Keynote presentation by Aladin El-Mafaalani at the “TalenteNetzwerkTreffen XXL”
The December meeting was held under the theme “We Say YES! – 10 Years of Talent Scouting in Dortmund.” Talented individuals from the inter-university network—at various stages of their educational journeys, ranging from high school students to college students to working professionals—were invited. Among them were people who have been involved with the program since its inception.
In his keynote presentation, Prof. Dr. Aladin El-Mafaalani, a sociologist of education at TU Dortmund University, discussed how potential can be identified and nurtured. He noted that existing talents are often obscured by insecurities, negative educational experiences, social inequalities, or other individual challenges. Against this backdrop, he described talent scouting as an open process of discovery. This approach aims to support young people in recognizing their own abilities, developing confidence in their own potential, and opening up long-term prospects.