16 December 2024

A workshop entitled "International skilled workers: your needs, our talents!" was held at Nordhausen University of Applied Sciences on 13 December. Representatives from regional companies, associations and the administration were invited. Together, they discussed needs and solutions to better prepare international students for the requirements of the regional labour market.

The workshop is part of the project "HAW.international - HSN sustainable regional international", which is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). The aim of the project is to develop practical measures that support the qualification of international students and facilitate their integration into the regional economy.

The event was opened by Prof Dr Christian Ganseuer, who, as external project coach of the "HAW.international" project, explained the background and objectives of the project. Project coordinator Saara Julia Wille from the university's International Office then presented the previous "HSN Prepared and HSN-IQ" programmes. Both programmes aim to provide international talent with targeted qualifications and strengthen their ties to the region.

A central point of the programme was the moderated collection of needs and challenges from the companies' perspective. One of the questions addressed was: "How can international students be better prepared for the specific requirements of the labour market?" Concrete ideas were jointly developed and recorded on a metaplan board.

The university then presented existing ideas and measures to further strengthen the practical relevance of the programme. The next steps and specific agreements on cooperation were discussed with the participating companies.

The workshop concluded with a joint lunch, which offered participants the opportunity to network and exchange ideas in greater depth. University President Prof. Dr Jörg Wagner gave the closing address, emphasising the importance of the workshop:

"The dialogue between universities and companies is crucial in order to develop practical qualification measures. International students have enormous potential for our region. By working closely together, we can leverage this potential and at the same time counteract the shortage of skilled labour in the region."

Background

The "HAW.international - HSN sustainable regional international" project is funded as part of the DAAD programme and aims to create practical and sustainable measures for international students. The aim is to provide targeted support for students' career opportunities as well as the regional demand for skilled labour.