Heinz Nixdorf program
The Heinz Nixdorf Program was a scholarship program to promote the Asia-Pacific experience of young executives with German citizenship, which was financed by the Heinz Nixdorf Foundation. The program was discontinued in 2018.
history
In the spirit of the entrepreneur Heinz Nixdorf (1925–1986), the Heinz Nixdorf Foundation set itself the task of strengthening the creativity and entrepreneurial talents of the young generation and allowing them to gain market knowledge in Asia. This is how the Heinz Nixdorf program was created in 1994 to promote the Asia-Pacific experience of young German executives in management at the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH .
Aim and scope of the program
The Heinz Nixdorf program to promote the Asia-Pacific experience organized four- to six-month internships for young executives with German citizenship in the following eight Asian countries:
The scholarship holders gained market knowledge in Asia through practical work in local companies. The program gave young executives an inside view of the economic and working world in Asian markets that are difficult to access for interns.
organization
At the beginning of the program in 1994, the Carl-Duisberg Gesellschaft eV took over the implementation of the program. In 2002, through a merger with the German Foundation for International Development (DSE), the tasks of the Carl Duisberg Society were initially transferred to International Continuing Education and Development gGmbH (InWEnt), which merged again in 2011 and the Heinz Nixdorf Program became the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) GmbH brought in.
target group
The Heinz Nixdorf program was aimed primarily at young professionals and graduates of commercial and technical courses with German citizenship, whereby qualified students shortly before graduation were also considered if they had at least one academic degree at the time of emigration to Asia. Applicants were generally no older than 30 at the time of departure, had at least six months of practical work experience and had proof of their good English language skills ( TOEFL , IELTS or Cambridge certificate ).
In addition to formal professional qualifications, applicants were required to have social skills for integration and tolerance as well as independence, a sense of responsibility and initiative.
The selection process for the candidates took place in several stages and highlighted the professional suitability, motivation and social competence of the applicants.
Program Sequence
After acceptance into the program, the scholarship holder went through the following steps in their qualification:
- Introductory and intercultural awareness seminar (linked to the evaluation seminar for those returning from the penultimate year)
- Regional preparatory seminar
- Up to two months intensive language course in the national language in Germany
- Up to two months intensive language course in the host country
- Four to six months of specialist practical work in a company in Asia
- Reporting to GIZ and evaluation seminar (again linked to the seminar on intercultural awareness for those leaving)
The preparation and follow-up of the program included the following logistical and financial support from GIZ:
- Advice, preparation, program implementation and evaluation with partners in Germany and on site
- Organization and financing of seminars and language courses as well as support in obtaining individual visas
- Monthly grant to cover living expenses in the host country
- Heinz Nixdorf Scholarship Forum - a virtual meeting place on the Internet to exchange experiences, job exchange.
- Network of scholarship holders and alumni with internet forum and organized meetings
overview
Since 1994, an average of 35 participants per year have participated in the program in 8 Asian countries. GIZ commissioned a research institute to analyze the results of the Heinz Nixdorf program after 20 years of existence of the program.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ^ Foundation Westphalia / Heinz Nixdorf Foundation
- ↑ giz.de / Heinz Nixdorf Foundation
- ↑ giz.de / Heinz Nixdorf program
- ↑ Evaluation of the Heinz Nixdorf program ( memento of the original from August 4, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
