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News from the economy

On 09 November 2024, attended the Meeting of Executive Members of Indian Associations in North Germany organised by the Consulate General of India, Hamburg. It was indeed an insightful discussion on issues faced by Indian Diaspora in Germany.

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It’s always an honor to welcome Mr. R. Madhan, Director of the Indo-German Science & Technology Centre (IGSTC), to Hannover. IGSTC has been supporting highly innovative research projects at institutions in Lower Saxony in collaboration with Indian research partners. In his previous role as Science Counsellor at the Embassy of India in Berlin, Mr. Madhan also met with young scientists Anusha Kishore and Dr. Anil Nair. Both came to Leibniz University as project students and have now returned to work on groundbreaking research projects in sports and wind energy.

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The role of the diaspora is crucial and central to attracting and retaining qualified and skilled workers. We are happy to welcome Oualid Arbib, an expert on diaspora, migration, and mobility, to inform, discuss, and exchange the latest developments as part of the GiZ strategy and programme. It was also a very pleasant occasion to meet Driss and Tornike, who are working towards promoting Region Hannover and Lower Saxony as attractive destinations.

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After visiting Renk Gears in India, it's now time for Hannover. I learned a lot of new aspects about Renk's history, its diversified areas of research, development, and production. We discussed further expansion ideas, the need for qualified and skilled workforce, and potential programs with India. A big thanks to Matthias Rusch, CEO of Slide Bearings, and Janina Sembritzki, Executive Assistant to the CEO.

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I am very grateful to Sandra Schubert, Managing Director of UHN e. V. (Unternehmensverbände Handwerk Niedersachsen), for taking the time to discuss the structure and functions of UHN e. V. After our discussion, the need for qualified and skilled workers and the challenges faced by small businesses became even more apparent.

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A visit to Verden with my colleague Maiken. We accompanied the delegation, Tine and Sunna from GiZ Nord, as part of ongoing discussions on building a partnership between Morocco and Lower Saxony to attract qualified and skilled workforce. BBS Verden will play a central role as an experienced institution in cooperation with Morocco in quality apprenticeships and as a bridge to interested industry partners in the region.

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A very inspiring and innovative academy to address the shortage of qualified skilled workers in Lower Saxony. Thanks to Josef and Julia from 42 Wolfsburg for the discussion and for showing my colleague Nina and me around the academy's facilities. A well-thought-out concept with great future potential.

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A follow-up meeting after the visit to NTTF’s workshop and classrooms in Bengaluru. Happy to welcome Mr. B. Sudharshan, CEO of NTTF, a premier institution providing top-quality vocational education and training. The discussion focused on new developments and the growing momentum in Germany concerning the significant role of Indian qualified and skilled workforce at both the federal and state levels. Looking forward to constructive cooperation with NTTF for Niedersachsen.

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Happy to attend the annual orientation for Indian students at the Technical University of Hamburg (TUHH). It’s always a special feeling to interact and share experiences with students starting their first semester in Germany. The interaction was lively, and I wish them all the best. Kudos to the student association ISA-TUHH for the coordination and organization, supported by Coracle.

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On 18th October 2024, IASH, together with the International Office of Leibniz University Hannover, organized a welcome event for students who started their studies at the University in the Winter Semester 2024. The Science and Technology Counsellor from the Embassy of India in Berlin, Mr. Ramanuj Banerjee, and the Vice Consul from the Consulate General of India, Hamburg, honored the event with their presence. IASH student representatives Anil Kumar and Anusha Kishore provided insights to the new students on what they can expect in their studies. Alumnus Karan Sandhanwalia also shared his perspectives to guide the students. Later, the Indian Students in Germany (ISG) volunteer representatives for Hannover were selected. The new representatives are Ann Maria Jayson and Siddharth Punnachalil. We wish all students the very best for their studies.

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Today, the German Federal Cabinet approved the strategy for attracting qualified and skilled workers, with a special focus on India. Fittingly, this week featured an event by Federal Minister Hubertus Heil with the Indian diaspora. What made it even more special was that it was also the first public appearance of the new Indian Ambassador to Germany, Mr. Ajit Gupte. Minister Heil and Ambassador Gupte played a few cricket shots and bowled before engaging with members of the diaspora. Many thanks to BMAS and the German Embassy for organizing the event. Special appreciation goes to my dear friend Raghu (Dr. Raghu Chaliganti), who was instrumental in bringing together the cricket teams and uniting the diaspora.

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Wrapping up the visit to Morocco. The morning started with a meeting with two very motivated young experts preparing for their move to Lower Saxony to work at Purplan. The noon meeting was with Director Mrs. Nour Elamarti at the Ministry for Economic Inclusion, Small Business, Employment, and Skills. We deliberated on the ambitious but professional plan related to skilled and qualified workforce. The final appointment of the day was about the Moroccan diaspora and the circular economy. Time to hit the road to the airport, back to beloved Hannover, home.

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Good start in Rabat with very detailed, intensive, but highly constructive discussions led by the German Ambassador to Morocco at the German Embassy. Later in the day, there was a brief but very useful interaction with Dr. Kathrin Lorenz, Head of GiZ in Morocco. The day ended with a workshop with GiZ colleagues on the program of the Forum and partnerships.

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Motivated teachers, trainers, students, and the director were highly impressed by the Energy Training Institute IFMEREE in Tangier. This could present a win-win potential for qualified and skilled workers in the renewable energy sector between Tangier and Lower Saxony. I also met two professionals on their way to companies in Lower Saxony through the GiZ Thamm Plus project. They are very confident about the new opportunity, their life prospects, and language skills. Lower Saxony positively welcomes them, as they will help fill the urgent need for skilled workers in various sectors.ANAPEC, the federal employment agency, plays a central role in Morocco in international agreements on skilled and qualified workforce. It was a pleasure to meet with the team led by Houda Ghayati to follow up on the discussions that began at the end of June. During the presentations, new initiatives were introduced, and a very reliable, strong partnership with the BA in Lower Saxony was emphasized. Many thanks to the colleagues at GiZ for the organization and coordination.

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Motivated teachers, trainers, students, and the director were highly impressed by the Energy Training Institute IFMEREE in Tangier. This could present a win-win potential for qualified and skilled workers in the renewable energy sector between Tangier and Lower Saxony. I also met two professionals on their way to companies in Lower Saxony through the GiZ Thamm Plus project. They are very confident about the new opportunity, their life prospects, and language skills. Lower Saxony positively welcomes them, as they will help fill the urgent need for skilled workers in various sectors.

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Honored and pleased to meet with the Honorary Consul General for Germany in Tangier (Consul Honoraire, Région Nord et Oriental). We discussed potential opportunities for a successful Tangier-Lower Saxony partnership.The day began with an official welcome by the Regional Council of Tangier. In the morning, a political discussion took place on the framework of the partnership with Lower Saxony. It was announced that the Regional Council had unanimously voted in favor of the partnership between Tangier and Lower Saxony. Tangier is the first city in all of Africa to continuously receive ISO certifications for the quality of its administration. In the afternoon, a detailed workshop with all partners was held to discuss the specifics of the potential agreement between Tangier and Lower Saxony.

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Honored and pleased to meet with the Honorary Consul General for Germany in Tangier (Consul Honoraire, Région Nord et Oriental). We discussed potential opportunities for a successful Tangier-Lower Saxony partnership.

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A massive and highly impressive infrastructure with a world-class training institute, OFPPT, in Tangier. It was a pleasure to outline a need-based roadmap for partnership with Executive Director Mr. Larbi Rabbouh, his team, and GiZ colleagues. The next step involved exchanging details on how the national employment agency ANAPEC, regional office in Tangier led by Director Mrs. Fatima Zohra Ouomari, GiZ colleagues, and the team from the Regional Council Tangier, represented by Mohamed Tarik Remiki and Aya Misbah, work together. The day concluded with an invitation to the Chamber of Commerce in Tangier with its President Mr. Abdelatif Afailal, Director General Mr. Fuad Ahlouche El Kerriasti, and Mr. Aziz Agbalu, Head of Strategy and Partnership.

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A successful kick-off with pleasant weather and a warm welcome in Tangier. Special thanks to Mohamed Tarik Remiki and Aya Misbah from the Regional Council of Tangier and Séverine Diallo from GiZ Morocco for the positive and result-oriented discussions.

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I was pleased and honored to meet with the Honourable Chargé d'Affaires, Mr. B.S. Mubarak, at the Embassy of India. We discussed economic cooperation related to highly qualified, skilled workforces, student development, and other issues. It was a very cordial and constructive meeting.

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A trip to the far north of Lower Saxony. I had the opportunity to visit Leer and Aurich – many thanks to emsachse for the invitation. Once again, it was a day of learning about different models and effective methods for attracting qualified skilled workers to Lower Saxony. A very open and constructive discussion with Landkreis Aurich and WEETS, an international leader in logistics. I have a good feeling that we are on the right track with our strategy for Lower Saxony.

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NOVOBIT, a company driven by passion, young talents, and artificial intelligence specialists, is headquartered in Braunschweig, with a branch office in Tunisia. With more than 150 highly skilled experts in digitalization and data science, it is undoubtedly a pride of Lower Saxony. I was highly impressed by their research portfolio and programming skills. Had a productive discussion with Hatem Hamzaoui, CEO, and Victoria Mahler, Head of Personnel, on ways to attract the necessary qualified experts as their portfolio expands.

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It was a very clear, goal-oriented, and friendly meeting hosted by Prof. Bernd Afflerbach, CEO of MATTHÄI Group, a giant in the construction industry based in Verden. Special thanks to Mr. Jörn Makko, CEO of Bauindustrieverband Niedersachsen-Bremen. We had an intensive discussion about the issue of qualified and skilled workforce, challenges for the industry, and potential solutions.

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 One person who always comes to mind when working to strengthen Indo-German relations is Dr. Syed Ibrahim, Honorary Consul General of Germany in India. It was a pleasure to meet him and his team, including Mr. Vinod TV, COO of KASE, to discuss the potential of qualified and skilled workforce for Lower Saxony.

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 It was a privilege and an honor to meet the former Federal President of Germany, Mr. Christian Wulff, during the reception of Chor.com. He shared wise words about the philosophy of choirs: music can be a great remedy for loneliness, foster togetherness, and cultivate intuitive minds, among other positive effects. We also exchanged a few thoughts on the developments regarding qualified and skilled workforce for Germany.

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Happy Birthday: 10 years of DIES – Management of Internationalisation (Dialogue on Innovative Higher Education Strategies). 10 years in the current format and 15 years since the start of the program (2009–2024). I am very happy to be part of the team that designed and implemented the program. It is a highly effective program in building the capacity of skilled and qualified professionals globally in internationalisation. Leibniz University Hannover (LUH), Niedersachsen, is the lead coordinator of the program. This success was mainly made possible by the highly motivated team at LUH’s International Office, the trainers, participants, and support systems such as DAAD, BMBF, and MWK-Niedersachsen, among others. Congratulations!

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It was an honor to be part of the panel at the Eurocities event today in Hannover. I was pleased to present perspectives on skilled and qualified workforces for Lower Saxony. The interaction with participants from all over Europe was lively and engaging.

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Happy to welcome Prof. R. Seenivasan, Director of International Relations at VIT University, one of the top-ranked universities in the world. Over dinner, we discussed the next steps for a partnership in the education of students as qualified and skilled workforce in taxation and accounting. A positive step forward.

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Welcome to Lower Saxony: the prime business destination! It was a pleasure to meet and inspire the visiting Indian delegation of entrepreneurs. We have great hopes for a fruitful partnership, joint ventures, and investments in Lower Saxony. India-Lower Saxony.

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A highly productive day in Osnabrück. Hanna Sandmann and the engineering powerhouse Purplan are leading the way with their openness and friendly atmosphere in welcoming skilled and qualified international workers. The company is strongly supported by the Bundesagentur für Arbeit (BA), represented by Lars Hirseland, Head of Department, and Jens Müller, an apprenticeship expert, as well as the central agency for initiating new programs in and around Osnabrück. The final stop was at the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (Osnabrück - Emsland - Grafschaft Bentheim) with Marco Graf, CEO, and his deputy Frank Hesse, focusing on attracting international students for match-making with companies as skilled workforce.

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Day 6: Time to fly home, Hannover. Day two in Chennai. Professor Indumathi and Professor Rao updated s on the frugal innovation projects and the positive partnership with IIT Madras. It was a pleasure to meet Prof. Balakrishna Rao, author of an excellent publication "Frugal Engineering," and a strong research partner with companies in Lower Saxony. I also had a discussion with Mr. Ruthra from the Director's Team about industry cooperation and start-ups. The next meeting was with Mr. Ravikanth Yamarthy, CEO of the Logistics Skill Council (LSC), who recently visited Hannover. It was an honor to visit the Centre for Logistics Training for Excellence (COLTE), a one-of-a-kind center worldwide. Looking forward to a meaningful and equal partnership on both sides of the aisle.

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Day 5: The day in Chennai started with meetings at the TÜV India office regarding the profiling, certification, and training of qualified and skilled workforce. Next on the agenda was a visit to Kolping India International, an organization that supports young people at various training institutes in acquiring skills for different professions. The second part of the day involved interactions with the German Consulate on potential partnerships with Niedersachsen. The day concluded with discussions with board members of the Indian Chamber of Commerce, focusing on various business areas and the global skilling hub.

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Day 4: An intensive but successful visit to Bengaluru. The journey started with a visit to Renk Gears, a leader in high-tech specialty industries, discussing its expansion plans and the challenges of finding qualified and skilled workforce. This was followed by a visit to the innovative capacity building and training institute NTTF, which works on global skilling programs. Kudos to them for their very humane approach to positively including differently-abled youth in their programs. Special thanks to Cognizant for their full sponsorship. The visit continued with a meeting at the German Consulate, discussing various possibilities of potential cooperation with Lower Saxony. The day concluded with a visit to the startup hub C-Camp Innovations. It was a pleasure to meet Dr. Vadivukarasi, a highly encouraging and enthusiastic young female entrepreneur. Next stop: Chennai calling.

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Day 3: Wrapping up the visit to Delhi with meetings at the International Labour Organization (ILO), Indo-German Chamber of Commerce (IGCC), and the Goethe Institute-Max Mueller Bhavan. At the ILO, discussions focused on projects between the EU and India, Germany-India projects on skills, fair and regulated mobility, migration, and upcoming projects on startups. At the IGCC luncheon, we spoke about German businesses partnering with the federal/state system and Indian companies on training and qualification programs. The final meeting of the day covered the crucial topic of courses, language proficiency, and testing. We also touched on the extremely high growth rate of school and university students enrolling in German language classes. Kudos to the Goethe Institute-Max Müller Bhavan as a role model of professionalism and a successful outreach institution promoting culture and language. Next stop, Bengaluru.

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Day 2: A warm welcome at the German Embassy in Delhi with meetings on business partnerships and skilled workforce cooperation. Next was an insightful interaction with Skill India under the aegis of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship. Following that, meetings took place at the Indo-German Green Skills Programme as part of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GiZ). The penultimate appointment of the day was at the language training institute, Studyfeeds. The open interaction with trainees gave a very positive impression of the institution's genuineness and quality. The day concluded with a visit to the "Immersive Franz Kafka" event at the Goethe Institute.

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Hannover Re is a highly dedicated and exemplary company based in Hannover. I had the opportunity to visit this leading reinsurer and gain insights into their recruitment strategies and company culture. I was particularly impressed by the presentation from Gabriela Nangia, Team Manager of Employee Life Cycle. They, too, face the challenge of attracting qualified and skilled professionals. However, with new initiatives and innovative ideas, they are optimistic about bringing the best talents to Hannover. Wishing them all the best!

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One day at the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GiZ) in Eschborn. It was an eye-opener in many ways. I am deeply grateful to my colleagues Christine and Lidija for the coordination and organization. I had the opportunity to meet with experts from the teams on migration and development, regional initiatives, technical vocational education, diaspora support, and governance. It was a very open, constructive, informative, and results-oriented discussion on the holistic approach to a qualified and skilled workforce. Many thanks to the experts Jan, Samira, Benjamin, Robert, Constanze, Oualid, Isa, and Lisa.

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It is a rare and honored privilege to be part of the farewell ceremony for the Ambassador of India to Germany, Mr. Harish Parvathaneni. A person of great integrity, discipline, utmost punctuality, a man of action, a motivating force for the diaspora, especially for students, data always at his fingertips, and an excellent listener. I have listed only a few of his great qualities here. We will miss you dearly, Sir. Personally, I have learned a lot from our interactions, at various events, and by closely following your speeches. A moment I will cherish forever is receiving the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman award from you in March 2023. I wish only the best for you and your family in your new assignment at the United Nations. Many thanks for the kind invitation and the excellent organization of the event by the Office of Community Affairs, led by Shri Dr. Mandeep Singh Tuli, Minister for Personnel and Community Affairs.

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The Thomas Roess Group in Twistringen, Lower Saxony, Germany, is a place of innovation with sustainability as a core mantra, and is highly international (with locations in India, Sri Lanka, among others, and exports to almost all continents). It’s a place to learn and grow, which is how I would describe the Thomas Roess Group. I am very pleased to have been invited by Thomas Roess, the third-generation entrepreneur who was also part of the delegation visit to Morocco with Minister Olaf Lies. All of their products are strongly focused on sustainability and environmental care. Their employees are very loyal and well cared for. I also had the opportunity to visit their flagship training center, TAFF! (Technical Training for Skilled Workers), a consortium of companies and the local council government. It also actively supports internationally qualified and skilled workers. It was a short but highly satisfactory visit, with discussions held with Thomas Roess, Felix Toess, and Markus Tönjes.

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A very intensive and constructive follow-up meeting in preparation for the reciprocal visit of a delegation from Morocco to Lower Saxony on qualified and skilled workforce. GiZ is playing a central role in supporting federal programs and connecting with the right governmental partners. Thanks to Markus Delfs (Director, Regional Office Germany-North) for the kind hosting, along with team members Christine Mickliss and Sarika Amruth.

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It will always be challenging to fully understand the entire system in highly interconnected and specialized areas such as education, qualifications, language, and not least, funding mechanisms. I am very grateful to Timo Bergmann from IGBCE for his expertise in explaining the complexities, challenges, and opportunities in the process of developing a qualified and skilled workforce.

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I'm happy to learn about an innovative project related to qualified and skilled workforce at the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Hannover. Thanks to the team led by Prof. Dr. Thomas Schult, with coordinator Barbara Stövesand and intercultural and organizational expert Dr. Antje Schnoor.

The project is called InterGeeks, and that’s how is being promoted. InterGeeks is a training and consulting program offered by the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Hannover, aimed at providing foreign academics access to the German IT job market. They are also prepared for the German job market through language courses and workshops on communication, project management, and law.

Further information can be found here.

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Thank you for the kind invitation. We wish Benedikt Hüppe all the best and much success as the new managing director of Unternehmerverbände Niedersachsen e.V., an important voice of industry in Lower Saxony.

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I am very grateful for the kind invitation extended by Dr. Alexander Rosenboom, Honorary Consul General of the Kingdom of Morocco. Together with my colleague, Dr. Anna Meincke, Head of the Department of Transformation at the Ministry of Economic Affairs, we engaged in an in-depth discussion about renewable energy and attracting a qualified and skilled workforce between Niedersachsen and the Kingdom of Morocco. This discussion follows the visit by the delegation led by Minister Olaf Lies. We agreed to exchange information and work towards fostering a closer partnership between Niedersachsen and the Kingdom of Morocco.

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A hearty welcome to Prof. Dr. Indumathi from the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM) in Niedersachsen. She is a world-renowned expert on transformation topics, including waste management, renewable energy, entrepreneurship, and circular economics. We had an in-depth discussion on potential areas of cooperation and a long-term research stay in Niedersachsen at Leibniz University Hannover (LUH). The discussion was accompanied by young scientists Dr. Kanchan, Dr. Mozhiarasi, and Dr. Anilkumar. The team was joined by Dr. Martin Pohl, a specialist in transformational themes of modern industry.

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One of the most challenging factors that determines the success in attracting a qualified and skilled workforce is social integration through diaspora networks. I was very pleased to have an in-depth discussion with the highly respected expert Dr. Rachid L' Aoufir from the African-German Society and Transnational Corridors.

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It was a special occasion to be invited by the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Morocco in Germany, Mrs Zohour Alaoui to attend a reception in honor of His Majesty, the King of Morocco, His Magesty King Mohammed VI. It was a joyous moment to meet and interact with like-minded stakeholders, including Honorary Consul Dr. Alexander Rosenboom, Mayor of Syke Suse Laue, team member Abdelhafid Catruat, and Director of BBS Verden Stefan Frese.

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It was an open, comfortable, and constructive conversation with Angela Papenburg, a board member of Industry Giant Papenburg AG, and team member Eleonora Bachtiosina. We focused on the challenges of recruiting qualified and skilled workforce, and discussed collaborative strategies to address these issues, particularly in Niedersachsen. Thank you for the strong commitment to working together and staying connected.

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Hearty welcome to Mr. Ruthramurthy Senthamaraikannan, Liaison Officer from the Indian Institute of Technology Madras in Hannover. Ruthra is also actively involved in the local entrepreneurship support system in India. We discussed various ideas on technology business incubators and the development of a qualified and skilled workforce, among other topics, for potential partnership with Niedersachsen. We also took the opportunity to congratulate and welcome Dr. Anilkumar, an alumnus of the institution, who is working at Leibniz University Hannover as an expert scientist in structural engineering.

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Welcome to Niedersachsen. It was a pleasure to interact with Swapnil Gulhane and Pramod Ghadge from G Square Techsystems, Pune, India. Niedersachsen's prudent economic policies and strategies for attracting qualified and skilled workforces make it an ideal location for high-potential businesses and partnerships. Many thanks to Peter Eisenschmidt and his team for leading the internationalization efforts at hannoverimpuls.

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I was happy to meet with Werner Jesse and Moritz Mogwitz from Niedersachsen Metall. It was a great opportunity to learn from one of the most powerful and influential industries in Niedersachsen. We had an in-depth discussion on recruiting international qualified and skilled workers for Niedersachsen and touched upon intensifying the focused partnership with India. Thanks to Hans Hoffmann for initiating and facilitating the meeting.

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A solemn occasion upon the invitation of IHK Braunschweig. I had very fruitful discussions with President Tobias Hoffmann and Managing Director Dr. Florian Löbermann on economic cooperation with India and the need for a qualified, skilled workforce for the industry in the region. We also discussed projects with universities aimed at supporting the development of future qualified and skilled professionals. It was a very special occasion marked by the presence of the Honourable Consul General.

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Many thanks to Prof. Angela Ittel, President of the Technical University of Braunschweig (TUBS), for inviting me to the annual reception for professors. I had a constructive discussion with Profs. Sabrina Zellmer, Christoph Herrmann, Simone Kauffeld, and Sàndor Fekete. The common theme was cooperation with India, including Indian graduates and researchers for science and industry in Lower Saxony. It was also a pleasant surprise to welcome and meet with a team of six professors from the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IITB), headed by Prof. Nishant Sharma.

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After many years of visiting the Physikalisch Technische Institut (PTB, National Meteorology Institute) in Braunschweig, I was grateful to receive a kind invitation from Prof. Ravi Fernandes, an expert in alternative fuel research, who hosted an event in honor of the visit by the honourable Consul General of India, Ms. Soumya Gupta. I was honored to interact with Prof. Dr. Cornelia Denz regarding international cooperation, including with India. It was always a pleasure and energizing to interact with students and doctoral researchers. I was very pleased to meet the highly talented Dr. Atasi Chatterjee, project coordinator, and Dr. Franziska Wende, who is involved in technical cooperation with India. The program was efficiently coordinated by Dr. Sumit Agrawal, a scientist at PTB.

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It was very intensive but constructive discussion analysing various facets of plausible cooperation between Salzgitter AG and participating institutions in preparing the future qualified and skilled workforce. A timely initiative and looking forward to active participation on successful implementation of agreed roadmap.