The future recruitment of qualified specialists is one of the major challenges facing society throughout Germany. Although the number of international students in Germany has been steadily increasing for many years, the demand for young professionals is increasing even faster. In addition, many international graduates move on after successfully completing their studies and seek new challenges in a global job market.
With its International Young Professionals Academy (IYPA), Mainz University of Applied Sciences is now launching a project that enables international students to complete supplementary training alongside their studies, providing them with further qualifications and individual support in the job market within four semesters. The Academy is the result of a successful application as part of the DAAD program FIT - Förderung internationaler Talente zur Integration in Studium und Arbeitsmarkt (2024-2028). The funding framework is approximately 940,000 Euros.
“The International Young Professionals Academy is a big step forward in the internationalization of Mainz University of Applied Sciences and thus also makes an important contribution to securing our future viability,” said University President Prof. Dr. Susanne Weissman. “By focusing our structures even more intensively than before on networking with collaboration partners, we can successfully place international students in jobs with companies in the region and thus contribute to the long-term recruitment of skilled personnel - for Rhineland-Palatinate and the entire Rhine-Main region.”
Every year, 30 international students will be admitted to the IYPA for the winter semester. These international students form a “cohort” and attend an accompanying program with three key areas alongside their studies.
- Increasing the academic success of international students, with a focus on improving German language skills, communication and presentation skills as well as working scientifically.
- Qualifying them for the job market with the aim of improving their job application skills, when looking for a job, applying for a job or going for an interview, as well as acquiring professional experience in the form of internships, for example.
- Helping them Transition into the employment market. Various career events, including recruiting events, are planned with a broad collaborative network of partners relevant to the employment market. Synergies will be created between companies, political and community institutions and the university to work together to tackle the recruitment of skilled workers. Mainz University of Applied Sciences already worked with collaboration partners such as the IHK Rheinhessen (Chamber of Industry and Commerce), the Agentur für Arbeit (employment agency) in Mainz and partner companies such as SCHOTT AG and Julius Berger International during the application process.
Gabriel Belinga Belinga, Head of the International Office at Mainz University of Applied Sciences, is confident: “With our collaborative network, we can show our students how good their career prospects are if they study here and how smooth the transition from studying to the job market can be. The employability factor will also dominate our international marketing activities in the future. This will go hand in hand with greater international visibility – not only for the university, but for Mainz as a career destination as a whole.”
Starting in the summer semester of 2026 (after the first four-semester period), the IYPA will generate international graduates every year and aims to place them in taxable employment.