Strengthening Ties: CUAS and Carinthian International Center Continue Collaboration

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Since 2019 CUAS has been in close collaboration with Carinthian International Center (CIC) via project management module. Experts of CIC has worked with small groups of CUAS students from the School of Management to address pressing issues of the region. Back in 2019, the first project started with the question of international graduates' retention in Carinthia. A small team of Intercultural Management Students have conducted a field research, delving into the perceptions of youth about the future in the region. The topic of retention of international talent is crucial for regional development, especially in areas like Carinthia.

In 2023 the topic was elevated to the MA level with a research of Ms. Katja Davvide, International Business Management (IBM) student, who addressed this issue by conducting quantitative surveys and focus groups on the topic.  Ms. Davvide focused on the primary challenges in retaining international talent—such as cultural adaptation, employment opportunities, and long-term career development. Proposed solutions focus on improving HRM practices, creating inclusive policies, and fostering a business environment that values global expertise.

The research conducted by MA students in CUAS’s International Business program plays an important role in developing new perspectives on talent management, workforce integration, and migration within Carinthian context. By connecting this research with the Carinthia International Center, the region is creating a strategic framework to better integrate international staff.

“Talented people from around the world are drawn to Carinthia to pursue the unique “International Business Management” Master's program at the Carinthia University of Applied Sciences. While many hope to stay in Carinthia after graduation, some face obstacles. This research offers key insights into these challenges and could help guide effective measures to enable more alumni to remain in Carinthia, thus contributing to the local economy and businesses.” IBM program director, FH-prof. Dr. Dietmar Sternad.

A major milestone was achieved Ms. Katja Davvide via linking IBM International Business research to broader initiatives such as the MATILDE project, which studies migration’s impact on rural regions of Europe, and the Carinthia International Center project, which focuses on international human resource management (HRM).  

These collaborations offer valuable insights into the strategies and challenges of attracting and retaining global talent in Carinthia. The MA research was co-supervised by one of the leading diversity and intercultural governance experts, Dr. Marika Gruber, who stated:

“I am happy to see when results from international research projects such as MATILDE inspire and stimulate further research pursued in master’s theses. The topic of ‘International Talent Retention in Rural Regions’ addresses an issue that is not only important but particularly relevant for Austria. It is not enough for regions to be attractive to international students and skilled workers willing to immigrate. If regions want to utilize their potential in the long term, they must also implement effective onboarding and integration measures for students, (highly) skilled workers, and their families. In her master’s thesis, Katja Davidde highlights the hurdles international graduates face in establishing themselves in the regional labor market and society and presents recommendations for effective onboarding.”

By aligning academic research with regional initiatives, Carinthia is enhancing its capacity to attract and retain international talent, positioning itself as a forward-thinking, inclusive region capable of leveraging global expertise for sustainable growth and innovation. This milestone marks significant progress toward shaping effective talent retention strategies for the future.

„As a Carinthian who has had a lot of contact with international students and talent, both privately and professionally, it was very eye-opening to explore this topic in more depth also from a research perspective. There is a very big potential in connecting the international talent and the companies in our beautiful region. Retention is a group effort, and the broad study offer at FH and projects like MATILDE are a big step in the right direction. This is only confirmed by the increasing interest of Carinthian companies to attract and retain international highly skilled talent and the wish of the international talent to be able to remain in Carinthia also after their graduation.“ Mag. Katja Davidde 

In 2025, School of Management moves forward with the next phase of collaboration, where BA students from the Intercultural Management (ICM) BA program at the School of Management will partner closely with CIC to explore onboarding in a regional context. This continued partnership is made possible and strengthened by the leadership of CIC Managing Director Alexandra Truppe. 

Carinthian International Center
https://www.cicnetwork.at/de/