Over the next two and a half years, the city councils of Chemnitz and its Czech twin town, Ústí nad Labem, will jointly provide further training for their staff. A funding application to this effect was approved last week by the Interreg Saxony–Czech Republic Monitoring Committee. The first round is set to begin in the autumn.
From 2026 to 2028, ten staff members from Chemnitz and six from Ústí nad Labem will take part in the programme each year. Participants will attend joint workshops, undertake work shadowing placements in the respective partner local authority and take part in facilitated exchange sessions. Modern translation technology and professional interpreting services will ensure barrier-free communication. In addition, the possibility of offering language courses in Czech and German respectively is being explored to facilitate the exchange.
Through this project, Chemnitz and Ústí nad Labem are sending a joint signal in favour of a modern, learning-oriented and internationally networked public administration. In doing so, the cities are not only strengthening the skills of their staff but also deepening their partnership-based cooperation in the German-Czech border region.
The aim is to raise awareness of international cooperation within the local authorities, build professional networks and lay the foundations for further joint projects. The City of Chemnitz is thus driving forward a more international orientation for its departments.
The City of Chemnitz is taking the lead on the project. Exactly which departments will take part in the exchange is still to be agreed. Staff from the Parks and Green Spaces Department or the Citizens’ Services Department are among the possibilities.
The project is funded under the European Union’s Interreg programme and has a budget of around 130,000 euros. 80 per cent of this is provided by the European Union.
Ústí nad Labem has been a twin town of Chemnitz since 1970. Located less than two hours’ drive away, it is the nearest twin town, ahead of Düsseldorf and Łódź in Poland. Until now, the partnership with Ústí nad Labem has been driven primarily by sporting and cultural exchanges between residents. The expansion of joint cross-border staff development is a first for both sides. Chemnitz has been running a trainee exchange programme with Düsseldorf for several years.