International guests visiting: 30 professors and nursing science students from Tunisia, Namibia, Vietnam, Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico came to Frankfurt for two weeks at our invitation. They teach or study at universities that prepare some of their students for future professional work in Germany. Strengthening relationships with these universities and giving something back to the countries of origin—this is the idea behind our first TalentOrange Summer Symposium, which took place from July 7 to July 18 at our language and nursing school campus.
Participants had the opportunity to learn about the German healthcare system and to discuss current research projects in nursing science. A visit to various departments of an acute care hospital, including the emergency room, was especially interesting for them. One student from Brazil said afterwards: "I thought Germany had a perfect healthcare system and was a perfect country overall. Now I see that there are problems here too, like staff shortages. We are really needed here. It's very different from Brazil: we have many fully trained nurses but not enough jobs."
How much the German healthcare system depends on international professionals was made clear by Dr. Roland Jopp, Head of the Department for International Workforce Recruitment at the Federal Ministry of Health, during his lecture at the symposium. He told the international guests that, according to figures from the IAB, the staff in German hospitals and nursing homes has grown exclusively through foreign professionals over the past two years. A vacancy in elderly care remains open for an average of 252 days, and in hospitals for 196 days. "Today, around 20% of nursing professionals in Germany are international," said Jopp. "We truly need you, and I’m glad you’re all here."
The program also included in-depth conversations with graduates from the participating universities who have already been working in Germany for some time. Some have specialized further in intensive care or other fields, some have become practical instructors, while others completed a master’s degree in nursing education and now teach at nursing schools. A professor from the University of Namibia in Windhoek said: "This week really opened our eyes. Our graduates who already work in Germany are happy here, and their good education is appreciated. This is my first time in Germany, and I never knew what to advise my students before. Now, I can confidently recommend that they come to Germany."
During the second week of the Summer School, the students received an intensive German language course, and there was also time for sightseeing and cultural activities. Some of them may decide to continue their professional and personal paths in Germany after graduation.