Careers, Entrepreneurship & Strategic Choices for International Students in 2026, IBVtalk 03

This talk will be held in English and in person.

The German job market is changing rapidly. Digitalization, economic uncertainty, demographic shifts, and new expectations around work are reshaping career paths—especially for international students and graduates.

In this Internationals Bond Values Talk (IBVtalk), we will take a realistic and forward-looking look at the German labour market toward 2026, with a special focus on career strategy, entrepreneurship, and alternative professional paths beyond traditional employment.

Rather than success stories, this talk focuses on understanding the system:

• What is changing in the German job market?
• When does employment make sense—and when might entrepreneurship, freelancing, or hybrid paths be a better option?
• How can international students position themselves strategically despite uncertainty?

Why this talk is important to you

International students at KIT face unique challenges: adapting to a new culture, navigating an unfamiliar labour market, and planning their futures in the face of uncertainty. These challenges can lead to confusion, pressure to “choose the right path,” or fear of making the wrong decision.

The IBVtalk (International Bond Values) series addresses these challenges by combining expert insight, structured reflection, and interactive formats that help students build clarity, a sense of belonging, and agency.

This session is hosted by Iman Baratvakili, Coach & Research Associate at KIT / Project Manager at Stadt Baden-Baden, and focuses on empowering international students to make strategic, value-based career decisions—even when the future feels uncertain. This talk takes place at building 01.52 (Gastdozentenhaus), room “Großer Saal”.

Participation details: 

• Registration is mandatory. Places are limited and allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. 
• We expect all registered participants to attend and actively contribute.
• If you are no longer able to attend, please cancel your registration in advance, so your place can be given to another student. 

This talk is funded by the DAAD project “Study, Stay, Succeed in Karlsruhe”. International degree-seeking students and recent graduates from KIT (up to one year after graduation) will be given priority.

 We collect, store, and process personal data of individuals who register for the course to organize the event and evaluate the project. Anonymized personal data is shared with the DAAD for statistical purposes. Please see our data protection information for details.

 Non-international students can also enroll and will be placed on the waiting list. We inform them a few days before the start whether there are places left for non-international students and whether they can attend.

Register now to secure your spot!