The number of dual study programmes has been rising steadily for years. The dual study programme is a perfect opportunity for universities, companies, authorities and institutions to network science and practice even more closely. It is not only the students who benefit from this. The dual study programme, which closely combines theory and practice, is an effective way of finding and precisely qualifying young talent.
In order to discuss current challenges and opportunities in dual study programmes, 26 practice partners accepted OTH Regensburg's invitation to the annual network meeting, including Continental Automotive Technologies GmbH, Maschinenfabrik Reinhausen GmbH, BMW Group Regensburg, Krones AG, SENNEBOGEN Maschinenfabrik GmbH, Infineon Technologies AG and Max Bögl Bauservice GmbH & Co. KG. Among the guests was Veronika Riedl from hochschule dual, the umbrella organisation for dual study programmes in Bavaria, who contributed valuable input to the discussions with her professional expertise.
The event kicked off with a standing reception, where participants had the opportunity to hold initial discussions and network. Vice President Prof. Dr Carina Braun then welcomed the attendees and emphasised the importance of close cooperation between science and practice.
Retaining dual students in the long term
One of the highlights of the meeting was the keynote speech by Prof Dr Susanne Nonnast on the topic of ‘From employee lifecycle to employee experience’. In it, the professor explained how employers can support their employees throughout their entire career. She emphasised the importance of integrating so-called ‘moments that matter’ into everyday working life. These help to promote a positive working atmosphere and retain dual students at the company in the long term.
Ludmilla Reger from the International Office then briefly presented the new OTH BRIDGE project (Building Relations for International Degree-Seeking Students to German Employment), which is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research in cooperation with the German Academic Exchange Service. OTH BRIDGE aims to offer international students seeking a degree at OTH Regensburg increased support throughout the entire student lifecycle - before and during their studies as well as during their transition into the German labour market - and to connect them with companies from the region at an early stage. The targeted support for international students should also make it easier for them to enter the dual study programme.
New ideas emerged from the exchange
After a short break, the attendees split into three BarCamp sessions. The basis for the choice of topics was a previous keyword survey in which the practice partners were able to name their current challenges in the dual study programme. In particular, the topics of recruiting, employee retention and dovetailing studies and practice crystallised. These aspects were dealt with intensively in interactive discussions, generating valuable impetus and new ideas for the further development of the dual study programme.
The network meeting was an excellent opportunity to promote dialogue between the university and the practice partners and to jointly develop forward-looking perspectives.
