The shortage of skilled labour in the fields of mathematics, information technology, natural sciences and technology (MINT) is considerable - also in the Lower Rhine region. One of the most important tasks is therefore to get young people interested in MINT professions.

How this can be achieved by joining forces was the focus of the MINTnetwork for the region on Wednesday. Around 150 interested parties accepted the invitation from the joint project "MINT in Mind" to the Mönchengladbach campus of the Hochschule Niederrhein (HSNR). Under the motto "Pooling resources, creating synergies, inspiring children", representatives from business, local authorities, educational institutions, schools and youth centres took part.

In their welcoming addresses, Mönchengladbach's Lord Mayor Felix Heinrichs and Krefeld's Mayor Karsten Ludwig emphasised how important it is to promote networking and exchange between all stakeholders.

In workshops, panel discussions and presentations, there were intensive discussions about which services need to be developed further. Questions centred on how companies can play an active role in promoting MINT activities and how schools can be better supported with MINT offerings. Several workshops also addressed how the "easy to ignore" groups, such as children and young people with a migrant background or from low-income households, can be better introduced to MINT programmes in order to reach a larger number of pupils.

This topic was also the subject of the presentation "Educational (mis)success: What does 'migration background' have to do with it?" by Professor Dr Karim Fereidooni from Ruhr University Bochum. He presented research findings and measures for a fair German school system.

The "Market of Opportunities" reflected the diversity of the region: 17 MINT providers presented their offerings, including the zdi centres from Mönchengladbach, Krefeld and Viersen, the JuniorUni, the DigiLab and the MINT Campus.

"With this conference, we are working in line with the BMBF's call to develop MINT clusters. There are so many programmes. We need to leverage synergies by strengthening networking. Then we will be more effective," says Dr Monika Eigenstetter, head of the joint project and professor at the HSNR.

"MINT in Mind", funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, aims to get young people interested in the wide range of opportunities in the MINT sector. The event was organised by the A.U.G.E. Institute of the HSNR, the Centre for Digital Learning Worlds of the City of Krefeld, the City of Mönchengladbach with its WFMG, the Middle Lower Rhine Regional Agency and the zdi centres Mönchengladbach and KReMINTec in Krefeld.