2 June 2026

Nordhausen - Joint annual reception organised by the city and Nordhausen University of Applied Sciences to kick off the new ESF Plus project „WORT Nord - Weltoffene Region Nordthüringen“

The new ESF Plus project was officially launched on 27 May as part of the joint annual reception of the City of Nordhausen and Nordhausen University of Applied Sciences. WORT Nord - Retain talent, secure the future was presented. Around 80 representatives from business, politics, universities, administration, associations and initiatives used the event in the Nordhausen council chamber to exchange views on the project's objectives and discuss the future of skilled labour retention in northern Thuringia.

WORT Nord pursues a holistic approach: the aim is to connect international students and graduates from universities, vocational training and further education with companies, institutions and the region at an early stage and to make long-term future prospects in northern Thuringia visible. 

Northern Thuringia has considerable potential - not least thanks to Nordhausen University of Applied Sciences with its students and alumni. They bring with them skills and perspectives that are urgently needed in industry, the energy sector, digitalisation, healthcare and the social economy, both now and in the future. The focus of the event was on how this potential can be utilised more effectively for the region.

In her keynote speech, Joanna Izdebski from the Gesellschaft für Fertigungstechnik und Entwicklung Schmalkalden e. V. spoke about why staying creates the future and how an open and sustainable region can be shaped. As one of the first „open-minded organisation representatives“ from the WORT project in southern Thuringia, she brought with her a key message from business practice and the economy: „Innovation is created where different perspectives are not avoided, but consciously come together.“

Lord Mayor Kai Buchmann and University President Prof. Jörg Wagner also emphasised the importance of cooperation between the university, business, urban society and local authorities for the future viability of the region. „WORT Nord helps to connect skilled workers with companies, urban society and the region at an early stage and to create long-term prospects for the future in northern Thuringia.“ Nordhausen University of Applied Sciences plays a central role in this: it trains skilled workers, creates interdisciplinary networks and opens up career prospects for young talent in northern Thuringia.

Simone Treiber and Prof Dr Cordula Borbe from the project management team presented how WORT Nord is specifically organising this task. A central concern of the project is to retain skilled labour not just starting with the employment contract. Career prospects, social participation, encounters and a sense of arrival are just as much a part of it.

In an interactive survey, guests were asked what young people need in order to stay in Northern Thuringia after their studies or training. The answers showed a clear picture: visible career prospects, support when starting a career, places to meet, a welcoming culture and stronger networking between the university, companies and the region were rated as particularly important.

The results thus confirm a key finding of the project: „People stay where career prospects, social connections and a sense of arrival come together,“ says project coordinator Treiber.

Intensive discussions continued in the second part of the programme. The project teams from WORT Nord and the Transferwerk at Nordhausen University of Applied Sciences presented participation opportunities, networking opportunities and measures for intercultural personnel and organisational development in the Mobile Showroom. The planned Intercultural Academy was met with great interest as a future centre for qualification, encounters and intercultural opening of the university.

The launch made it clear that Northern Thuringia has strong prerequisites for successfully retaining skilled labour - committed companies, an efficient university, international talent and people who are actively involved in shaping their region. WORT Nord brings this potential together and creates spaces, networks and prospects so that young talents can see their professional and personal future in Northern Thuringia in the long term.

About the project „WORT Nord - Weltoffene Region Thüringens: Talente binden, Zukunft sichern - für eine zukunftsfeste Region Nordthüringen“ is a project of Nordhausen University of Applied Sciences, supported by the expertise of interculture.de e. V. (Jena). It is funded by the Free State of Thuringia as part of the Skilled Workers and Further Training Directive with funds from the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) with a total amount of around 2 million euros and runs from 1 November 2025 to 31 October 2028.