Leoben in the giant country

How the University of Leoben is fighting the skills shortage

Susanne Feiel and Clemens Weihs are currently traveling through India to recruit students for the University of Leoben.(Bild: Fanny Gasser)

The whole of Europe is desperately looking for technical students, and now the University of Leoben is taking the initiative: with several trips to India, visits to trade fairs and a new application portal, the aim is to attract the young Indian population to Styria - also for the future job market.

The figures speak for themselves: while society in Austria is growing gray hair, the average age in India is just 28. While there is currently a shortage of 40,000 technical graduates in our country, more and more Indians can afford to study. For this very reason, it is high time to tackle the "huge shortage of key workers", says Susanne Feiel.

As the person responsible for internationalization at the University of Leoben, she wants to find new ways together with Clemens Weihs. The two are currently traveling through India - for the third time in eleven months - to build up a network at trade fairs and universities. They have already been able to win five of the twelve best universities on the subcontinent as partners.

As Managing Director of KS Enginieers, Wolfram Rossegger opened a plant in the Indian city of Pune in 2003.(Bild: Fanny Gasser)

Wolfram Rossegger from automotive specialist KS Engineers confirms that this recruitment offensive is also welcomed by Styrian companies: "We can use IT staff in particular in Austria. Our team in India is growing continuously, but most of our research is still carried out in Austria. And we have noticed that many Indians are very open to gaining experience abroad."

There is currently only one Indian working at the Styrian site, and Rossegger cites the German language as a challenge. The good thing is that the university visits revealed a great willingness to cooperate - even German courses are already being offered. "The first students are already coming to Montanuni from India," says Weihs happily. A corresponding application portal will go online this year via TU Austria, which could also increase the proportion of women - as this is rising rapidly in India.

The number of students at technical universities is falling dramatically. We support the Montanuniversität Leoben with focus areas and networks.

Karl Hartleb

Geschäftsführer Internationalisierungscenter Steiermark (ICS)

Bild: Fanny Gasser

This project is also supported by the Internationalization Center Styria. Managing Director Karl Hartleb and Project Manager Christina Ulrich are focusing on India in addition to the delegation trip: "We are trying to provide the universities with the best possible support. After all, 5.2 percent of the gross regional product in Styria is invested in research and development, which is the third highest figure in the whole of Europe," says Hartleb.

The trip is at the invitation of the Province of Styria.