Form an international learning community together

In a time when we can be connected with the rest of the world 24/7, ‘local’ is no longer the opposite of ‘global’. Especially in our urban lifestyle, we are simultaneously local residents and global citizens. Thanks to globalisation, we are becoming increasingly exposed to one another’s values, customs and traditions. This is also true for students and working professionals. Think global, act local is the new norm.

This concept is also at the heart of the formula for the new Summer School at Inholland University of Applied Sciences, an initiative led by Business Studies lecturers Erik Hendriks and Marlies Springorum. During the programme, students from Inholland and partner institutions abroad work and study together and complete assignments for companies. They explore the region, make new friends and learn valuable life lessons. Erik: ‘The Summer School is a great way to motivate and prepare students for learning and working in the international environment of our globalised society.’

Form an international learning community
Erik Hendriks, last year’s Inholland Lecturer of the Year, explains why internationalisation is a top priority at Inholland. ‘The globalisation of our society means that an increasing number of graduates will go on to work in an international environment. The best way to prepare students for this scenario is by introducing them to it during their studies. This can be done not only by giving them the opportunity to study abroad, but also by giving the curriculum an international touch.’

Erik and Marlies Springorum (Alkmaar location) have set up the Summer School based on their Business Studies programme. Students from Inholland and partner universities abroad work and study together, forming an international learning community over a period of two weeks. They tackle issues put forward by companies and organisations while learning about other cultures and entrepreneurship in the Netherlands. Participants from Inholland include students from Business Studies and other degree programmes.

Doing business in Europe
Last year, the first edition of the Summer School titled ‘Doing Business in Europe’ drew participants from New York, Moscow, Bristol, Ghent, Diemen and Alkmaar. Students tackled issues such as high-tech water management and agriculture and tourism in Amsterdam. They spent the first week in Alkmaar and the second week in Diemen/Amsterdam. All in all, they gained an impression of the tourism highlights as well as the international side of the Netherlands. Some participants had never been to this part of Europe before.

With the help of colleagues from the Tourism Management programme, the students were given an assignment to take a field trip to investigate tourists’ reasons for travelling to Amsterdam. They cycled to the Vondelpark – as tourists themselves, actually – to interview other tourists and film their responses. Hendriks: ‘In a style fit for students, we finished the project in the park during a barbecue with the clients. We told the students: hold your laptop in your lap and tell your story with just a mood board and video. Many ideas were put forward, and the clients were extremely satisfied with what they heard.’

Get to know each other’s cultures
Learning about other cultures is an important aspect of the Summer School. Just take eating together, for instance. ‘That is the best part of travelling. Food also allows you to experience some of the symbolism of another culture. Then you can understand each other, have a clearer understanding of your own ideas and get along even better. Not to mention: oftentimes the most important deals aren’t made in meetings, but instead over drinks.’ Learning about each other’s education is part of the programme, too. ‘If you look at the Russian system, you’ll see that it’s very rigidly structured and more focused on knowledge acquisition. The Russian men and women who were here never stopped asking questions. They thought all the interaction was so cool!’

The Summer School gives students a unique international learning experience in which they engage in active learning in an international setting. ‘Another important thing to mention is that we do this together, working with multiple degree programmes at locations at the same time. It’s a great example of interprofessionalism and being bold enough to take this approach. We’re looking beyond our own locations and disciplines. I also hope and dream that we can make this bigger. Let’s learn from each other and facilitate that process for each other. We want people to think: something special is happening here, with both a global perspective and local impact. ’