As part of the international art and antiques fair TEFAF in Maastricht, representatives from the five leading euregional universities, the Region Aachen Zweckverband, and the provinces of Liège, Dutch Limburg, and Belgian Limburg signed a letter of intent titled “The art of working together” to develop a cross-border study program. In the future, students will have the opportunity to study simultaneously at the euregional universities. The initiative originally came from Provincial Minister Eilande Demollin-Schneiders and the universities of Liège, Maastricht, Hasselt, RWTH Aachen, and the Open Universiteit Heerlen. Together, they aim to develop trinational curricula that enable parallel studies across three countries.

“This development will make an important contribution to addressing the challenges faced by the Euregio Meuse-Rhine regarding the knowledge-based economy and the labor market. It is very attractive for students because it is certainly exciting to study at different universities and in three countries simultaneously, while also experiencing three different cultures. There is nothing like this anywhere else, and it will become a unique selling point of our region,” said Ulla Thönnissen, Managing Director of the RAZV, at the signing of the agreement.

More than 100,000 young people study at the five participating universities. All universities are easily accessible by public transport, with existing train and bus connections. The goal is to educate students not only academically but also internationally, while promoting the European idea. The universities themselves also want to strengthen their cross-border collaboration.

“The Region Aachen Zweckverband will support the universities in their cooperation and work closely with them. I am convinced that this is also in the interest of a vital euregional economy. Through a trinational study program, students will get to know our diverse region better and hopefully remain here after completing their university education, becoming high potentials available to local companies,” emphasized Thönnissen, highlighting the opportunities this initiative brings for the Aachen region.

At the first joint cluster conference held at the FH Campus on Eupener Straße, RAZV Managing Director Ulla Thönnissen was able to announce exciting news. “Our still young cooperation has already developed such great momentum that new important players want to become part of the alliance and thereby further strengthen it. I am pleased that RWTH and FH Aachen have now officially signed the cooperation agreement,” said Thönnissen during her welcome address.

In autumn 2024, the eight leading regional economic clusters signed a cooperation agreement with the Region Aachen Zweckverband (RAZV). The common goals are to better position the region in national and international competition as well as to launch a joint skilled labor initiative. The clusters represent over 1,000 companies from the region’s key industries. Thönnissen stated: “The Aachen region boasts efficient companies, outstanding universities, and strong institutions and networks. Together, we want to ensure that these potentials are utilized — in the interest of the region, but above all for the benefit of the people living here. A decisive factor for the local economic development will be how the growing demand for skilled and labor personnel can be met.”

At the cluster conference “Technology, Talent, Transformation – Skilled Workers for the Aachen Region,” representatives from RAZV, universities, companies, and economic associations discussed how digital technologies can be used meaningfully, efficiently, and productively. For RAZV Managing Director Ulla Thönnissen, the initiative focuses on cooperation between business and science. “We want to jointly write the first chapter of our future,” she said. It is important to make the innovation power of the universities usable for companies, especially in the field of artificial intelligence (AI). Prof. Dr. Thomas Ritz, Rector of FH Aachen, emphasized: “We need to bring emotion into the topic; we need to find ways to inspire people for the region and new technologies.” The regional economy depends on skilled workers, and universities can make an important contribution to meeting this demand through their focus on research in future-oriented topics. When using modern technologies, good employee qualification and an open mindset are particularly important. Dr. Michael Riesener, Managing Director of RWTH Innovation GmbH and Rectorate Commissioner for Translation, explained that RWTH intends to cooperate more closely with the regional economy. This could generate exciting impulses. “I am happy that we are signing the agreement today,” he said, “but I am even more excited to start implementing it from tomorrow.”

Prof. Dr. Alexander Ferrein, Director of the FH Institute for Mobile Autonomous Systems and Cognitive Robotics (MASKOR), referred to the regional competence centers AKzentE4.0 and WIRKsam and their important impulses for the further development of the region, especially regarding digital technologies and AI. “We live in a time when technologies develop at breathtaking speed. The most important thing is that we must qualify young people as well as experienced skilled workers.” However, there is not “one AI,” even though public discussion focuses on large language models. Rather, there are numerous ways to integrate AI into work processes, knowledge management, and business model development. One must not blindly trust AI: “The human factor is incredibly important.” But even in times of digitalization and AI, “hardware” plays a decisive role — in regional development, this mainly concerns infrastructure. For this purpose, RAZV commissioned a regional and accessibility analysis for the Aachen region focusing on securing skilled workers. The results were presented by Dr. Klaus Spiekermann from the S&W Urban and Regional Research office.

“Our strong alliance will increase the economic attractiveness of the Aachen region, support local companies, promote innovation and job creation. At the same time, the quality of life for residents will be improved by expanding infrastructure and developing tourist and cultural offerings. Strong regional marketing not only strengthens the region’s competitiveness but also fosters social cohesion and the population’s identification with their home,” emphasizes Thönnissen.

The Region Aachen Zweckverband (RAZV) is one of nine regional development corporations in North Rhine-Westphalia. It brings together the districts of Düren, Euskirchen, and Heinsberg as well as the city of Aachen and the Städteregion Aachen, with over 1.3 million people in 46 cities and municipalities. The RAZV sees itself as an initiator for the Aachen region and ensures the linking of strategic and operational, regional and cross-border topics as well as the creation of a shared identity in the interaction between politics and administration.

Information:

Signatories of the cooperation agreement:
AACHEN BUILDING EXPERTS e.V., competence center automotive region aachen|euregio maas-rhein e. V. (car e. V.), digitalHUB Aachen e. V., Eifel Tourismus (ET) GmbH, LASER.region.AACHEN, MedLife e. V., MineReWIR e.V., REGINA e.V., and currently: RWTH Aachen and FH Aachen.

Supported by:
AGIT mbH, the economic development agencies of the city of Aachen, Städteregion Aachen, and the districts of Düren, Euskirchen, and Heinsberg, the Aachen Chamber of Industry and Commerce, the Aachen Chamber of Crafts, the United Industrial Associations of Düren, Jülich, Euskirchen & Surroundings e.V. (VIV), and the VUV – United Entrepreneurs Associations Aachen.

The availability of skilled and labor workers is becoming an increasing challenge for the region. To secure future economic performance, it is essential to unlock skilled labor potential and ensure the availability of skilled and labor workers for the regional economy. The Region Aachen Special Purpose Association (RAZV) has therefore taken the initiative to bundle regional activities on this topic. Representatives of the regional economic clusters have now agreed with the RAZV to collaborate even more closely in the future to jointly advance the economic development of the region.

“I am very pleased about this extremely strong sign of willingness to cooperate. Such a strong alliance of business, science, and administration has not existed before in the Aachen region. But together we are simply more effective, louder, and stronger than each of us alone,” says Ulla Thönnissen, Managing Director of the RAZV, on the occasion of signing the cooperation agreement. “Cooperation means not only working together but also growing together, learning from each other, and utilizing synergies. If each of us—especially in our heterogeneity and diversity—contributes their part, we can develop an economic strength that radiates far beyond our region.” As part of a joint regional marketing effort for the entire area—from Düren through Euskirchen, Heinsberg, and the Städteregion Aachen—the partners want to pool their strengths to ensure a confident presentation of the entire economic region externally and to speak with one strong voice. Through this collaboration, they expect greater impact and significantly more visibility. Additionally, this approach avoids duplicated efforts and structures, and creates an efficient representation of interests with streamlined structures.

For the first time, all important regional clusters have agreed to cross-sector collaboration on behalf of their member companies and sealed it with signatures. The cooperation contract was signed by: AACHEN BUILDING EXPERTS e.V., competence center automotive region aachen|euregio maas-rhein e. V. (car e. V.), digitalHUB Aachen e. V., Eifel Tourismus (ET) GmbH, LASER.region.AACHEN, MedLife e. V., MineReWIR e.V., REGINA e.V. Together, they represent over 1,000 companies in the region. All of them share the shortage of skilled and labor workers. “A clear goal of our cooperation must be a joint skilled workers campaign that promotes the many advantages of our region externally,” says Dr. Oliver Grün, Chairman of digitalHUB Aachen, about the motivation to engage in this alliance. Nationwide, there are 159,000 unfilled positions in the IT sector alone.

Edwin Büchter from LASER.region.Aachen wants to convey the message that the Aachen region is a valuable and livable place, especially for high potentials. It cannot be that graduates trained at RWTH and FH Aachen turn their backs on the region after finishing their studies. “This cooperation will jointly carry the radiance of our economic area outward,” Büchter is convinced.

The oldest industry clusters—car for the automotive sector, REGINA for IT companies, and MedLife for biotechnology—have been working together for many years, especially on the topic of securing skilled workers, and they attend bonding fairs together. “Together, we can achieve a lot if we speak with one voice externally, utilize synergies, and avoid redundancies,” emphasize the chairpersons of the three clusters: Tim Willers from car, Christoph Ptock from MedLife, and Hajo Noerenberg from REGINA. However, the collaboration should not stop at state borders. “If we work much more closely with companies on the Belgian and Dutch sides of the Euregio, we need not fear other regions,” says Willers. A survey by REGINA e.V. among employees of IT companies, Noerenberg reports, showed that the proximity to the Belgian and Dutch coasts as well as their metropolitan areas was especially appreciated. Noerenberg: “We are the only region in NRW located at a tri-border area. We need to emphasize this quality of life and leisure even more.” After all, over four million people live in the Euregio Maas-Rhine, adds Ptock. “That also makes us a very strong region.”

Prof. Dr. Elisabeth Clausen from MineReWir is convinced that the now formally documented cooperation of the clusters with the RAZV will better enable the necessary structural change. “With our respective competencies, we complement each other to jointly advance the overarching goal of strengthening our economic region.”

The Eifel is considered an important part of the Aachen region. Although it already has supra-regional appeal as a tourist destination, it is still too little perceived as an economic location. “We are known as an attractive leisure region but especially want to make our companies more visible, as they are also desperately searching for personnel,” explains Klaus Schäfer, Managing Director of Eifel Tourismus GmbH for the Eifel Future Initiative, regarding the commitment to the newly created alliance. Dr. Hans-Jürgen Krause from AACHEN BUILDING EXPERTS expects mainly synergies from the cooperation. “We hope for impulses for the construction industry on topics not directly related to construction, such as digitalization. If each partner brings in the specific competencies of their sector, it will be a gain for each cluster as well as for the companies located here and the people living and working here.” The future challenges can only be mastered jointly as a strong network.

Minister Klara Geywitz Presents Funding Notice for the RAZV Project “STARAC” in Berlin

From the hands of Klara Geywitz, Federal Minister for Housing, Urban Development and Building, Ulla Thönnissen, Managing Director of the Region Aachen Zweckverband (RAZV), received the certificate and funding notice for the project “STARAC – Strategic Regional Development Concept Region AaChen.” Region Aachen is the only region in NRW to have successfully participated in the funding call for the development of a “Strategic Regional Development Concept” (RegioStrat) issued by the Federal Ministry for Housing, Urban Development and Building (BMWSB).

“I am pleased that our project was evaluated so positively and that we are one of just 13 projects selected nationwide,” Thönnissen said, expressing her excitement over the success. “The application period was short and intense. Nevertheless, with the support of our network partners, we managed to develop an idea that convinced the expert jury.”

Focus on Skilled Labor, Workforce Retention, and Digitalization

RegioStrat, the first funding program for spatial planning and regional development, supports regions across Germany in achieving sustainable, resilient, and livable transformations to improve the quality of life for local citizens. In its application, RAZV concentrated primarily on the topics of “skilled labor and workforce retention” and “digitalization.” Thönnissen noted, “These issues will accompany us for a long time and address all decision-makers, the economy, science, and citizens alike. We must develop measures to present ourselves as an attractive place to live and work, both internally and externally.” The measures to be developed now offer outstanding opportunities. The ministry particularly emphasized that RAZV can rely on a large network during implementation, ensuring regional acceptance across politics, administration, business, and science. The Euregio cross-border approach was also praised in the application.

“Mother of All Planning”

“Regional planning and development is one of the most crucial processes for progress in our country. As the mother of all planning, it lays the foundation for successful and sound decisions. These directly impact all aspects of people’s lives in a region,” emphasized Minister Klara Geywitz during the certificate presentation. “This new, very practical funding program for spatial planning and regional development supports regions in setting up their projects as well and as farsightedly as possible. Lessons learned from all successes and mistakes will also inform future initiatives.”

RAZV will launch the project on July 1 this year. “I am confident that STARAC will provide convincing answers to the diverse changes and their far-reaching social, economic, and spatial impacts,” said Thönnissen. “This project gives us the chance to jointly and successfully further develop our region together with our partners.”