way to Germany. And for that, they will need a more profound knowledge not only of the language but also the huge intercultural differences between the countries. For example, in Germany, employers expect a certain independence, initiative and proactivity. Vietnamese will have to learn when to ask for help or, more generally, to make decisions on their own or not to be afraid to say their opinion. These are things they have to know and be prepared for prior to their migration, so intercultural training that goes beyond the usual “You know, in Germany, they separate their waste!” will be vital to round out their preparatory classes before they leave the country, and the demand for it will increase.
Lastly, can you give some information about where Vietnamese and other Southeast Asians can go to learn German, and what services the Goethe-Instituts provide in the region?
At the Goethe-Institut, of course! In many countries, there are also language course partners of the Goethe-Institut who undergo a quality management process that guarantees high-level German language instruction. Similarly, universities with German departments often offer public language courses where you can expect a certain level of quality.
However, I don’t want to pretend that there aren’t also private, independent providers where you can successfully learn German. My advice: Always inquire about the methodological and didactic training of the instructors. Language skills alone—even very good or native ones—do by no means make a good teacher. Have the instructors studied German as a Foreign Language (DaF) or undergone training to become DaF teachers? Are they regularly observed and continuously and actively trained? If so, that’s usually a very positive sign.
As for the Goethe-Institut, the first sentence you’ll find about us when looking us up is: “The Goethe-Institut is the globally active cultural institute of the Federal Republic of Germany.” And that’s how we understand our mission: Yes, we teach German and conduct official German exams. But we also convey an authentic image of Germany through events on German culture, intercultural training, counseling services about life and work in Germany, and cultural events such as discussion panels on current topics, film festivals, or concerts by German musicians. So, we offer pre-integration in the broadest sense of the word—all in collaboration with German intermediary organizations such as the German Chamber of Commerce (AHK) or the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), with whom we pave the way to Germany following fair migration standards.
This comprehensive range of pre-integration services, together with trustworthy offerings, is what sets us apart in the field of German as a Foreign Language.