15 June 2026

Erfurt/Nordhausen. With a team of nine, Nordhausen University of Applied Sciences took part in the Thuringian Corporate Run in Erfurt for the first time. Students, research staff, administrative and technical staff, and lecturers set off together on the approximately five-kilometre route through Erfurt’s old town. The event was all about team spirit, networking and raising the university’s profile as an attractive place to work and study.

The Thuringian Company Run is one of the largest team-building events in the state and brings together thousands of employees from companies, institutions and organisations every year. For Nordhausen University of Applied Sciences, this inaugural event provided an opportunity to bring people from different parts of the university together in conversation outside the lecture theatres, laboratories and offices.

„The corporate run showed just how much of a sense of community there is at our university. I particularly liked the fact that staff and students were out and about together. You strike up conversations, cheer each other on and get to experience the university in a completely different way to how you would in a lecture theatre or an office,“ says Prof. Alexander Dotsenko.

The team’s cohesive look was ensured by custom-made running shirts sponsored by EVN Energieversorgung Nordhausen. The university would like to express its sincere thanks for the support of this regional partner, which not only allowed the team to present a unified visual image but also highlighted the close ties between the university and the region.

Participation was made possible by funding from the federal-state programme University staff. At Nordhausen University of Applied Sciences, the programme is being run under the project name ProfX implemented. The aim is to position the university as an attractive employer, to raise the profile of the career path to a professorship, and to attract qualified specialists and managers to academic careers at universities of applied sciences. At the same time, ProfX supports the recruitment, successful induction and onboarding of new professors, thereby helping to secure the long-term retention of academic staff.

In line with these objectives, students also took part in the corporate run. They had won their places in a competition in which they had explored the appeal of academic careers and the role of a professor. The joint participation of students and university staff thus not only highlighted the strong sense of community within the university, but also brought potential career paths in research and teaching to the fore.

For Nordhausen University of Applied Sciences, its debut at the Thuringian Company Run is another step in its employer branding strategy. The event combines health promotion, team-building and university culture with the aim of presenting the university as a modern and attractive place to work. Following this successful debut, taking part in the Company Run could become a regular tradition in future.