Employability (made) In Germany – Next Stop: Evansville, Indiana
Our next event on Employability (made) in Germany is coming up at the University of Southern Indiana on April 17 from 2pm to 5pm. The event is part of the Year of German-American Friendship or Deutschlandjahr – Wunderbar Together – a collaborative initiative funded by the German Federal Foreign Office, implemented by the Goethe-Institut, and with support from the Federation of German Industries (BDI). Additional support is granted by a variety of sponsors and supporters, such as the German Center for Research and Innovation, and of course by regional supporters wherever we go, such as the Industrie- und Handelskammer in Osnabrück, the Economic Development Corporation Southwest Indiana, the city of Evansville, and the German American Chamber of Commerce.
Our first event (of five) took place at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, Alabama on January 30. Despite the uncharacteristically freezing temperatures, a total of about 60 students and administrators from the University of Alabama in Huntsville as well as business representatives attended. On the panel both speakers from Germany businesses in the U.S. and from both universities introduced and highlighted study exchange, internship and employment options in their respective organizations – career steps „made“ in Germany.
Now at our second stop, the University of Southern Indiana will host us. Planning is well underway and we invited regional business leaders and international academics to discuss university-industry collaboration, higher education models, and job market needs in an era of globalization and academic internationalization.
Confirmed panelists include Greg Wathen, President and CEO of the Economic Development Coalition of Southwest Indiana, who will discuss business opportunities for German companies in the region. Marco Graf, CEO of the Chamber of Industry and Commerce Osnabrück, will discuss the larger regional landscape of German-American industry, businesses and partnerships in Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky, and will also talk about the skills that companies expect from university graduates to foster employability.
Prof. Dr. Kay-Hendrik Hofmann, Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences, will outline practice-oriented teaching and research and how German Universities of Applied Sciences prepare their graduates for the job market. He will also highlight how international student exchange can benefit from industry – university collaboration. Dr. Daria Sevastianova, Associate Professor of Economics and Director of the Center for Economic Education at the University of Southern Indiana will present the exchange opportunities for USI students interested in going abroad to Germany and the impact that such a study abroad experience has on the students. We also invited an alumnus of the existing student exchange program between the University of Southern Indiana and Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences, to talk about their experiences with international exposure and exchange, and how they shape careers. A network reception and light refreshments will follow.