Attendees at the recent Cities for Talent Meeting in Utrecht, Netherlands

Welcome Hub Agder: Insights from Copenhagen and Utrecht Study Tours

Welcome Hub Agder (WHA) recently had the opportunity to participate in two key events focused on attracting and retaining international talent.

Copenhagen: International Citizen Days, 26th-27th September 2024

WHA alongside representatives from the Arendal Municipality, visited Copenhagen for International Citizen Days, an event that has grown significantly over the years to more than 5,000 participants and 160 organisations this year. With 23% of Copenhagen’s citizens having an international background, the city has become a hub of cultural diversity and talent integration.

"Copenhagen’s commitment to welcoming international talent is inspiring, and it’s exciting to see that we in Arendal are offering similar services, just on a smaller scale. We are on par with major metropolitan areas like Gothenburg, Bologna, Barcelona, Helsinki, and Brno in terms of our activities and services", said WHA's Tonje Holand Salgado who attended the event. 

This visit has inspired WHA to bring back new ideas and initiatives as Arendal embarks on its own journey to become a more inclusive and globally connected city.

Utrecht: Cities for Talent, 2nd-4th October 2024 

WHA also participated in the Cities for Talent event, hosted by the Utrecht International Center in the Netherlands. This gathering brought together 24 international centres and government organisations from across Europe, all focused on talent attraction and retention.

"Collaborating across Europe through networks like the European Talent Alliance and attending events such as Cities for Talent is invaluable. These platforms allow us to stay close to emerging trends and learn from each other.” said Salgado who was also at the event. 

Through engaging workshops and insightful exchanges, these events have given WHA valuable tools and strategies to strengthen our own talent retention efforts. However, to continue attracting international talent, a greater collaboration between businesses, local municipalities, and regional authorities is needed. Together, we can create a region that international talent not only wants to move to but also stay in the long term.

WHA is excited to implement these learnings and continue to foster a welcoming environment for international talent in the Agder region!


Contact: 
Tonje Holand Salgado
Email: tonje@welcomehub.no  

Welcome Hub Agder is a programme operated by Inklusiv Agder AS in collaboration with the Arendal Municipality, as an integrated part of the community to welcome international talent and their families to Arendal and Agder.
crossmenu linkedin facebook pinterest youtube rss twitter instagram facebook-blank rss-blank linkedin-blank pinterest youtube twitter instagram