Wittenborg Students Enrich Apeldoorn, says City's Acting Mayor

https://www.wittenborg.eu/graduates-16-countries-wittenborg-summer-graduation-ceremony.htm

Almost 40 graduates from 16 different countries received their well-earned degrees at Wittenborg's 2019 Summer Graduation Ceremony at Apeldoorn City Hall - the youngest among them being 19-year old Illia Kupris from Ukraine. They were addressed by the acting mayor of Apeldoorn, Petra van Wingereden, as well as Wittenborg's Vice President Corporate Affairs, Dr Jan-Albert Dop.

The group consisted of MSc, MBA and IBA students, as well as the second group of Wittenborg lecturers to receive their Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, offered in conjunction with Wittenborg's partner institute in the UK, the University of Brighton.

Wittenborg's chair of the executive board, Peter Birdsall, introduced the first of this semester's 7 MBA graduates - Wittenborg's Director Assistant, Lasantha De Silva, who completed an MBA in Finance. Birdsall told the graduates: "As the Board we are pleased and proud of what you have achieved. "We prepare you as best as possible to make a success of your career, because that reflects on us. Wittenborg will always be on your CV. As you progress, our job is to improve the brand and the reputation of the institution."

Van Wingerden welcomed graduates on behalf of the city of Apeldoorn and said: "First of all, I want you to have a great day. Don't worry about whatever awful thing is going on in the world right now and just take a moment to enjoy the fruit of your labour. I don't know what struggles you faced during your studies, but you managed to overcome all that."

A Report that Seeks to Better our University.

https://www.wittenborg.eu/student-reps-hand-over-their-official-report-executives.htm

It is with great pleasure to announce that Wittenborg’s student representatives have completed their report and handed it in to the Executives. The official report is filled with many of Wittenborg students’ ideas and suggestions to improve our institution as a whole. The report was physically delivered by Student Rep President Matthew Skelhorne and soon-to-be MBA graduate Maike Nuyken.

 The report itself consists of 6 parts: Recognition of the Amsterdam/Apeldoorn Campuses, Additional Dutch Language Lessons, Exam Reviews, Guidance, Counselling & Process Tutors, Work Placement and Final Graduation Assignment. To view the full report, please click here.  

This year’s set of student reps were extremely vocal about these 6 parts of the official report during the Student and Staff annual meeting this past March, and they are content that it has been transcribed into formal writing. "I'm glad to see that our Executives are aware of what we, the students, have in mind for Wittenborg's future," Matthew says. "We are happy to have noticed some immediate actions being discussed and implemented right after the annual Student and Staff Conference… We are looking forward to all new developments currently in the pipeline coming to fruition," Maike adds.

"Having Many Friends is Not Important, but Having the Right Ones Are," Says Wittenborg's Youngest Graduate

https://www.wittenborg.eu/meet-wittenborgs-youngest-graduate-ever.htm

When 19-year old student, Illia Kupris, passed his last module this summer, he became the youngest graduate ever at Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences. He will receive his diploma this Friday along with other graduates at Wittenborg's 2019  Summer Graduation Ceremony - a week before his 20th birthday.

Illia, who is from Ukraine, first arrived in Apeldoorn to start his studies in September 2016 - a shy 17-year old who upon arrival was immediately thrust into the spotlight when he was asked to do a photoshoot by Wittenborg's news team to showcase student accommodation.

Since then, he has not only gained a lot of confidence, but has also become one of the most popular students at Wittenborg, serving as a Student Ambassador and long-term member of the student organisation SWIFT.  One of his jobs as a member of SWIFT was to give new students arriving every block at Wittenborg a tour of Apeldoorn. "I really got to know the city pretty well," he says.

How did he manage to finish his studies in precisely 3 years? "My parents really ingrained the habit of working hard in us and I kept to that. My motto in life is also to not change who you are for the sake of others." He did an IBA in Hospitality Management.

What to do this summer in the Netherlands

https://www.wittenborg.eu/summer-here.htm

Despite many of us leaving the Netherlands for our Summer holidays, there are still quite a few that will be enjoying the beautiful, predictable weather that the Netherlands has to offer. With that in mind, there are many things you can do this summer. Don’t worry, an average student budget will constantly be considered in each activity I find for this article.

First things first, the Netherlands is world famous for its variety of music festivals. It is speculated that every Dutch person’s heart beats in tune with the music that they are listening to… crazy right? Anyway, listed below are a few festivals held in the Netherlands which cost 50€ or less per ticket:

- Wonderland Festival Outdoor 2019
    Where? Amsterdam, Netherlands When? July 13th Costs: €30.50 Genre: Electronic
    
- Guilty Pleasure Festival 2019
    Where? Amsterdam, Netherlands When? July 27th-28th Costs: €36.95 Genre: Pop
    
- City Sounds 2019 - Open Air Concerts Amsterdam
    Where? Amsterdam, Netherlands When? August 3rd-6th Costs: €40 Multi-genre

These are just some festivals. However, you can search here for many more festivals that are going on this summer in the Lands of Nether.

What International Students Look for when Selecting a University

https://www.wittenborg.eu/nuffic-neso-representatives-4-countries-visit-wittenborg.htm

What do international students want when it comes to choosing universities? If you are looking for the answer to this question, you may be disappointed. As demonstrated last week when Nuffic Neso representatives from four different countries visited Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences, there are surprising answers to what prospective students prioritise when looking to study abroad.

Representatives from Nuffic Neso Mexico, China, North Korea and Vietnam visited several institutions in the Netherlands, including Wittenborg, to learn what they offer international students, whilst providing valuable insights on student mobility in their own countries.

Jungyoon Yang, chief representative officer at Neso South Korea, was impressed with the double-degree programmes Wittenborg offers in conjunction with the University of Brighton in the UK. She said it would definitely be a draw card for Korean students and worth marketing to them.  "A UK degree is popular in Asian markets."

At Wittenborg there are currently about 150 students doing double degrees, which includes bachelor's and master's degrees. Wittenborg's chair of the executive board, Peter Birdsall, said Wittenborg is also about to make an agreement with Deakin University in Australia, which would give students the opportunity to spend part of their studies in Melbourne.

Wittenborg CEO, Maggie Feng, said the institution learned "tremendously" from its partnership with Brighton – that has about 20,000 students – on professionalising the programmes.

Declining Funds and Pressure from Right Takes Toll on Dutch Universities

https://www.wittenborg.eu/cooperation-not-competition-future-he-holland.htm

Under pressure from the populist right and facing shrinking budgets, Dutch universities are not having a stellar moment. What does this mean for the future of internationalism in the Netherlands and institutions like Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences with its high number of foreign students and where the entire curriculum is taught in English? Can it withstand the pressure from the right?

Wittenborg’s Vice President of Corporate Affairs, Dr Jan-Albert Dop, believes instead of competing, institutions like Wittenborg should seek cooperation both in the Netherlands and abroad. He refers to the Van Rijn Commission’s long-awaited report which says that financial incentives in universities are undermining quality and creating unnecessary and unwanted competition. “It supports the need to strengthen research in HBO (universities of applied sciences) with a clear emphasis on master's degrees.”

British education weekly Times Higher Education (THE) recently explored some of these questions in an article which warns that declining funds and the Dutch time-honored embrace of internationalism could be on a “collision course” with the populist right, such as the anti-multiculturalism FvD – led by Thierry Baudet – who recently won the largest share of votes in the Dutch provincial elections.

In his victory speech, Baudet said among other things that Dutch society is “being undermined by our universities”, leading to the Dutch minister of Higher Education, Ingrid van Engelshoven, tweeting: “We have to protect academic freedom, not make it suspect.”

Joost Heerkens 1991 -2019 (Alumnus)

https://www.wittenborg.eu/joost-heerkens-1991-2019-alumnus.htm

It is with great sadness that Wittenborg has come to learn about the passing away of one of its alumni, BBA graduate Joost Heerkens, who graduated from the Economics & Management programme in 2014.
 
Joost was certainly a well-known figure at Wittenborg in the three years he studied with us, and was one of a select group of students who lived in the so-called ‘spaceboxes’, portable student studios situated in the middle of Apeldoorn, where a student community was built and Joost enjoyed his life. According to his parents, the three years at Wittenborg were ‘amongst the happiest of his life’.

In 2012, Joost travelled with fellow Wittenborg students on a field trip to the Shanghai Business School, where they followed lectures and were introduced to Chinese culture.

At the time of his graduation, after having returned to China to complete his internship, his tutor described Joost as “a very good salesman” who was considering an international career in business. After his graduation Joost spent time living in the far east, in places such as Cambodia and Thailand.
 
Wittenborg Staff, Students and Alumni extend their deepest sympathy to Joost’s parents and family, at this tragic time.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: 
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. 
At the going down of the sun and in the morning 
We will remember them.
 
(‘For The Fallen’ – Laurence Binyon, 1914)

WUP 4/7/2019
by James Wittenborg
©Wittenborg University Press

 Big Egos in the Workplace

https://www.wittenborg.eu/keeping-your-ego-check.htm

The word "ego" is commonly used in our daily conversation, but not many people truly know its meaning.  Ego, as defined in the Collins English Dictionary, is a person’s sense of his or her own worth.  The Cambridge Dictionary defines it as “your idea or opinion of yourself, especially your feeling of your own importance and ability".  

Ego is not, in the real sense of the word, a person’s self-esteem or self-respect.  Self- esteem has to do with your confidence or self-satisfaction.  So, if someone is described as having low self-esteem, it means that person lacks confidence in doing something, for example, speaking in front of an audience, or completing a specific task or participating in a competition.  It is good to note that a person with low self-esteem does not necessarily mean they have a low ego, and vice versa. 

The word "ego" by itself has many variations and interpretations.  Like for example, do you know what your alter ego is, or what superego means?  What is the difference between egoistic, egotistic, and egocentric?  Is egoism the same as egomania, narcissism, pride, selfishness, self-centredness, or altruism?  Well, I could go on and on but I shall not.   

In its noun form, the word ‘ego’ is neutral - it is neither positive nor negative, but in its adjective form, it connotes a negative word.  For example, if I tell you
that you are an egoistic person, I mean to say that you are a person who does things to satisfy your own needs first before satisfying those of others.  

Another Entrepreneur in the Making from Wittenborg

https://www.wittenborg.eu/dutch-wittenborg-student-starts-own-business.htm

Wittenborg is delighted to highlight Dutch student Philippe Beumers' new business venture. Philippe is currently in the first year of his bachelor's degree program in Economics & Management. However, his passion revolves around football and sports in general.  With that in mind, Philippe has started a business called Panna that will primarily sell sports memorabilia along with the brand's very own merchandising.

What made Philippe start his business?

"I bought my first Messi-signed jersey months ago as an investment and I discovered that there is a whole market behind these signed items… After doing lots of research, I decided to start a company that will sell sports memorabilia."

What does 'Panna' stand for?

"As I thought of this idea, Panna came to my mind immediately. It is a well-known term in the football industry (aka nutmeg, tunnel, etc. - to pass the ball around or through an opposing player's legs), which makes it relate to many football fanatics. Also, the brand name is quite easy to remember!"

Philippe is currently working hard on his brand and Panna's online webshop. You can stay updated and follow his entrepreneurial journey on his website linked below: www.pannastore.com

WUP 1/7/2019
by Matthew Skelhorne
©Wittenborg University Press

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Netherlands Wants to Draw Quality Rather than High Quantities of International Students

https://www.wittenborg.eu/netherlands-wants-draw-international-students-quality-nuffic.htm

In an effort to dispel perceptions that international students in the Netherlands are mere 'cash cows' instead of a welcome addition to the Dutch student population, the Dutch organisation for internationalisation in higher education, Nuffic, now wants to embark on a strategy which favours quality students above sheer quantity. 

NESO Representatives Visit Wittenborg

This is according to Bert Husson, deputy director of Nuffic’s eduation support office (Neso) in China. Husson visited Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences this week along with colleagues from Neso Mexico, Neso South Korea and Neso Vietnam.

Figures published at the end of April showed the share of international students in the Netherlands has risen from 10.5% to 11.5% the past academic year. They now stand at 85,955, representing 170 different nationalities. Neighbouring country Germany supplies the highest number of international students (22,584) to the Netherlands, followed by Italy (4,814) and China (4,547).

Husson told Wittenborg’s chair of the executive board, Peter Birdsall, and CEO, Maggie Feng, that the focus will be on quality and diversity as well as outbound mobility. The Dutch lag far behind other European countries when it comes to local students choosing to study abroad. “Our aim is the positioning of the Dutch knowledge field.”

Husson was commenting in response to Birdsall, who in his presentation on Wittenborg said the number of students is expected to pass the 1,000 mark this year, and measures are in place to ensure they attract the best and most highly motivated students.