Announcement – Update on Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences' Coronavirus Response Strategy

Introduction

https://www.wittenborg.eu/update-wittenborgs-coronavirus-response-strategy.htm

Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences (WUAS) has successfully switched all its bachelor’s and master’s curriculum to online delivery to cope with the effects of the worldwide coronavirus crisis. WUAS’ aim is to ensure continued delivery, without a study freeze and minimising the risk of study delays for its students. We thank each and every one of our students and staff for making this possible. Below we outline some decisions we have made regarding the planning at WUAS until the summer vacation.

Coronavirus Crisis and Internationality

WUAS students represent more than 100 different nationalities and many students from outside the EU have a residence permit based on ‘study’, and the continued delivery safeguards this status. WUAS maintains contact with the immigration authorities about the issuing, renewal and safeguarding of its students’ residence permits. Although WUAS’ students are based in the Netherlands, due to the corona crisis in countries around the world many students are currently abroad, often not being able to return. Also, some new students who were not able to travel to the Netherlands have started their courses online ready to continue in the classroom when the crisis is over.

Happy Easter - Wittenborg Staff, 'You've Got Mail' - Support for local businesses

https://www.wittenborg.eu/happy-easter-wittenborg-staff-youve-got-mail.htm

The Wittenborg family had a pleasant, wonderful surprise in the mail this week.  Each one of its staff members received a large bar of luxurious, scrumptious, hand-made chocolate from the Executives. It was a small token and kind gesture of appreciation and gratitude to all Wittenborg staff who have worked tirelessly throughout the last weeks in order to keep the university learning going.  

By getting this specially made, handcrafted gift chocolate from Atelier Bijzondere Bonen, Wittenborg also demonstrates the importance of supporting local businesses to help them tide over these difficult times. As everyone stays home, most local businesses have already suffered losses and one of the ways we can help them stay afloat is to continue buying from them online. There is only so much we can do to help those who have been afflicted with the virus, but there is definitely a lot more we can do to help the rest of the community. And one way is to help support each other in any ways we can, no matter how small it may seem.

Atelier Bijzondere Bonen, Apeldoorn

This special chocolate gift is from Atelier Bijzondere Bonen (Atelier Special Beans) in Apeldoorn, which won the 2019 Apeldoorn Business Awards in the ‘Start-ups’ Category. Atelier Bijzondere Bonen opened for business on November 4, 2017, by owner Vince de Lange. The company offers high-quality raw materials for delicious coffee or tea, tasty hand-crafted chocolate, as well as gift items and gift certificates. Besides that, Atelier Bijzondere Bonen engages in ‘fair-trade’ and they only use healthy and biologically responsible production methods.

Nigerian Student Produces Song to Help Children Make Clean Hands a Habit

https://www.wittenborg.eu/mba-student-gives-kids-gift-music-fight-against-coronavirus.htm

After Wittenborg started giving classes online to help minimise the spread of the coronavirus COVID-19, like other institutions of higher education in the Netherlands, MBA student Oluwaseun Ogunremi was sitting alone in his Apeldoorn room when he started thinking about what he could contribute to support people in this global crisis. As someone who has wide experience in making music for commercials, he decided to write and produce a kids' song that would make it fun and easy to remember to frequently wash hands – one of the main messages from governments around the world to help prevent corona.

Oluwaseun, when did you join Wittenborg and why did you decide to study here?

I started my studies in October 2019 and I am doing an MBA in Health and Social Care. When you Google “English speaking university in Holland” the first-ranked result in the search is Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences. I was also looking for a university that would blend an MBA with public health, and this university checked that box also. So studying here was intentional and the front desk response was quick and encouraging.

Students Need Prove of Language Ability to Apply for Study Visa

https://www.wittenborg.eu/dutch-assist-international-students-stuck-without-ieltstoefl-language-results.htm

The Dutch government set the ball rolling to help prospective international students unable to do an English language test – a prerequisite when applying for a study visa – due to COVID-19 restrictions in many of their home countries. Most students do an IELTS or TOEFL at a test centre, but as many of these centres  around the world have closed, students found themselves stuck. The Dutch department of education is now working on a solution with the National Commission for the Code of Conduct for International Students in Dutch Higher Education, that might enable students to do the test online.  

Disaster for some Dutch universities?

If a solution is not found, this could spell disaster for the Netherlands' September intake of international students. Therefore, a provisional directive was issued on Thursday by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. It will be updated as details are thrashed out. The idea is to limit the damage caused by the outbreak of the coronavirus on the education sector.

WUAS Position

Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences is one of the institutions that has petitioned the commission to temporarily lift the requirement that international students prove they have sufficient command of the English by submitting the results of a normal IELTS/TOEFL language test as part of their application to study in the Netherlands.

Supporting the Chinese Embassy with COVID-19-Related Matters

https://www.wittenborg.eu/supporting-chinese-embassy-covid-19-related-matters.htm

Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences IBA student Shanfeng Lu represented Chinese students in Apeldoorn by joining a webinar organised by the Chinese Embassy in the Netherlands about the prevention of COVID-19. More than 20 Chinese student representatives from all over the Netherlands joined the webinar recently.

Lu briefed the Chinese Ambassador about the situation of Chinese students at Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences. There have been no positive cases of COVID-19 and the students are both in great mental and physical states. He is now working together with the Chinese Embassy to mobilise local medical care assistance, distribute epidemic-prevention supplies and resources to help Chinese students for the area of Apeldoorn and Deventer.

Lu and his friends are running a WhatsApp support group to assist Wittenborg's Chinese students with questions, news updates and general inquiries, such as where to buy medical supplies or how to keep up with the crisis. He also welcomes other Chinese students from neighbouring universities to contact him when help is needed. Contact should be made to the Chinese Student Union of Apeldoorn via apeldoorncn@yahoo.com.

WUP 8/4/2020
by Dadi Chen and Sylvia Effendi
© Wittenborg University Press

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Unique Introduction Days for new students starting at Wittenborg in Block 6

https://www.wittenborg.eu/unique-introduction-days-new-students-starting-block-6.htm

At the end of March, Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences had its introduction days for block 6 of the 2019-2020 academic year. The introduction days were quite unique this block as they took place online. The Dutch government decided that all schools and universities should close on the 13th of March forcing WUAS to move all its activities online. WUAS staff adapted the introduction day activities that usually happen at the WUAS campuses into online sessions detailing information such as how to navigate Wittenborg Online, the role of a WUAS process tutor and adapting to life in the Netherlands.

How were the introduction days conducted?

The sessions were delivered through ClickMeeting by staff members who were involved in the planning and execution of these sessions. 22 students participated in the online sessions, 17 of whom are here in the Netherlands while the other 5 were in their home countries. The new students had several questions about the delivery of education online owing to the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. The most pressing concern for the students was about how they will work in study groups at a time of social distancing.

Message from Wittenborg's President to Students and Staff - Stay Home Stay Safe!

Congratulations to Wittenborg students for completing the first full week of online delivery of their bachelor's or master's degrees. Congratulations to Wittenborg teachers for doing something they weren’t prepared for, and making it happen. Congratulations to Wittenborg staff teams who have been working around the clock this past week.

Message from WUAS President to Students and Staff 04042020

Stay Home Stay Safe

We are living in surreal times - we have gone from a busy and lively life, where we travelled and socialised and spent time with friends and colleagues, in school, at the sport club, in bars and restaurants, to a life that’s eerie, strange and maybe even frightening.

Almost none of us have ever experienced a global crisis like this, on such a scale, with such an effect on our daily lives and our well-being.

Schools and universities all over the world, in almost every single country are affected by the spread of this disease, and are closed, and are having to cope as best they can, trying if possible to offer a continued education through online support. Not all have succeeded, and many students are left with worries about their study progress and their careers.

As a university, we too have been confronted with a very sudden change from classroom teaching to supporting all of you online. Most of our locations are closed, and empty and feeling sad. Many of you are here in the Netherlands but some of you, students and staff, are at home, in your own country, far away, not being able to return at this time.

Wittenborg’s primary aim is to ensure that our students don’t experience any study delay through this crisis, and also that our staff members are best equipped to manage in this unprecedented situation.

Students Get Good Insight on What Drives Consumers from IBM 2020 Report

https://www.wittenborg.eu/ibm-partner-unpacks-changing-consumer-behaviour-wittenborg-students.htm

Undergraduates at Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences recently had the privilege to listen to Jerry J Stam, associate partner of IBM Global Business Services, who gave a fascinating guest lecture on IBM's 2020 report on consumers driving change.

At IBM Stam is responsible for innovation, business development and project delivery for (international) retail and wholesale clients, in particular around omnichannel. He has over two decades of (consulting) experience in retail. He has been working for retailers the world over, including household names like Sainsbury's Hema and Jumbo Supermarkets.

At Wittenborg his lecture took place within the context of the final-year bachelor's module, Advanced Corporate Strategy. In this module students develop for instance an additional understanding on internal and external factors influencing organisations' strategy.

Consumers Now Shop "Whenever the Mood Strikes"

One of the key findings of the report is that there has been a fundamental change in consumer shopping behaviour. Rather than being a planned, discrete activity, shopping occurs whenever and wherever the mood strikes today’s always-online consumers - and this is increasingly while they are doing something else. Seven in 10 consumers surveyed say they shop in these so-called “micro-moments,” and 35 percent do so at least once weekly.

Wittenborg Seeking Approval to Provide Transnational Education in Munich

https://www.wittenborg.eu/wittenborg-last-stop-nvao-it-suspends-procedures-due-coronavirus.htm

Two weeks ago, the Dutch accreditation and quality assurance body NVAO postponed all its site visits in light of the coronavirus COVID-19 – Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences (WUAS) was its last visit to an institution of higher education last month.  Its assessment procedures in the Netherlands will be suspended until at least 28 April. In Flanders all activities are suspended until further notice.

Wittenborg is applying for Transnational Education (TNE) approval for the full delivery of its programmes in Munich, Germany at the New European College (NEC) and seeking re-accreditation for its Master of Business Administration (MBA) as well as Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) programmes. In October 2019,  Wittenborg formed a partnership with NEC to deliver Wittenborg's bachelor's and master's programmes at their location in Munich. Student numbers there are eventually expected to grow to around 150. The terms of the delivery are set out in a Memorandum of Cooperation between the two institutions.

NVAO said in a statement: "In consultation with the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, NVAO has established some guidelines to try to ensure that in the coming months the preparation of the accreditation procedures and site visits are postponed. So the institutions can focus their attention on the organisation and the progress of education.

In general, we follow the developments with regard to the virus closely. We use the guidelines of the Flemish and Belgian governments and the Dutch government and RIVM."

WUAS abandons using the conferencing tool Zoom due to privacy fears and a lack of GDPR compliance.

Do not use Zoom as an educator, Wittenborg warns.

Apeldoorn, 1 April 2020 – Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences (WUAS) in Apeldoorn, Amsterdam and Munich cautions its staff and students to not use the popular videoconferencing application Zoom in an educational context, but switch to Microsoft Teams instead.

“Zoom does not meet our standards for reliability, confidentiality, and GDPR compliance,” Peter Birdsall, WUAS Chair said in a statement to all students and staff, “Teams does.”

GDPR

WUAS staff have evaluated a number of teleconferencing applications for use in teaching and examining during the present COVID-19 emergency. It appeared that the popular Zoom app has a number of issues that make it inappropriate for use by an organisation that values the privacy of its students and staff and is serious about GDPR (AVG) compliance. As a matter of policy, the application gives an administrator access to user data that is not relevant to the student-teacher interaction, but form an invasion of privacy. It records user-sensitive data outside the user’s control. Moreover, Zoom can be easily broken into and misused by outsiders intent on stealing data or disrupting contacts.