Janet Antonissen
Since April 2019, I have been working for this project. We work together with our project partners to point out opportunities in the region to young people and encourage them to study and work across the border.
As a teacher / supervisor at FIBS and responsible for the Fontys campus in Kempen, I work and live in this Euregional environment. I am often surprised by the undiscovered possibilities (hidden champions, cool startups) that can be found just around the corner.
With an international education and plenty German-Dutch work experience, this is a project in which I recognize myself. When I was younger, I crossed the border myself and took advantage of the opportunities that were offered to me in an international German-Dutch environment. I would like to pass on this experience to young people in the project.
Marketing
Janet Antonissen
Fontys Venlo
Tel.: +31 8850/86452
Mail:
Languages: Dutch, German, English

Eva Eichenberg
The municipality of Mönchengladbach and WFMG – Wirtschaftsförderung Mönchengladbach GmbH have been supervising the project of a common knowledge region from day one and are delighted that the project is now being carried out. WFMG has had a “Dutch Desk” for years to strengthen relations with its Dutch neighbors. As a result, a large number of projects have already been completed.
Speaking for myself, I am not only responsible for the Dutch Desk, I have also been working at euregio campus-project since the start of the project. As a Euregional scientist, I mainly want to strengthen German-Dutch relations.
As part of the project and work area “Brain flow”, I try to bring companies and students together on both sides of the border and try to create a different perspective of working across the border.
My personal goal in the project will be achieved if there are more German-Dutch teams in the knowledge region euregio campus and if companies take the potential on the other side of the border for granted.
Brain Flows
Eva Eichenberg
Wirtschaftsförderung Mönchengladbach (WFMG)
Tel.: +49 2161/8237983
Mail:
Languages: German, English, Dutch

Rüdiger Hamm
I have lived in Krefeld for over 35 years. Krefeld is a city in the border region ‘Euregion Rhine-Meuse-North’, with Venlo as a partner city. I am happy to participate in the Euregion campus project, as this project makes an essential contribution to strengthening the economy in the border region and its cities, and thus guarantees the availability of qualified specialists.
For over 20 years, I have been coordinating the German-French courses at the Department of Economics and have made a small contribution to cross-border cooperation already. What appealed to me at the time is now also motivating me to be part of the Euregion campus project: the project deepens cross-border cooperation between two European countries and consequently stimulates European ideas.
In the project, a German and a Dutch college are developing creative ideas on how to collaborate more intensively on future education. And finally a mixed German and Dutch team works together, regardless of borders and cultural differences.
Project Manager
Prof. Dr. Rüdiger Hamm
Hochschule Niederrhein
Tel.: +49 2161/1866411
Mail:
Languages: German, English

Lilia Gutenberg
Krefeld is the place where my family lives, Krefeld is the place where I grew up. The foundations of my education were laid in Krefeld.
So I can confidently say:
“Krefeld and the region have shaped me.”
My studies as a graduate economist and private trips have taken me halfway around the world.
I have learned how important collaboration and real cooperation is for personal and economic success.
People, regions and the economy have to show themselves.
They should present themselves and show what they are capable of and what they are proud of.
This is the only way to overcome obstructive barriers and unleash potential.
With the “Brain Drain” work package, I am now personally connected to this project.
Here students, university graduates and companies are shown perspectives that our border region offers.
Our aim is to deepen the relations or create new ones, especially in the Euregio Rhine-Maas-North.
Here I can show myself and contribute my knowledge and experience.
… and all in my hometown, my home region.
That is my motivation.
Brain-Flows
Lilia Gutenberg
Hochschule Niederrhein
Tel.: +49 2161 186-6414
Mail:
Languages: German, English

Christina Masch
I was born and raised in Viersen. I obtained my bachelor’s degree at the Fontys in Venlo and my master’s degree at the Hochschule Niederrhein. Since 2014 I have been working as a research assistant at the Niederrhein Institut für Regional‐ und Strukturforschung (NIERS) at the Hochschule Niederrhein in Mönchengladbach and have already been able to work on many regional projects.
My current participation in this project is of particular personal importance to me, because of my connection to our border region. I studied in this region and now I work and live here. I greatly appreciate the benefits of this area and would like to see that more young people recognize these benefits.
My wish is to increase awareness of the border region among young people by contributing to the project and to convey to them that the region is an attractive knowledge region for living, studying and working.

Vincent Pijnenburg
We feel the world is getting smaller. We travel from here to there and we easily do internships on the other side of the planet. At the same time, we see that young people living in the border region hardly know their neighbors. That’s strange, isn’t it?
Border areas are often mentioned in the same breath as “underdeveloped regions” and “peripheries”. In my opinion that is unfair. The border regions in particular are very international in nature. You could also take the border as a starting point; a place where a world opens up to you. Especially here, close to home, you have the opportunity to encounter a different world every day. Here, you can acquire the required 21st century competences to function in an international setting.
The opportunities in the border region are still appreciated far too little by young people. We can change this through education and by working together with companies and governments in the border region. Also, we will realise this change with the help of this project. Together we will show the numerous study options, the great companies and hidden gems located in the border region and the benefits of living in an international region in the heart of Europe.
College cooperation
Vincent Pijnenburg
Fontys Venlo
Tel.: + 31 8850/77255
Mail:
Languages: Dutch, English, German

Patrick Szillat
Born in Mönchengladbach, with a good measure of the Lower Rhine joie de vivre. I grew up with countless visits to our Dutch neighbors.
As a regional enthusiast, I dedicate my research to digitization and sustainability in cross-border relevant topics, with the aim of promoting the prosperity of the region on both sides of the border.
College cooperation
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Patrick Szillat
Fontys Venlo
Sprachen: Deutsch, Englisch, Niederländisch

Ariana Weijmans-Bos
I have been working as a project leader from the municipality of Venlo for the project since September 2019. I was born and raised in Venlo and grew up with German children’s television and side jobs within the so-called “German corner” of Venlo.
Germany is literally around the corner for Venlo, but as soon as you cross the border, the differences are immediately visible. The fact that this project is a project, already indicates that differences are still present. Together with the project partners, we want to make the benefits and opportunities of this border region as visible as possible.
By connecting students and job seekers to (Eu) regional companies, we think we can make a positive contribution to the development of euregio campus.
Brain Drain
Ariana Weijmans-Bos
Municipality of Venlo
Tel.: +31 631741312
Mail:
Languages: Dutch, English, German

Expert Groups
The project employees are supported by expert groups in the three areas.
- Expert group “Marketing”: Marketing Gesellschaft Mönchengladbach mbH, city marketing of the municipality of Krefeld, Venlo Partners, Niederrhein GmbH location, marketing of Fontys Venlo and Hochschule Niederrhein
- Expert group “College cooperation”: deans and degree program coordinators of the Euregional colleges
- Expert group “Brain Flows”: IHK Middle Lower Rhine, WFG Krefeld, WFMG Mönchengladbach, WFG District Viersen, Municipality of Venlo
euregio campus is the cross-border knowledge region between the Rhine and Meuse
euregio campus
Hochschule Niederrhein
Richard-Wagner-Straße 140
41065 Mönchengladbach
+49 2161/1866432
euregiocampus(at)hs-niederrhein.de