Wittenborg to Assess Success of its Hybrid Teaching Policy as Dutch Government Announces New Covid-19 Rules
No New Corona Regulations for Higher Education in the Netherlands, however Wittenborg introduces compulsory facemasks in all public areas
The Dutch government introduced new measures this week to curb the spread of COVID-19, but nothing that directly impacts higher education for the time being. It is now strongly requested that all persons wear face masks in public indoor spaces throughout the Netherlands.
Facemasks become compulsory at Wittenborg
From Monday 5th October the wearing of facemasks is compulsory at all Wittenborg locations, unless sitting behind a desk, or in a classroom maintaining distance from others according to government guidelines (1.5 metres).
The new measures will be reassessed in three weeks and the government is hoping it will reduce the reproduction rate of the virus from 1.4 to below 1. The announcement was made by Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte on Tuesday evening at a broadcasted press conference. Masks will still have to be worn on public transport and at airports. Shops will be required to control the number of shoppers to ensure a safe social distance can be maintained inside.
Meanwhile, the President of Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences, Peter Birdsall, said the situation will be closely followed as it develops, but for now the institution will continue with the measures it implemented at the start of the new academic year. "We certainly hope that we will not go back to a full intelligent lockdown like earlier this year."
Wittenborg's First-Batch MBM Student Secures Internship as Digital Growth Marketer
Wittenborg's MBM Student Lands Internship with Global Company
During this unprecedented and unstable time, getting an internship is almost always a challenge, especially for international students in the Netherlands. However, for Waleed Jawaid, an MBM student specialising in Digital Marketing & Communication at Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences, securing that opportune work placement was a lucky break. Jawaid, who is from Pakistan, has just landed an internship with Happy Printing, an online printing platform, which is based in the Netherlands but has franchises all over the world.
MBM is Wittenborg's New Master of Science Programme
Having obtained a bachelor's degree in Events Management from Wittenborg, Jawaid returned to his alma mater university to do his MBA in 2019, after a few years working in Amsterdam. He registered for the MBA in Hospitality Management programme initially, but when he found out that Wittenborg has just started an MBM programme in Digital Marketing & Communication, he swiftly requested a change.
Wittenborg's Master in Business Management (MBM) programme, which has just been accredited as a Master of Science (MSc) for the next 6 years by the Dutch Flemish Accreditation Organisation (NVAO) in August 2020, is a new programme which started in September 2019. Unlike the classic MBA programme, the MBM programme does not require applicants to have at least 3-years' work experience. Besides that, students are offered specialisation modules from the first semester and they are also introduced to professional-based learning and company exposure.
Hospitality and Tourism Conference Rescheduled Due to COVID-19
2021 EuroCHRIE Conference at Wittenborg Postponed until 2022
https://www.wittenborg.eu/hospitality-and-tourism-conference-rescheduled-due-covid-19.htm
Due to COVID-19 and the continued travel restrictions in many countries, the annual Hospitality and Tourism Educators Conference (EuroCHRIE), due to be held in Denmark next week, has been postponed until 2021. Consequently the 2021 conference, which was supposed to be hosted by Wittenborg University of Applied Science in Apeldoorn next year, has now been moved to 2022.
Wittenborg CEO, Maggie Feng, who was elected Director of Conferences to the EuroCHRIE Board earlier this year, made the announcement. She confirmed that ROC Aventus in Apeldoorn will still be the venue partner. "There have been many calls, meetings and enquiries in the past two weeks and now we finally have confirmation. All other partners and vendors - like the city of Apeldoorn, accommodation facilities and Het Loo Palace - have also been informed."
The conference in Aalborg, Denmark, will now take place from 27 – 30 September in 2021. Dates for the 2022 conference in Apeldoorn, the Netherlands, are yet to be decided but is expected to take place in the second half of October.
In a statement on their website, the EuroCHRIE Board said: "Due to COVID-19 and the continued global travel restrictions and its various effects and the measures countries are taking to guarantee the safety of inhabitants, UCN in close collaboration with the EuroCHRIE board has decided to postpone the Annual EuroCHRIE Conference 2020.
HE Institutions Set Goals to Eradicate Inequality
Wittenborg Pledges Commitment to Diversity along with Other Amsterdam Institutions
https://www.wittenborg.eu/he-institutions-set-goals-eradicate-inequality.htm
Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences, together with other institutions in Amsterdam, has pledged its commitment to ensuring higher education gets more inclusive, diverse and more societally engaged by signing the 'Education Agreement'. Wittenborg's Amsterdam campus is located in the southeast part of the city. The institutions that co-signed the pledge are the University of Amsterdam, Wittenborg, The Hague Hotel School, InHolland University of Applied Sciences, Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, the Gerrit Rietveld Academy, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the Amsterdam Art University of Applied Sciences and the iPabo University of Applied Sciences.
Amsterdam is one of the most diverse cities in the world. Nonetheless, according to the signees it has become "painfully obvious" from discussions the past few months that inequality is a reality in the education sector, the labour market, the art and culture world, the media and the political stage. "And it manifests itself in racism and discrimination against people of colour," the document reads.
"Despite the fact that diversity and inclusion are high on many institutions' agendas – many even have diversity officers – there is still much to do in terms of concrete action." The signees are convinced that if they start working together and sharing ideas, instead of operating as an island, more could be achieved.
With the Education Agreement, the institutions seek to commit themselves to concrete, measurable goals to fight the lack of equal opportunity and prioritise representativity and inclusion.
The 5 goals the agreement commits itself to are:
The Art of Managing Lions, Clowns and a Pandemic
Project Week: Munich Students Look at How One Circus Survived COVID-19 while Another Went Bankrupt
https://www.wittenborg.eu/art-managing-lions-clowns-and-pandemic.htm
When the world's most famous circus, Cirque de Soleil, filed for bankruptcy in June after COVID-19 paralysed the entertainment industry, it was impossible to imagine other circuses would survive without audiences. Yet, German-based Circus Krone defied the odds in ingenious ways that made international headlines. Students at Wittenborg's partner institute in Munich, New European College, studied the effect of COVID-19 on the circus entertainment industry as part of the first Project Week of the new academic year.
The Show Must Go On!
So how did Circus Krone, which according to its own definition is the world’s largest "classical" circus, survive? Given the fact that like others in the entertainment industry they were subject to Germany's strict regulations which did not allow audiences to gather. in Germany of no audiences.
After being forced to cancel all their events, they had to come up with creative solutions. And they did. The moment the restrictions were lifted a bit they started a drive-in car wash with clowns and also opened their animal farm for visitors. But the absolute highlight of their strategy was opening a pop-up store selling lion poop at €5 a jar. For those in the dark, apparently lion droppings are supposed to ward of neighbours' cats from entering your garden. As crazy as it sounds this pro-active public relation stunt made it into the local, national and even the international press.
Turkey, Brazil, China, Mexico and Russia First of 10 Nuffic NESO Offices to Be Closed
Nuffic's Foreign Student Offices to Be Phased Out over next 3 Years
All 10 foreign offices of Nuffic, the organisation set up to promote the internationalisation of Dutch education, will get the chop in the next 3 years. The announcement was made this week. The Netherlands Education Support offices, or 'NESOs' as they are known, are located in Brazil, China, Indonesia, Vietnam, South Africa, Turkey, Russia, India, Mexico and Korea.
The offices help foreign students and Dutch students abroad, run alumni networks and have an important role in recognising foreign qualifications. Their closure could spell the end of the Orange Tulip Scholarship Programme (OTS) managed and promoted by NESOs. Dutch daily Trouw reported last year that almost 14,000 students came from the NESO countries to the Netherlands in one year.
The announcement comes despite parliament adopting a motion from Groenlinks and the PvDA in December last year requesting an evaluation of the NESOs before they are closed. The minister of Higher Education, Art and Science, Ingrid van Engelshoven, did not deem this necessary.
Taking Women to the Top
Wittenborg CEO, Maggie Feng, Joins other Female Leaders at Prestigious Board of Believers Event
Last Thursday, Wittenborg CEO Maggie Feng joined a select group of female leaders from across the Netherlands for the prestigious Board of Believers quarterly breakfast, hosted by BrandedU. Other guests hailed from companies as diverse as Walt Disney, Nike, L'Oreal, the Rijksmuseum, Heineken, Philips, ABN AMRO, Uber, Transavia and Corendon Hotels and Resorts. BrandedU is headed by Nancy Poleon who used to work as marketing manager for BMG in London to help artists such as Britney Spears, Alicia Keys and Pink. She used her expertise to establish BrandedU in 2014.
The Board of Believers Network prides itself on not just talking, but taking action to make the top of the business world more diverse and future proof. They do this by empowering women, giving them more opportunities and supporting them to make themselves visible in order to realise their ambitions. A McKinsey report from 2018 stated that when it comes to female representation in management positions, the Netherlands only scores 25% compared to the average of 32% in Western Europe.
Feng, who attended her second such breakfast, said there were about 50 women and men at the breakfast, carefully observing COVID-19 protocols. "Through fact and figures guests were confronted with the effect COVID-19 has had on women – including the rise of violence against women. "What I like about Nancy’s programme is that we are not just talking about a problem and sympathising with others, but that it is backed by action. Hence, there is actually action coming along. The Women's Rights Challenge was promoted at the event and everyone encouraged to participate.
Southeast Amsterdam where Wittenborg is Located Eyes More Tourist Arrivals
Amsterdam City Councillor, Dirk de Jager, Guest Lectures Wittenborg Students on City Marketing
Amsterdam city council member, Dirk de Jager, recently gave a guest lecture to students as part of the first real-life project of the new academic year at Wittenborg Amsterdam, which centred on City Marketing. De Jager is responsible for the promotion of financial and economic growth as well as sustainability and the circular economy. In a recent article in Bijlmer & Meer, he is quoted as saying that the COVID-19 crisis presents us with the opportunity to restore balance to the economic activity in the city, especially in the southeast part of Amsterdam – which is also the area where Wittenborg Amsterdam is located, in the Dali Building.
In line with Dirk’s proposition, the Project Week focused on bringing tourists to the area to balance the over tourism in the city centre of Amsterdam. Aside from De Jager, there were also contributions by Wittenborg senior lecturer Amy Abdou, who researches subsidised cultural entrepreneurship in the southeast of Amsterdam (Zuidoost) and Dr Isaac Acheampong, programme manager at the city of Amsterdam for the European Regional Development Funds, also a Wittenborg lecturer.
Experts from Government and Industry Brought in to Give Students a Helping Hands for Projects
Wittenborg's First Real-Life Project of Year off to Great Start
The first real-life project of the new academic year officially started and is in full swing! With cities working towards being more diverse, bachelor's students have been tasked to compile an advisory for the city of Apeldoorn on how to attract international businesses and investors amid fierce competition from other cities in the Netherlands and abroad. They also put together an 8-page brochure on what makes the city such an attractive option for companies.
To give them a helping hand, Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences invited a selection of guest speakers from government and businesses located in Apeldoorn. These guest speakers were interviewed online by Wittenborg's CEO, Maggie Feng, and the students given access to the videos. This was followed by a live Q & A session on Monday where students were able to ask questions directly to each of the guest speakers. Thereafter, it was back to the drawing board before students present their advisories on Friday.
Apeldoorn Alderman says City Appreciates International Talent Wittenborg Brings in
Apeldoorn Alderman says City Appreciates International Talent Wittenborg Brings in
https://www.wittenborg.eu/wittenborg-students-do-project-apeldoorns-ambitions-attract-international-investors.htm
Apeldoorn, the city where Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences has been located for the past 10 years, believes it has all the necessary ingredients and ambition to attract international investors and businesses without compromising its spot as "the green heart of the Netherlands". Alderman Jeroen Joon of the Apeldoorn City Council spoke to Wittenborg undergraduates about these ambitions as part of the first Project Week of the new academic year, which requires students to draw up an advisory for the city on how to lure international businesses to its location. Joon was interviewed by Wittenborg CEO Maggie Feng in an online video made accessible to students.
Wittenborg established strong relations with the city from the start, and most of its graduation ceremonies take place in the city hall buildings with either the mayor or other dignitaries acting as keynote speakers. Joon in his interview recognised these ties and said the city appreciates the fact that Wittenborg brings many international students to the area, studying and living.
According to Joon, who is in charge of the economy portfolio, the city is already looking towards 2040 in terms of planning and is preparing for a population of between 100,000 – 200,000. "Currently we have about 12,000 companies in the region with a bit more than 100,000 employees or jobs. Our companies are very diverse and I believe that is also the strength of the city – both before and during the corona crisis. Businesses range from logistics to technology to healthcare and insurance."
Wittenborg to Assess Success of its Hybrid Teaching Policy as Dutch Government Announces New Covid-19 Rules
No New Corona Regulations for Higher Education in the Netherlands, however Wittenborg introduces compulsory facemasks in all public areas
The Dutch government introduced new measures this week to curb the spread of COVID-19, but nothing that directly impacts higher education for the time being. It is now strongly requested that all persons wear face masks in public indoor spaces throughout the Netherlands.
Facemasks become compulsory at Wittenborg
From Monday 5th October the wearing of facemasks is compulsory at all Wittenborg locations, unless sitting behind a desk, or in a classroom maintaining distance from others according to government guidelines (1.5 metres).
The new measures will be reassessed in three weeks and the government is hoping it will reduce the reproduction rate of the virus from 1.4 to below 1. The announcement was made by Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte on Tuesday evening at a broadcasted press conference. Masks will still have to be worn on public transport and at airports. Shops will be required to control the number of shoppers to ensure a safe social distance can be maintained inside.
Meanwhile, the President of Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences, Peter Birdsall, said the situation will be closely followed as it develops, but for now the institution will continue with the measures it implemented at the start of the new academic year. "We certainly hope that we will not go back to a full intelligent lockdown like earlier this year."
Wittenborg's First-Batch MBM Student Secures Internship as Digital Growth Marketer
Wittenborg's MBM Student Lands Internship with Global Company
During this unprecedented and unstable time, getting an internship is almost always a challenge, especially for international students in the Netherlands. However, for Waleed Jawaid, an MBM student specialising in Digital Marketing & Communication at Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences, securing that opportune work placement was a lucky break. Jawaid, who is from Pakistan, has just landed an internship with Happy Printing, an online printing platform, which is based in the Netherlands but has franchises all over the world.
MBM is Wittenborg's New Master of Science Programme
Having obtained a bachelor's degree in Events Management from Wittenborg, Jawaid returned to his alma mater university to do his MBA in 2019, after a few years working in Amsterdam. He registered for the MBA in Hospitality Management programme initially, but when he found out that Wittenborg has just started an MBM programme in Digital Marketing & Communication, he swiftly requested a change.
Wittenborg's Master in Business Management (MBM) programme, which has just been accredited as a Master of Science (MSc) for the next 6 years by the Dutch Flemish Accreditation Organisation (NVAO) in August 2020, is a new programme which started in September 2019. Unlike the classic MBA programme, the MBM programme does not require applicants to have at least 3-years' work experience. Besides that, students are offered specialisation modules from the first semester and they are also introduced to professional-based learning and company exposure.
Hospitality and Tourism Conference Rescheduled Due to COVID-19
2021 EuroCHRIE Conference at Wittenborg Postponed until 2022
https://www.wittenborg.eu/hospitality-and-tourism-conference-rescheduled-due-covid-19.htm
Due to COVID-19 and the continued travel restrictions in many countries, the annual Hospitality and Tourism Educators Conference (EuroCHRIE), due to be held in Denmark next week, has been postponed until 2021. Consequently the 2021 conference, which was supposed to be hosted by Wittenborg University of Applied Science in Apeldoorn next year, has now been moved to 2022.
Wittenborg CEO, Maggie Feng, who was elected Director of Conferences to the EuroCHRIE Board earlier this year, made the announcement. She confirmed that ROC Aventus in Apeldoorn will still be the venue partner. "There have been many calls, meetings and enquiries in the past two weeks and now we finally have confirmation. All other partners and vendors - like the city of Apeldoorn, accommodation facilities and Het Loo Palace - have also been informed."
The conference in Aalborg, Denmark, will now take place from 27 – 30 September in 2021. Dates for the 2022 conference in Apeldoorn, the Netherlands, are yet to be decided but is expected to take place in the second half of October.
In a statement on their website, the EuroCHRIE Board said: "Due to COVID-19 and the continued global travel restrictions and its various effects and the measures countries are taking to guarantee the safety of inhabitants, UCN in close collaboration with the EuroCHRIE board has decided to postpone the Annual EuroCHRIE Conference 2020.
HE Institutions Set Goals to Eradicate Inequality
Wittenborg Pledges Commitment to Diversity along with Other Amsterdam Institutions
https://www.wittenborg.eu/he-institutions-set-goals-eradicate-inequality.htm
Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences, together with other institutions in Amsterdam, has pledged its commitment to ensuring higher education gets more inclusive, diverse and more societally engaged by signing the 'Education Agreement'. Wittenborg's Amsterdam campus is located in the southeast part of the city. The institutions that co-signed the pledge are the University of Amsterdam, Wittenborg, The Hague Hotel School, InHolland University of Applied Sciences, Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, the Gerrit Rietveld Academy, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the Amsterdam Art University of Applied Sciences and the iPabo University of Applied Sciences.
Amsterdam is one of the most diverse cities in the world. Nonetheless, according to the signees it has become "painfully obvious" from discussions the past few months that inequality is a reality in the education sector, the labour market, the art and culture world, the media and the political stage. "And it manifests itself in racism and discrimination against people of colour," the document reads.
"Despite the fact that diversity and inclusion are high on many institutions' agendas – many even have diversity officers – there is still much to do in terms of concrete action." The signees are convinced that if they start working together and sharing ideas, instead of operating as an island, more could be achieved.
With the Education Agreement, the institutions seek to commit themselves to concrete, measurable goals to fight the lack of equal opportunity and prioritise representativity and inclusion.
The 5 goals the agreement commits itself to are:
The Art of Managing Lions, Clowns and a Pandemic
Project Week: Munich Students Look at How One Circus Survived COVID-19 while Another Went Bankrupt
https://www.wittenborg.eu/art-managing-lions-clowns-and-pandemic.htm
When the world's most famous circus, Cirque de Soleil, filed for bankruptcy in June after COVID-19 paralysed the entertainment industry, it was impossible to imagine other circuses would survive without audiences. Yet, German-based Circus Krone defied the odds in ingenious ways that made international headlines. Students at Wittenborg's partner institute in Munich, New European College, studied the effect of COVID-19 on the circus entertainment industry as part of the first Project Week of the new academic year.
The Show Must Go On!
So how did Circus Krone, which according to its own definition is the world’s largest "classical" circus, survive? Given the fact that like others in the entertainment industry they were subject to Germany's strict regulations which did not allow audiences to gather. in Germany of no audiences.
After being forced to cancel all their events, they had to come up with creative solutions. And they did. The moment the restrictions were lifted a bit they started a drive-in car wash with clowns and also opened their animal farm for visitors. But the absolute highlight of their strategy was opening a pop-up store selling lion poop at €5 a jar. For those in the dark, apparently lion droppings are supposed to ward of neighbours' cats from entering your garden. As crazy as it sounds this pro-active public relation stunt made it into the local, national and even the international press.
Turkey, Brazil, China, Mexico and Russia First of 10 Nuffic NESO Offices to Be Closed
Nuffic's Foreign Student Offices to Be Phased Out over next 3 Years
All 10 foreign offices of Nuffic, the organisation set up to promote the internationalisation of Dutch education, will get the chop in the next 3 years. The announcement was made this week. The Netherlands Education Support offices, or 'NESOs' as they are known, are located in Brazil, China, Indonesia, Vietnam, South Africa, Turkey, Russia, India, Mexico and Korea.
The offices help foreign students and Dutch students abroad, run alumni networks and have an important role in recognising foreign qualifications. Their closure could spell the end of the Orange Tulip Scholarship Programme (OTS) managed and promoted by NESOs. Dutch daily Trouw reported last year that almost 14,000 students came from the NESO countries to the Netherlands in one year.
The announcement comes despite parliament adopting a motion from Groenlinks and the PvDA in December last year requesting an evaluation of the NESOs before they are closed. The minister of Higher Education, Art and Science, Ingrid van Engelshoven, did not deem this necessary.
Taking Women to the Top
Wittenborg CEO, Maggie Feng, Joins other Female Leaders at Prestigious Board of Believers Event
Last Thursday, Wittenborg CEO Maggie Feng joined a select group of female leaders from across the Netherlands for the prestigious Board of Believers quarterly breakfast, hosted by BrandedU. Other guests hailed from companies as diverse as Walt Disney, Nike, L'Oreal, the Rijksmuseum, Heineken, Philips, ABN AMRO, Uber, Transavia and Corendon Hotels and Resorts. BrandedU is headed by Nancy Poleon who used to work as marketing manager for BMG in London to help artists such as Britney Spears, Alicia Keys and Pink. She used her expertise to establish BrandedU in 2014.
The Board of Believers Network prides itself on not just talking, but taking action to make the top of the business world more diverse and future proof. They do this by empowering women, giving them more opportunities and supporting them to make themselves visible in order to realise their ambitions. A McKinsey report from 2018 stated that when it comes to female representation in management positions, the Netherlands only scores 25% compared to the average of 32% in Western Europe.
Feng, who attended her second such breakfast, said there were about 50 women and men at the breakfast, carefully observing COVID-19 protocols. "Through fact and figures guests were confronted with the effect COVID-19 has had on women – including the rise of violence against women. "What I like about Nancy’s programme is that we are not just talking about a problem and sympathising with others, but that it is backed by action. Hence, there is actually action coming along. The Women's Rights Challenge was promoted at the event and everyone encouraged to participate.
Southeast Amsterdam where Wittenborg is Located Eyes More Tourist Arrivals
Amsterdam City Councillor, Dirk de Jager, Guest Lectures Wittenborg Students on City Marketing
Amsterdam city council member, Dirk de Jager, recently gave a guest lecture to students as part of the first real-life project of the new academic year at Wittenborg Amsterdam, which centred on City Marketing. De Jager is responsible for the promotion of financial and economic growth as well as sustainability and the circular economy. In a recent article in Bijlmer & Meer, he is quoted as saying that the COVID-19 crisis presents us with the opportunity to restore balance to the economic activity in the city, especially in the southeast part of Amsterdam – which is also the area where Wittenborg Amsterdam is located, in the Dali Building.
In line with Dirk’s proposition, the Project Week focused on bringing tourists to the area to balance the over tourism in the city centre of Amsterdam. Aside from De Jager, there were also contributions by Wittenborg senior lecturer Amy Abdou, who researches subsidised cultural entrepreneurship in the southeast of Amsterdam (Zuidoost) and Dr Isaac Acheampong, programme manager at the city of Amsterdam for the European Regional Development Funds, also a Wittenborg lecturer.
Experts from Government and Industry Brought in to Give Students a Helping Hands for Projects
Wittenborg's First Real-Life Project of Year off to Great Start
The first real-life project of the new academic year officially started and is in full swing! With cities working towards being more diverse, bachelor's students have been tasked to compile an advisory for the city of Apeldoorn on how to attract international businesses and investors amid fierce competition from other cities in the Netherlands and abroad. They also put together an 8-page brochure on what makes the city such an attractive option for companies.
To give them a helping hand, Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences invited a selection of guest speakers from government and businesses located in Apeldoorn. These guest speakers were interviewed online by Wittenborg's CEO, Maggie Feng, and the students given access to the videos. This was followed by a live Q & A session on Monday where students were able to ask questions directly to each of the guest speakers. Thereafter, it was back to the drawing board before students present their advisories on Friday.
Apeldoorn Alderman says City Appreciates International Talent Wittenborg Brings in
Apeldoorn Alderman says City Appreciates International Talent Wittenborg Brings in
https://www.wittenborg.eu/wittenborg-students-do-project-apeldoorns-ambitions-attract-international-investors.htm
Apeldoorn, the city where Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences has been located for the past 10 years, believes it has all the necessary ingredients and ambition to attract international investors and businesses without compromising its spot as "the green heart of the Netherlands". Alderman Jeroen Joon of the Apeldoorn City Council spoke to Wittenborg undergraduates about these ambitions as part of the first Project Week of the new academic year, which requires students to draw up an advisory for the city on how to lure international businesses to its location. Joon was interviewed by Wittenborg CEO Maggie Feng in an online video made accessible to students.
Wittenborg established strong relations with the city from the start, and most of its graduation ceremonies take place in the city hall buildings with either the mayor or other dignitaries acting as keynote speakers. Joon in his interview recognised these ties and said the city appreciates the fact that Wittenborg brings many international students to the area, studying and living.
According to Joon, who is in charge of the economy portfolio, the city is already looking towards 2040 in terms of planning and is preparing for a population of between 100,000 – 200,000. "Currently we have about 12,000 companies in the region with a bit more than 100,000 employees or jobs. Our companies are very diverse and I believe that is also the strength of the city – both before and during the corona crisis. Businesses range from logistics to technology to healthcare and insurance."