Event details

20. April 2026

Agenda | DHIK Science and Industry Forum 2026

Opening of the DHIK Forum and welcome address

Joint greeting from

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Alexander Kratzsch, Rector of the University of Applied Sciences Zittau/Görlitz and

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dieter Leonhard, Chairman of the DHIK and President of Saarland University of Applied Sciences

 

Sebastian Gemkow, Saxon State Minister for Science (video message)

Dr. Ralf Gebel, Head of Subdepartment T2 - Innovative Ecosystems, Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR)

Markus Franke, Representative of the Free State of Saxony to the Federal Government in the Saxon State Chancellery

Dr. Lixin Liu, Envoy-Counsellor of the Education Department at the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the Federal Republic of Germany

Edvard Kožušník, First Deputy Governor of the Liberec Region (Liberecký kraj) in the Czech Republic

Dr. Stephan Meyer, District Administrator of the district of Görlitz

Thomas Zenker, Lord Mayor of the City of Zittau

Lectures

Talent without borders: A fact check on the immigration of skilled workers

Speaker: Steffen Sottung, Managing Director International Affairs, Federal Employment Agency

 

Study on the economic added value of international skilled workers

Speaker: Dr. Wido Geis-Thöne, Senior Economist for Family Policy and Migration Issues, German Economic Institute

Coffee break and networking
Came to stay?! - International students' intentions to stay, the discourse on skilled workers and the DAAD's programmatic initiatives

Speaker: Stefan Bienefeld, Head of Transnational Education and Cooperation Programs, DAAD

Rethinking the economy: Regional strategies in structural change

Speaker: Dr. Stephan Meyer, District Administrator of the district of Görlitz

Lunch break
Reception and participation of the South African THENSA delegation
Shaping structural change: The Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences, its successful scientific projects for the region and international talents as success factors

Speaker: Prof. Dr. rer. pol. Sophia Keil, Vice President for Research, Transfer and International Affairs, Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences

Panel discussion

Skilled workers globally, future regionally: location attractiveness and success factors

Speakers:

  • Prof. Dr. rer. pol. habil. Knut Petzold, Faculty of Social Sciences, Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences
  • Dr. Andreas Otto, Head of Transformation Research, German Center for Astrophysics (DZA)
  • Prof. Dr.-Ing. Sebastian Scholz, Head of Fraunhofer Plastics Center Oberlausitz, Fraunhofer IWU - Fraunhofer Institute for Machine Tools and Forming Technology
  • Janett Krätzschmar-König, Co-Founder & CEO, intap network GmbH
  • Steve Federow, Workforce Development at GlobalFoundries and board member and head of the Business & Education working group at Silicon Saxony e.V.
Ceremonial entry in the Golden Book of the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences

Ceremonial entry in the Golden Book of the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences:

  • Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dieter Leonhard, Chairman of the DHIK and President of Saarland University of Applied Sciences
  • Prof. Stephen Khehla Ndlovu, Deputy Chairperson of the THENSA Board of Directors, Vice-Chancellor: Vaal University of Technology (VUT)
Group photo
Networking & Coffee

Program / Schedule

Time / TimeProgram point / Event
08:30

Einlass und Registrierung / Admission and Registration

09:00

Eröffnung und Begrüßung / Opening and Welcome

Grußworte von / Welcome addresses by: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Alexander Kratzsch, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dieter Leonhard, Sebastian Gemkow (Video), Dr. Ralf Gebel, Markus Franke, Dr. Lixin Liu, Edvard Kožušník, Dr. Stephan Meyer, Thomas Zenker

10:00

Lecture / Keynote: Talents without borders: Fachkräftezuwanderung im Faktencheck / Talent Without Borders: Fact-Checking Skilled Migration

Speaker: Steffen Sottung (Federal Employment Agency)

10:25

Fachvortrag / Keynote: Studie zum volkswirtschaftlichen Mehrwert internationaler Fachkräfte / Study on the Economic Added Value of International Specialists

Speaker: Dr. Wido Geis-Thöne (German Economic Institute)

10:50

Kaffeepause und Networking / Coffee Break and Networking

11:10

Lecture / Keynote: Came to stay?! - Retention Intentions of International Students / Here to Stay?! - Retention Intentions of International Students

Speaker: Stefan Bienefeld (DAAD)

11:35

Fachvortrag / Keynote: Wirtschaft neu denken: Regionale Strategien im Strukturwandel / Rethinking the Economy: Regional Strategies in Structural Change

Speaker: Dr. Stephan Meyer (District Administrator Görlitz)

12:00

Lunch Break

12:15

Empfang der südafrikanischen THENSA-Delegation / Reception of the South African THENSA Delegation

13:00

Fachvortrag / Keynote: Shaping structural change: Erfolgsprojekte der HSZG / Shaping Structural Change: Success Projects of the HSZG

Speaker: Prof. Dr. Sophia Keil (HSZG)

13:25

Podiumsdiskussion / Panel Discussion: Fachkräfte global, Zukunft regional / Global Workforce, Regional Future

Participants: Prof. Dr. Knut Petzold, Dr. Andreas Otto, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Sebastian Scholz, Janett Krätzschmar-König, Steve Federow

14:25

Eintrag in das Goldene Buch / Signing of the Golden Book

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dieter Leonhard & Prof. Stephen Khehla Ndlovu

14:45

Gruppenfoto / Group Photo

15:00

Networking & Kaffee / Networking & Coffee