Institute for Economics, Labour and Culture (IWAK)

IWAK is an empirically oriented research institute of the Goethe University Frankfurt with a focus on regional labour markets and vocational training and skill development. It supports decision-makers from politics, professional associations, public administration, and companies to optimize the functioning and responsiveness of regional and local labour markets, including improving skilling and vocational education and training. In addition to offering scientific consulting, practical guidance and evaluation of labour market dynamics and measures, IWAK compiles relevant information and labour market analyses to be made available for labour market stakeholders.

IWAK provides its services along three guiding principles:

Scientific Soundness

Interdisciplinary work based on latest scientific research and empirical methods to capture complex and interlinked developments specify methodological approaches and concepts, and elaborate scientifically founded recommendations for taking action.

User Orientation

Task-oriented and problem-oriented approaches; participative elaboration and validation of results together with our partners in practice; and strategies validated for practical implementation.

Innovation

Refinement of approaches and instruments; sharing and exchange knowledge with national and international experts to ensure highest quality standards; consideration and integration of best practice examples.

In accordance with these principles, our research and consulting activities are always customized to the project and specific demands, be they the analysis of sector-specific needs, the development of supporting measures for labour market-at-risk groups, or the development of forecasts for regional labour market segments. We use the latest research results and methods to understand complex connections. We then specify models and concepts oriented to our users’ and projects’ needs, and develop, if applicable new instruments with participatory approaches.