There are many career prospects open to young people after leaving school. One way to get there could be studies. The vocational college Platz der Republik für Technik und Medien (BK-TM) in Mönchengladbach would like to further promote the interests and abilities of its students - and has therefore now signed a cooperation agreement with The Hochschule Niederrhein (HSNR).

Together, HSNR and BK-TM want to expand the educational and future prospects of vocational college students and facilitate their transition to university studies. To this end, the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at HSNR will provide the school with a wide range of offers that will enable students to acquire new knowledge on cutting-edge IT topics and practical skills.

Annual, target group-specific workshops over several days are planned, for example, in which participants can obtain a course attendance certificate for the Bachelor's degree program in Computer Science before the commencement of studies. The voluntary offer is primarily aimed at students who are in their second year of training to become information technology assistants (ITA).

HSNR will also be presenting the Computer Science degree program at the vocational college's "Open Day".

"We want to optimally prepare our pupils for university learning and we strive to continuously improve the quality of our training. The cooperation with HSNR is therefore a great benefit for us as teachers and for our students," says Frank Wächter, Head of Information Technology. The vocational college with a technical and design specialization provides apprenticeships for 2,300 students - for example as media designers, surveyors and carpenters, printers, mechanical engineers or electrical engineers.

They can also get a taste of campus life at The Hochschule Niederrhein on numerous other occasions, for example during open lectures, campus tours, Engineering Days, the Long Evening of Student Advice or the Student Orientation Weeks. HSNR, which has around 12,800 students registered in ten faculties, also sends study ambassadors to schools to give first-hand accounts of their everyday lives and their faculties.

"With this cooperation, we give vocational college students an insight into studies and the university as a place to learn. The planned workshops will provide them with targeted support and make it easier for them to make the transition to studies at The Hochschule Niederrhein," says Jens Brandt, Dean of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.