Funding Qualifying International Talents for University Study and Job Market

Giving international students career advice and support to smooth their path onto the German job market is the aim of the project “heiROUTES: Make Your Way – Study to Stay” at Heidelberg University, being funded as part of a professionalisation initiative of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). heiSKILLS, the university’s Competence and Language Centre, joined with the International Relations Division and International Study Centre of Ruperto Carola to make this successful funding application. Finance totalling around 1.1 million euros is available until the end of 2028. 

“It is very important to the university that our international students feel that they are in good hands in Heidelberg, as they can only develop real prospects of remaining if they are well integrated socially and develop sustainable networks, friendships and contacts, also outside their specific courses,” explains Prof. Dr Marc-Philippe Weller, Vice-Rector for International Affairs and Diversity. Prof. Dr Silke Hertel, Vice-Rector for Student Affairs and Teaching, adds: “That is why we devised various programmes in our DAAD application with which we can deliberately fire the enthusiasm of international students about joining in student initiatives here and so actively promote their integration at our university and in society.”

The Heidelberg programme is meant for international students and doctoral candidates, and also graduates. It aims to support them in all phases of their course or doctoral work in developing career prospects and successfully integrating into the German job market as excellently trained professionals. At the heart of the project is the heiROUTES information portal, which in future will cluster all important information and offerings for the different target groups and addressees at Heidelberg University. Virtual orientation days, along with a guest family and accommodation programme, will support international students in organising their everyday student life. The programme “Frame Your Internship” provides individual advice and German courses to prepare for practical placements. In addition, mentoring programmes are offered in cooperation with external partners.

In the context of the “Campus Initiative for International Talents” the DAAD is supporting over 100 projects at universities all over Germany. The programme runs until the end of 2028 and is to receive approximately 120 million euros from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research.