Study proves: FH West Coast secures 610 jobs and big profits for the region!

Study proves: FH West Coast secures 610 jobs and big profits for the region!

Studying at the West Coast University of Applied Sciences (FH) in Heide – this is not only an academic challenge, but also a real economic engine for the region. There are currently around 1,600 students enrolled at the university, and a recent study by a Berlin institute shows that every euro that the state invests in the university generates almost four euros for Schleswig-Holstein. That sounds promising!

And it gets even better: of those four euros, two stay in the West Coast region. This return arises from short-term demand effects, which are primarily borne by taxes, rents from employees and students and their purchases in the region. These economic stimuli are important because they create jobs. A total of 610 jobs will be returned to the university, including around 200 employees. This is a good hand for the regional economy!

Research with a horizon

The FH West Coast is not only a place of education, but also a hub for innovative research. In the technology department, topics such as the integration of artificial intelligence into agricultural processes, digitalization and the energy transition are at the top of the agenda. The Institute for the Transformation of the Energy System (ITE) is a central element here. It deals with topics such as building technology and network integration and cooperates closely with numerous partners to promote knowledge transfer and business establishment in the region.

An example of this innovative strength is the cooperation with Westhof Bio-Gemüse GmbH & Co. KG, which has been working on ecological weed control using robotic technology since 2013. A weeding robot is even being developed here that uses artificial intelligence to distinguish weeds from crops. Drones are also used in the landscape of tree nurseries and fields to specifically regulate weeds.

International perspectives

But it's not just the local student body that contributes to economic added value. A study by the German Economic Institute shows that international students also make a valuable contribution. Germany is one of the most popular destination countries for students from abroad, with around 405,000 international students enrolled. What is particularly noteworthy is that 65 percent of them plan to stay in Germany after graduating, which will also strengthen the economy in the long term.

According to the study, investments in international students pay off after just a few years: with a retention rate of 40 percent, their taxes and fees cover the training costs three years after the end of their studies. Over the years, they have contributed billions to the financing of public budgets. When we look to the future, it becomes clear that in the long term, each cohort of international students contributes around eight times what the state invests in them to the public coffers.

So it is clear: the FH West Coast and its students, whether local or international, are an invaluable asset for the Schleswig-Holstein region. Not only is knowledge imparted here, but future perspectives are also created that serve personal and economic development.

To find out more about the exciting research at the West Coast University of Applied Sciences, visit the official website of the West Coast University of Applied Sciences (https://www.fh-westkueste.de/forschung/). If you would like to delve deeper into the topic of immigration and its economic effects, you will find interesting information in the study by the German Economic Institute. And for more news about the FH and its economic influence, you can read the article from NDR.