Claudia Knobel studied Economics at the University of Paderborn. After she got her degree she worked at the faculty of Regional Economics, Concentration and Competitiveness. She has been a senior researcher at IWAK since 2000. Her research activities are focussed on labour market theory, especially on regional labour markets, qualitative and quantitative empirical studies and regional forecasting systems. She has a long experience in the development of research projects in the field of migration, structural changes and regional labour markets. She developed regional forecasting systems, evaluation systems and initiated regional networks.