18 December 2025

Nordhausen University of Applied Sciences is pleased to announce the launch of the project „WORT Nord - Weltoffene Region Thüringens: Talente binden, Zukunft sichern - für eine zukunftsfeste Region Nordthüringen“ on 1 November 2025. The university received the official notice of approval from the Thuringian State Office of Administration on 11 December. The project is scheduled to run for three years up to and including October 2028 and is being funded by the Free State of Thuringia as part of the Skilled Labour and Further Training Directive with funds from the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) totalling over 2 million.

Nordhausen University of Applied Sciences is the applicant and anchor institution for the project, which is being developed and implemented in close cooperation with the interculture.de e.V. association from Jena, an experienced partner in the field of intercultural openness and skills development.

Objectives of WORT Nord

With the WORT Nord project, Nordhausen University of Applied Sciences is pursuing the goal of strengthening northern Thuringia as a sustainable, cosmopolitan place to live, learn and work. The focus is on retaining young graduates as future specialists - with a particular focus on international students - in order to actively address demographic change and the transformative challenges of the labour market.

The project is dedicated to the question: „What do we as a university, in alliance with regional companies, institutions, the city, the district and civil society, need to do to ensure that (international) students and young professionals find an even better fit in the regional labour market and want to stay in the region in the long term?“

WORT Nord combines securing skilled labour with strengthening and making visible the regional culture of welcome and recognition: in addition to the targeted promotion of labour market-relevant and future-oriented skills, the project focuses on active networking and exchange formats, social participation and the development of holistic, solution- and future-oriented design perspectives for the region.

The central building blocks for the university are the establishment of an International & Dual Career Service to complement and optimise our existing structures. The establishment of an Intercultural Academy as a centre of excellence for qualification, participation and encounters and intercultural openness at Nordhausen University of Applied Sciences. The university is particularly focussed on the strategic expansion and strengthening of cooperation with regional companies, institutions and administrations in order to retain skilled workers.

With the WORT Nord project, Nordhausen University of Applied Sciences is taking on a central role as a driving force for securing skilled labour, social cohesion and shaping the future of the region in northern Thuringia.

Target groups

• International students, graduates and young professionals who are qualified and supported in the transition from their studies to the regional labour market & and are involved in actively participating in the university and city life of Nordhausen
• Companies and institutions, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, that receive customised support in recruiting, integrating and retaining international skilled workers
• University members who are networked and strengthened for intercultural openness, the teaching of future skills and the placement of students in the regional labour market
• Urban and civil society, including associations, initiatives, volunteers and committed citizens who are actively involved in welcome and participation formats

Model WORT project at Schmalkalden University of Applied Sciences

WORT Nord builds on the experience of the WORT project (2022-2025) at Schmalkalden University of Applied Sciences, which successfully acted as a driver for retaining skilled labour and shaping regional welcome in southern Thuringia. WORT North learns from proven and practical concepts and develops new regionally appropriate programmes to achieve a sustainable impact and transfer potential for the region of North Thuringia.

Contact:

Dr Borbe, Cordula, Vice President Studies & Teaching, Nordhausen University of Applied Sciences

03631 420 562,