Wittenborg Representative Meets with Student Agents in Dubai
Michael Sheppard Working on Building New Relationships and Strengthening Existing Partnerships
https://www.wittenborg.eu/wittenborg-representative-meets-student-agents-dubai.htm
Between 1 and 7 July, Wittenborg Sales & Admissions Representative Michael Sheppard was in Dubai, where he had a series of meetings with local student agencies and agents. According to Sheppard, the outcome of the conversations was very positive, and Wittenborg has managed to establish new partnerships and strengthen existing ones.
“The agents definitely recognise the high quality of education in the Netherlands, and they see Wittenborg as a prime example of it, due to the school’s international character, hands-on approach to teaching and flexible entry dates, among other factors. One significant thing they said is that quite often the Netherlands can be slightly overlooked as a study destination when compared to France, Germany or the UK, and certainly generally overlooked compared to the other native English-speaking countries,” he pointed out.
Wittenborg Says Goodbye to Senior Financial Administrator Daphne Wang
Having joined Wittenborg in 2011, Wang Helped the School Grow and will Be Missed by Colleagues
https://www.wittenborg.eu/wittenborg-says-goodbye-senior-financial-administrator-daphne-wang.htm
In the 11 years Daphne Wang worked as Wittenborg’s Senior Financial Administrator, the school grew significantly, and part of this success was due to her hard work and dedication, as well as her expertise in the fields of finance and accountancy. Having recently decided to pursue other ventures, Wang will be missed by her colleagues, who organised a farewell lunch for her on 27 June.
Originally from China, Wang studied English at the Beijing Normal College of Foreign Languages. In 1997, she moved to the Netherlands to study for a bachelor’s degree in Business Economy at Saxion University of Applied Sciences, where she was one of the first Chinese students ever to enrol.
Wittenborg Graduate Opens Successful Nail Salon in Amsterdam
Carolina Lopez Roque Gets Inspiration from Five-Star Hotels to Provide High-Quality Services
https://www.wittenborg.eu/wittenborg-graduate-opens-successful-nail-salon-amsterdam.htm
For Wittenborg graduate Carolina Lopez Roque, quitting her job in the hospitality industry to start a new career as the owner of the Brigi Nails salon, in Amsterdam, was not an easy choice to make. “If you are an entrepreneur, you must know your value, and this is the most difficult thing. You need to believe in yourself, have the courage and take the risks. It took me some time to learn that, but after making that decision things have grown so fast,” she says.
Making a Difference: Wittenborg Graduate Starts Successful Career and Conducts Volunteer Projects
Iranian Graduate Farnoosh Dabiri Seeking to Expand Personal and Professional Horizons
By moving from Iran to the Netherlands, Wittenborg graduate Farnoosh Dabiri has had the opportunity to greatly expand her professional horizons and experience a diverse and international business environment. Dabiri, who completed an MBA degree in International Management in 2021, points out that she decided to pursue the programme because she wanted to develop her career as a project manager. “Back in Iran, I had previously worked as a project manager in the petrochemical industry, but I wanted to learn more about topics such as sustainability and corporate responsibility.”
Wittenborg CEO Becomes Member of SER Topvrouwen
Maggie Feng Now Part of Organisation Aimed at Giving Visibility to Highly Qualified Women
https://www.wittenborg.eu/wittenborg-ceo-becomes-member-ser-topvrouwen.htm
Because Wittenborg sees diversity and inclusion as essential elements of social progress, the school has been involved in multiple initiatives that seek to promote these values. In line with this approach, Wittenborg CEO Maggie Feng recently joined SER Topvrouwen, an organisation that is part of the Social and Economic Council of the Netherlands (SER) – an advisory body to the Dutch government that discusses and monitors social and economic policies.
Composed of women who occupy leadership positions in large Dutch institutions and corporations, SER Topvrouwen is aimed at giving visibility and helping accelerate the advancement of female talent. Among other contributions, the organisation has created a database of highly qualified women, open to professionals who have relevant work experience in business, public or semi-public organisations, active in management, directorship or executive positions. By accessing the platform, companies and institutions can search for female candidates with the right profiles for their open positions.
Study Sheds Light on the Role of South African Women of Colour in Wine Industry
Wittenborg Graduate Ayabulela Noxonywa Says Sector Needs More Inclusion
https://www.wittenborg.eu/study-sheds-light-role-south-african-women-colour-wine-industry.htm
“The winemaking industry has an immense impact on the local economy of Franschhoek Valley, and Franschhoek – known as the food and wine capital of South Africa – relies heavily on the hospitality sector, boasting award-winning restaurants, hotels and vineyards. Yet, the industry is not really inclusive for the women of colour who work in it,” stresses Ayabulela Noxonywa, who recently completed a BBA degree in Hotel & Hospitality Services Management at Witenborg’s Bad Voslau study location.
Having met a significant number of South African women of colour who work in vineyards, Noxonywa decided to write her graduation assignment on the roles of these women within the industry, as well as the barriers faced by them. According to the student, what sparked her interest was the perception that, every time she visits Franschhoek Valley’s vineyards, women of colour are responsible for wine tasting duties, while the winemaking tasks are predominantly performed by white men.
MBM Thesis Examines Adoption of Smart Technologies by Sri Lankan Apparel Industry
Malmi Maddugoda’s Research Focused on Innovation and Sustainability
In line with her long-standing interest in sustainability, Sri Lankan student Malmi Maddugoda decided to write her master’s thesis on how the implementation of smart factories and sustainable manufacturing practices by the Sri Lankan apparel industry impact on economic sustainability. Maddugoda, who recently completed an MBM degree in Logistics & Trade, explains that the study is connected to research she had conducted during her bachelor’s studies, addressing sustainability in the Sri Lankan petroleum retail industry.
“I decided to do a continuation of that for my master’s, but focusing on a different industry. So, I picked the Sri Lankan apparel industry, which has a huge influence on the country’s economy. However, it is worth emphasising that smart factories are not yet popular in Sri Lanka, with the majority of the country’s manufacturing still being at Industry 2.0 level and labour intensive. Despite the overall situation, Sri Lankan apparel companies have proactively taken part in adopting smart factory technologies,” she says.
Graduation Assignment Analyses Female Leadership in South Tyrol’s Hotel Industry
HBA Student Anna Egger Highlights Emancipation of Women from the Region
Being originally from South Tyrol (Italy) and having worked in many hotels where women were in leadership positions, student Anna Egger felt intrigued by this situation. For this reason, she decided to write her graduation assignment on how South Tyrolean women lead the hospitality businesses they are part of. Egger recently completed an HBA degree in Hotel and Hospitality Services Management at Wittenborg's study location at the ITM college in Bad Voslau (Austria).
The student points out that, in general, women still face gender inequalities and do not have the same opportunities to rise to top management positions at the workplace as men. However, she stresses that a positive development can be seen in South Tyrol, where more than 10,000 women-owned businesses were registered at the end of 2020, almost 30% of them being active in the hotel industry.
Summer Reading Recommendations
The summer break has arrived, a time which many people like to use to really get stuck into a good book. But with so many choices out there, it can be hard to pick something. That is why, in this article, we will present you with some reading recommendations - both fiction and non-fiction - from Wittenborg staff members.
https://www.wittenborg.eu/summer-reading-recommendations.htm
Hanna Abdelwahab, Education Support Administrator, recommends 'The Lights in the Tunnel' by Martin Ford
"In this book, Ford addresses three misconceptions held by conventional economists: (1) technological advancements will always lead to more prosperity and more jobs, (2) automation affects only low-paying or low-skilled jobs, and (3) machines cannot replace humanity. Ford says that technological advancements will cause mass unemployment, that knowledge jobs are also facing the threats of being automated and that robots don't have to be humans to replace humans. Despite the heavy subject, it's an easy read and very compelling."
An Evening of Lively Conversation, Fun and Games
Social Gathering Brings Together 25 Students at TonTon Club
https://www.wittenborg.eu/evening-lively-conversation-fun-and-games.htm
The evening of 24 June was filled with fun, lively conversations and exciting games for 25 Wittenborg students who attended the social gathering organised by the school at TonTon Club in Amsterdam. Originally planned as a Summer Picnic, the event had to be moved to the café due to the rainy weather, and students were provided with free drinks by Wittenborg. Located in the heart of the Dutch capital, TonTon Club is famous for having a great variety of pinball machines and arcade games for all kinds of players.
Wittenborg’s Support Office & External Relations Coordinator Xiaoli Wu, who organised the activity, pointed out that the main goal of the event was to give students the opportunity to socialise outside school and have some quality time together. “Although the picnic ended up becoming another event, everyone enjoyed it a lot and it definitely fulfilled our expectations. It was a pleasant evening in which students met and talked about their lives, hobbies and holiday plans, and also played games to release the pressure after their exams.”
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