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Success has many faces. The „Iraq Horizons“ exchange program is set to strengthen German-Iraqi economic ties this year again

The objective of the joint “Iraq Horizons” initiative of the German Federal Foreign Office, the Goethe Institut, the German Chamber of Industry and Commerce (DIHK) as well as the Association of German Industry (BDI) is to promote German-Iraqi economic ties and intercultural exchange by supporting young Iraqi specialists. The program includes a visit to Germany where participants are given an opportunity to learn German and be hosted by German companies in traineeships.

Information for applicants+ wp-irak.de/horizons

+ Download: Info & How to apply
+ Download: Information in Arabic
+ Download: CV template
+ Download: Questionnaire


Contact adresses for applicants:

Goethe-Institut Irak, Judith Mirschberger
+964 662244 947 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it


Irak Horizons project manager:

Henrik Ahrens
+49 (0)30 4849 3020 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Germany renews its invitation

The project was implemented for the first time last year and is being repeated this year due to its great success. Once again, a group of young Iraqis will have an opportunity to participate in a traineeship at a German company. The Iraq Horizons project targets highly qualified Iraqi university graduates with degrees in areas that are important for the economy who already have some professional experience, speak fluent English, have not reached the age of 35 and seek opportunities to expand on their knowledge abroad. Ideally, participants will be able to demonstrate some professional experience in fields such as oil and gas, energy supply, civil engineering, wastewater engineering, medical engineering, information and communication technology, security, financing or banking.

The program begins in August with a four-week language course at the Goethe Institut in Erbil. The group then travels to Germany in September where they can deepen their knowledge of the German language in a course at the Goethe Institut in Schwäbisch Hall. Afterwards the participants perform a six-week traineeship in a German company.

The Iraqis’ first impressions

Usuama, a 19-year old mechatronics student, was in the first group of 18 young professionals who came to Germany last year with the Iraq Horizons initiative. He is full of praise for his traineeship at Heinkel GmbH, a company from Berlin specializing in emergency power plants. “If we can learn from German wealth of experience we’ll have a better idea about Germany and their style of working that we can leverage upon our return in Iraq. And that will help Iraq.” His Friend Yazan, a 24-year old chemical engineer, completed his traineeship at Linde AG. “We urgently need German help in order to rebuild the country. The Iraq Horizons program will help everybody to build contacts – both us and the German companies. Besides it’s the first time people from universities in the north and south of Iraq can meet because the trainees come from all parts of the country. Tight travel restrictions in Iraq usually prevent this.”

German companies benefit as well

The German businesses also learned a lot from their trainees. A much more detailed and realistic image of Iraq emerged in the many conversations they had with their trainees over the six-week program and a tangible contact with the Iraqi market could be established. “During the war between Iran and Iraq we withdrew completely from Iraq and lost all of our contacts,” says Hubert Hauber, vice-president of the air conditioning systems division at Linde AG. He continues, “Actually we’re already too late. The Americans are the top dogs in our business now. But we’re still hoping to be represented in the Iraqi market in one or two years.” Christian Grötz, assistant of the executive board of the medium-sized construction company Grötz GmbH, is a bit more cautious. “I believe Iraq will still be too dangerous for medium-sized companies in the coming years.” He mentions there are no structures in place and major organizational efforts are required to do business there. "Without initiatives like Iraq Horizons we would have no access to the country at all."

Iraq needs internationally experienced economic specialists. Get qualified!


Are you an Iraqi citizen or university graduate currently working? Do you speak English, are younger than 35 and have an open-minded approach to foreign experience and further education?

+ Apply for participation in this educational initiative for the economic stabilization of Iraq, your homeland. More information here: How to apply.

+ Gain insight into the work and production processes of a German company and its internationally esteemed engineering know-how.

+ Learn the German language and experience the German culture and education system.

+ Become an important contact partner for German and Iraq companies.