On Girls’ and Boys’ Day on 23 April 2026, girls, boys and genderqueer young people from Year 7 onwards will once again have the chance to take a look behind the scenes at Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences (HSRW). The faculties in Kamp-Lintfort and Kleve are once again offering exciting
Is studying childcare only for girls, and engineering only for boys? Fortunately, career choices among young people are no longer so strictly divided, as the Federal Statistical Office noted last year. The boundaries between supposedly ‘typically female’ and ‘typically male’ professions have become more permeable, but are still far from being broken down. That is why Girls’ and Boys’ Day is taking place again this year, with Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences once more taking part.
On Future Day at HSRW, boys can try out fields that are supposedly more of interest to girls, such as childcare, librarianship and sociology. On this day, girls can discover career fields that are supposedly only of interest to boys, such as food technology, programming and working as a maths scientist.
Future Day starts at 8.30 am with a kick-off by the Study Advisory Service (ZSB). The hands-on activities begin at 9.15 am. Pupils from Year 5 upwards can register for these until 9 April.
Here’s what girls and boys can expect on Future Day at the Kamp-Lintfort campus:
In the Inventors’ Workshop, girls can design and build their own creative product for themselves and the environment, step by step. In the Analysts’ Workshop, boys can explore human behaviour using an eye-tracker, among other things.
Here’s what girls and boys can expect at Future Day on the Kleve campus:
In Kleve, boys can try their hand at playing with young children whilst teaching them at the same time. In another activity, they can spend a day exploring the world of eco-friendly travel like real researchers. Or they can immerse themselves in the world of the library through an escape game and learn about the work done there whilst solving puzzles.
Girls can look to the future on the Kleve campus using computers to predict forest fires. In the technology lab, they can solder and programme a window alarm. As real maths scientists, they can solve tricky problems or make gummy bears using food technology.
Of course, no real campus experience would be complete without a visit to the canteen: all participants in Boys’ and Girls’ Day are invited to a free lunch in the canteen in Kleve or Kamp-Lintfort.
Here is an overview of the activities on offer, with links to descriptions and registration. Once the registration deadline has passed, those interested will receive more detailed information, including the exact venues.
Background
Since 2001, companies, businesses and universities across Germany have been opening their doors annually to schoolgirls who wish to gain a better understanding of the higher education landscape and the world of work on Girls’ Day. In 2011, boys were allowed to take part in Boys’ Day for the first time, enabling them to view gender-atypical career paths and Degree programmes from a completely different perspective. This year, the nationwide career guidance day for girls and boys will take place on 23 April. For the young people involved, the main aim is to shift their usual perspective and embrace the unknown. The aim of Future Day is to raise awareness among girls and boys from Year 5 onwards about new subject areas, vocational training, universities and research centres.
Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences is taking part again this year. It aims to provide pupils with an important impetus for diverse career and study guidance – free from gender stereotypes. Exciting activities and hands-on projects are designed to spark curiosity and interest. In addition, age-appropriate talks and small-scale experiments will be offered.
