Successful FIT@BTU network meeting

The thematic focus of the meeting was on ‘German as the key to career entry for international students.’ The central question was what role German language skills play in the transition of international students into the regional labour market and where the biggest hurdles currently lie.

Prof. Dr. Wolfram Berger, Vice-President for Internationalisation at the BTU, and Prof. Dr. Peer Schmidt, Vice-President for Studies and Teaching, emphasised:

‘International students bring enormous potential to our region. In order for the transition to the labour market to be successful, language support, studies and practical experience must be more closely integrated – in joint dialogue with industry and students.’

The discussion focused on what contributions the BTU, companies and students can make to better support linguistic and professional integration. In particular, consideration was given to anchoring German more firmly in the curriculum in future and developing additional intensive courses in German as a foreign language. In addition, the discussion focused on the contribution that companies can make in the context of internships, working student positions, theses and entry-level jobs, and what expectations are realistic.

Practical examples illustrated the importance of personal initiative and supportive conditions: international BTU alumnus Nelson Barbosa reported on how he took advantage of the support offered by the BTU and also independently sought out further opportunities to learn German, understanding from the outset that language skills were key to his social and professional integration.

Sebastian Kießling, managing director of ClinX Energy Systems GmbH, also showed that even a medium-sized company can successfully integrate international employees without lowering technical performance requirements – provided that integration into the team is actively supported and both sides make adjustments. The network meeting made it clear that the successful integration of international students into the regional labour market is a joint task for universities, businesses and students.

The BTU sees itself as a platform for promoting exchange and jointly developing viable solutions.

The approaches discussed during the meeting will be further explored and developed within the network in the coming months. The aim is to attract international talent to the region in the long term while supporting the regional economy's need for skilled workers.

The FIT@BTU project is part of the DAAD's FIT funding programme and is being implemented through a cooperation between the International Relations Office (IRO), the Career Centre and the Language Centre at the BTU. It serves to expand and further develop the support structures for international students at the BTU. The network meeting is organised by the Career Centre and Dual Studies department. It takes place once per semester.