Developed at the Westphalian University of Applied Sciences and funded by the Ministry of Culture and Science in NRW(Opens in a new tab) , the universities participating in the project contribute to greater educational equality, equal opportunities and diversity. "The program is intended to compensate for social imbalances and reduce barriers on the way to university," says former Science Minister Svenja Schulze, during whose term of office TalentScouting was successively expanded. Fachhochschule Dortmund was one of the six universities that successfully applied for funding in the first qualification round in 2015.
More than 70 certified TalentScouts
The NRW-wide TalentScouting network now consists of 17 universities and more than 70 certified TalentScouts. Using an outreach approach, the TalentScouts currently visit 370 vocational colleges, comprehensive schools and grammar schools; to date, they have accompanied more than 20,000 young people in their educational careers. They help to discover previously untapped potential, provide information about opportunities and offer support in the event of obstacles.
The advisory services are individual, open-ended and long-term. They are often used by talented students beyond the Abitur. The aim is to pave the way for an informed, valid decision and provide reliable support. The special focus here is on an individual fit between talent and educational path and the promotion of personal development. TalentScouting at Fachhochschule Dortmund takes this focus into account with the sub-project FiT (Promotion of Individual Talent).
Within the University of Applied Sciences and Arts, TalentScouting is part of the profile focus on talent promotion, which also includes the "Hochschule vor Ort".