Double Success for University of Bremen in DAAD’s Skilled Workers Initiative
With the “Campus Initiative for International Specialists”, the DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) supports the qualification of international students and graduates as future skilled workers. Among the 114 projects selected nationwide, two are from the University of Bremen.
The initiative runs from April 2024 to December 2028 and is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education (BMBF) with 120 million euros. It consists of two program lines: “FIT” (promotion of international talent for integration into studies and the labor market) and “Profi plus” (academic adaptation qualification for the German labor market). As part of the “FIT” program, German universities can support international students and (Bachelor’s and Master’s graduates) who are aiming for a (further) degree in Germany with additional offers at the start of their studies, during their studies and in the transition to the job market One focus is on advice and support for a successful course of study through to the transition into practice and the job market.
In the “Profi plus” program, German universities can promote the professional qualifications of international academics with foreign university degrees. In the program you will receive additional specialist knowledge for the German labor market and can expand your linguistic and social skills – also within the framework of cooperation with German companies and institutions.
The University of Bremen is successful with the two projects “FIT from the campus to the job market” and “Profi plus in Bremen”.
“FIT from the campus to the job market”: How international university members should develop career prospects in Germany
The “FIT from campus to the job market” project is aimed primarily at international prospective students and students as well as doctoral students and graduates. The aim of the project is to develop realistic prospects for starting a career in the region and Germany and to establish contacts with companies and institutions in the region. To this end, the project team would like to expand and link existing offers for the acquisition of cultural, linguistic and technical skills and supplement them with new offers. The existing offerings include, for example, language preparation courses for studying, training in extracurricular skills, excursions to companies and mentoring offers. Project funds are intended to finance, among other things, individual advice and workshops on the transition from study to work, support offers in the creation of application strategies and application documents as well as special language courses “German for the job market”. A wide range of offers from the project should be available to members of all universities in the state of Bremen. The project is carried out at the University of Bremen jointly by the Career Center , the Study Workshop and the International Office . The institutions cooperate with the HERE AHEAD Academy for preparatory studies and the Language Center of the State of Bremen. Around 825,000 euros have been applied for funding from the DAAD for the University of Bremen and an additional 219,000 euros for the Bremen preparatory course.
“Profi plus in Bremen”: Support for international academics from technical subjects
The “Profi plus in Bremen” project offers international academics with an IT or technology background the opportunity to receive further training specifically for the German labor market and thus increase their chances of finding a job that matches their qualifications. To do this, they acquire a university certificate from the University of Bremen, which they use to expand their technical knowledge and key skills that are in demand in the world of work, so-called future skills . In a project module, they work in small groups on real and practice-relevant project tasks from companies, to which they present their solution approaches at the end. The participants improve their language skills, learn more about the German working world, receive comprehensive advice and document their expanded skills in a portfolio.
In the “Profi plus in Bremen” project, the University of Bremen is also targeting international academics with a degree in a MINT subject who are underrepresented in German companies. In particular, they should be made aware of the opportunities in the German labor market in the MINT area.
The project is led by the Academy for Continuing Education in cooperation with the Career Center , the Competence Center for Women in Science and Technology and the Language Center (SZHB). Around 700,000 euros have been applied for funding from the DAAD.