KIWi@work Officially Launched

Following the award of the third star on July 1 as part of REGIONALE 2025, here is the next milestone: The KIWi@work project (full title: “Building Competence and Knowledge for the Inclusion of People with Disabilities in the Workplace”) officially launched on October 1, 2026. The goal of the project is to research the use of artificial intelligence and to further develop it in a practical manner to create a barrier-free and inclusive work environment in the Siegen-Wittgenstein district. KIWi@work has a total budget of approximately 1.13 million euros, of which 1.01 million euros is funded by grants.

The project is being carried out by an interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary consortium led by Prof. Dr. Claudia Müller (University of Siegen, Chair of Business Information Systems, with a focus on IT for an aging society). Also participating are the Chair of Business Information Systems and New Media, the Siegen Institute for Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMI), and the Siegen-Wittgenstein/Olpe district branch of the Workers’ Welfare Association (AWO). The AWO’s Siegen workshops facilitate the practical testing of the developed approaches.

At its core, KIWi@work relies on digital assistance systems. To this end, the so-called “KIWi Scouts” are deployed: They combine theoretical and practical knowledge, analyze existing digital aids in companies, and simultaneously assess the needs for designing barrier-free workplaces. Another key focus is on how such changes can be realistically implemented from both a financial and organizational perspective. The knowledge gained is then consolidated on a digital platform and is intended to be made transferable to other businesses in the region. The KIWi@work project thus sends a strong signal in support of digitally-enabled knowledge development, social responsibility, and the sustainable retention of skilled workers in South Westphalia.