OTH Amberg-Weiden is becoming even more international: the university is focusing on an innovative digital strategy that it will implement together with OTH Regensburg. The Bavarian State Ministry for Science and the Arts is supporting these measures with 294,000 euros as part of the Internationalisation 2.0 programme.

"Science and teaching know no national borders," says Dr Annabelle Wolff, Head of the International Office at OTH Amberg-Weiden. "We want students, scientists and academics to be able to exchange information easily and quickly in a globalised world. Digitalisation has provided us with new tools for this - and we make sure that our students and professors benefit from them." Specifically, OTH Amberg-Weiden is tackling two measures in cooperation with OTH Regensburg: the implementation of the Mobility Online software and the redesign of the International Office website.

The Mobility Online software supports and simplifies many processes in the international area of the university, such as Erasmus+ activities, non-European bilateral cooperation, double degree programmes, summer/winter school activities, short courses or admissions of international students. For this purpose, the database includes, among other things, all steps from the application to the stay abroad to the return to the university.

We want to offer international students information, teaching and learning films to provide them with the best possible advice and support," says Dr. Annabelle Wolff. "Possible contents of the videos include information about the Upper Palatinate or leisure activities in Amberg and Weiden, but also tips on finding a room or registering with the Foreigners' Registration Office."

With the Internationalisation 2.0 funding programme, the Bavarian State Ministry of Science and the Arts supports universities in developing and implementing concepts that combine digitalisation and internationalisation. The funding period extends over four years, from 1 October 2018 to 30 September 2022. Inclusion in the programme was based on an application prepared under the leadership of Prof. Ulrich Müller, Vice President of OTH Amberg-Weiden, and Dr. Annabelle Wolff, Head of the International Office at OTH Amberg-Weiden.

The German economy is dependent on immigration of skilled workers. International students in particular have good prerequisites for the labour market: They know the language and culture and have a recognised university degree. But how can international students be recruited and encouraged to pursue a career in Germany? An HRK event at the OTH Amberg-Weiden found initial answers for the university region.

The round table of the German Rectors' Conference (HRK) on 26.07.2019 brought together experts from education, business and city administration - a student and an international student from Ecuador contributed the student perspective. In the so-called World Café, they discussed and brainstormed on three thematic blocks: recruiting international students, socio-cultural integration, and preparation for and integration into the labour market. In other words, the participants took a look at the ideal-typical journey of an international student: from the world to the campus of the OTH Amberg-Weiden and from there to the companies in the university region.

The topic of "Recruiting" focused on two key questions: What distinguishes OTH Amberg-Weiden and the university region? How can the city, the economy and OTH Amberg-Weiden attract international students? In addition to good study conditions and an attractive living environment, the strength of the economic region and the flourishing labour market are among the assets that the northern Upper Palatinate has to offer.

In "socio-cultural integration", the participants asked themselves how to make the cultural offerings of the city/region/university more international and improve the exchange between international and German students. The thematic block "Preparation for and integration into the labour market" revolved around the guiding questions: How can (initial) contact with companies be promoted? What skills do international students need to integrate into companies?

The round table showed that when experts from different disciplines and sectors put their heads together, many things are possible. Because together they developed good, creative and practical ideas. In the next step, the participants will systematically elaborate the ideas and develop a joint strategy for action. Because international marketing for skilled workers and students is only successful if the university, the economy and the region pull together.