EKW

A Kenniswerkplaats can be described as a meeting platform where schools, teachers and students, companies and
knowledge institutions come together to exchange, promote and develop innovations. The aim is to enrich education on
the D and NL side in such a way that it meets the requirements of the cross-border labour market and graduates can
work in both countries. This is in line with regional policy guidelines, such as the Grenslandagenda NRW-Niederlander
2022, which aims for a cross-border Euregional labour market where people work or complete (part of) their ducation on
both sides of the border as a matter of course. To achieve this, young people need to experience that there are
opportunities beyond the border. With the further development and implementation of Kenniswerkplaatsen at
euregional level, we want to ensure this.
In the EKW, the focus is on identifying additional euregional competences (company culture, language and specific
subject content of the other side of the border) and anchoring these in education (e.g. didaktische
Jahrespläne/keuzedelen). An important role is played by the companies, which actively participate in this development
process. The companies know best which competences the trainees from the neighbouring country have to bring with
them. The trainees also play an active role. In binational teams, they carry out work assignments to experience for
themselves the desired competences in terms of language, work culture and vocational content. This is a partially open
project. The EKW participation of schools and companies takes place in the open part. It should also be possible to
exchange training courses that do not fit in with the EKW, with the perspective of implementing an EKW at a later date.
A number of exchange activities have already taken place in which a large number of students from the participating
schools have participated. For example, around 150 German and Dutch students attended the Ligna trade fair together
and carried out assignments there in D-NL teams. We already see that the free work package has great appeal for courses
and schools. This not only involves professional content but also cultural and social aspects.