Iraq Horizons: High Expectations and Initial Experiences
Event: Iraq Horizons 2015
Preliminary evaluation of the "Iraq Horizons 2015: Sow today, reap tomorrow" project.
Preliminary evaluation of the "Iraq Horizons 2015: Sow today, reap tomorrow" project.
"Over the long-term the "Iraq Horizons" project is to familiarize future decision-makers from the Iraqi business sector and political arena with Germany. Over the short and medium term, the project aims to provide professional training for Iraqi interns, at the same time helping German companies prepare their market entry in Iraq via the contacts established or to develop their engagement," said Dr. Carsten Kreklau, Member of the BDI General Directorate, at the opening of roundtable discussions between the Iraqi and German participants of the "Iraq Horizons 2015" project held at the Haus der Deutschen Wirtschaft on 31 July 2009.
Together with the BDI, DIHK, German Foreign Office and the Goethe Institute, the participants exchanged views on both their experiences and expectations for the future and discussed the projects's progress. The majority of the companies present have already signalised that they would be willing to take part in a continuation of the project next year. Companies participating in the project include Herrenknecht AG, Heinkel Umwelttechnik, Energieanlagen GmbH, Siemens AG and Linde AG.
The "Iraq Horizons 2015: Sow today, reap tomorrow" project is jointly organised by the BDI, DIHK, the Goethe Insititute and the German Foreign Office. The objective is to provide professional training for young Iraqi graduates via work placements in Germany. The programme envisages language training as well as the completion of a six to eight-week internship in a company in Germany.