The DialogPunkt Wirtschaft 2026 series of events kicks off in June at the Kalkar Business and Start-up Centre (GGK). It is specifically aimed at businesses and institutions in the districts of Kleve and Wesel. There will be two main themes, which will be examined and discussed in various formats using case studies from the Lower Rhine region: the further development of work and HR processes, and modern market and sales strategies.
The programme is based on two workshops held last year, which saw active participation from regional businesses and institutions. The insights gained there played a key role in identifying the topics for the ‘DialogPunkt Wirtschaft’. Julia Roelofsen, Business Innovation Manager for the TransRegINT project at Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences (HSRW), led the workshops. She notes:
‘The changing world of work, shifting market and sales dynamics, and the increasing use of digital technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) are shaping strategic decisions as well as the day-to-day operations of businesses in the Lower Rhine region. These transformation processes are creating uncertainty and pressure to change. Our aim with the Business Dialogue Point is to use the DialogPunkt Wirtschaft to provide businesses with a practical approach and a platform for discussion on these topics.’
Future-proof market strategies
On 18 June 2026, Prof. Dr Kathrin Weidner (Professor of Operations & Innovation Management at HSRW) and Julia Roelofsen will provide a practical overview of how AI is used across the entire marketing and sales pipeline. Participants will reflect on how AI and digital tools have already transformed marketing and sales today, via interactive formats. This will be followed by a discussion of realistic courses of action.t.
On 3 July, a tandem breakfast will bring companies together with students from the International Business and Management programme. Students from Prof. Dr Marina Gregorić’s Digital Marketing course will present AI-based tools for the sales process that they have researched and tested. As well as exchanging experiences and familiarising themselves with the tools, businesses will have the opportunity to engage directly with the next generation of talent.
Transformation in the Working Environment
In two sessions, Prof. Dr. Wögen Tadsen, Professor of General Business Administration specialising in Human Resources and Organisation at HSRW, will examine the rapidly changing world of work.
The emphasis on 23 September 2026 will be on providing practical advice for the SMEs of tomorrow. How can companies redesign their recruitment and onboarding processes in the face of demographic changes and digitalisation?
On 5 November 2026, the future of human resource management will be discussed in relation to the trade-off between culture and AI. Front and centre will be the question of how collaboration, leadership and staff development can be made fit for the future in the face of diverse workforces, new generations and limited resources. The discussion will cover digital and AI-supported HR approaches that facilitate knowledge transfer, motivation and staff retention.
Rooting the university in the region
The ‘DialogPunkt Wirtschaft’ series of events is the practical implementation of the cooperation agreement signed in July 2025 between HSRW and Stadtentwicklungsgesellschaft Kalkar mbH (SEG Kalkar mbH). The aim: to anchor the university in the region and bring it together with the local economy. Joint efforts will serve to strengthen the region’s capacity for entrepreneurial transformation in the long term. The DialogPunkt Wirtschaft can therefore also be seen as a stepping stone for further and long-term cooperation between businesses and the HSRW.