What does meaningful education look like at a time when AI is taking over more and more knowledge-based work? During the Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) in Haarlem, Business Studies students from Inholland University of Applied Sciences showed that the answer lies in collaboration, creative thinking and learning by doing.

For five days, students from the Netherlands, Poland, Ukraine, Belarus and Kazakhstan worked in international teams on a real branding challenge for hybrid food brand Jack’s Secret. Supported by lecturers, coaches and industry professionals, they developed strategic growth plans for the company.

Practice, entrepreneurship and fresh perspectives
The programme brought together practical learning, entrepreneurship and intercultural collaboration. Alongside the project, students explored Haarlem during a city tour, visited a museum and went behind the scenes at Endeavour.

This combination of learning, discovery and teamwork led to new insights and valuable exchanges between students from different backgrounds and perspectives.

Results that exceeded expectations
During the final presentations, the teams shared their branding plans with the client and programme supervisors. The plans were professionally developed, creatively designed and impressively strong. The quality of the presentations exceeded the expectations of both the client and the supervisors.

One student captured the impact of the week perfectly: ‘In one week, I learned more about branding and teamwork than I had in months of theory.’

Human skills remain essential
As AI becomes increasingly capable of gathering, analysing and presenting information, the human side of learning becomes even more important. Skills such as critical thinking, creativity, entrepreneurship, collaboration and solving complex challenges are not developed through books or screens alone. You develop them by gaining real-world experience and working with others.

About the BIPs
Erasmus+ Blended Intensive Programmes (BIPs) are short, innovative educational programmes funded by Erasmus+. They combine physical and online mobility and focus on international collaboration and educational innovation. The programmes address current societal challenges and contribute to achieving our strategic ambitions.

The BIP programme demonstrates the power of short, intensive and practice-based education. Students work on real challenges, learn from one another and experience first-hand how theory and practice come together.

Eleven students from the Emerging Tech Minor at Inholland University of Applied Sciences in Amsterdam recently joined students from Designskolen Kolding in Denmark for a three-day XR Future Lab challenge. In just 72 hours, they developed three innovative prototypes centred on the future use of smart glasses. 

The challenge was provided by Khora Virtual Reality, one of Europe's leading XR studios. Students worked on a real-life brief: how can smart glasses support everyday life while taking social aspects into account? Many participants were using XR technology for the first time and presented their concepts to a professional jury at the end of the event. 

The teams created three promising prototypes. InspectAR uses smart glasses to reveal building information such as materials, climate risks and sustainability data in real time. HAZE supports people who experience sensory overload by softening light, reducing noise and guiding breathing exercises. Garment Scan helps shoppers make more sustainable choices by showing the environmental impact of clothing and suggesting better alternatives. 

Students from different educational backgrounds and countries worked closely together throughout the challenge. The collaboration reflects Inholland's ambition to connect technology, creativity and social impact while preparing students to tackle real-world challenges. The event demonstrated how international and multidisciplinary teamwork enables students to explore emerging technologies and apply them to meaningful societal issues. 

Shant Bayramian, Lecturer, Researcher and Director of the Emerging Tech Lab and Minor: "This event demonstrates the significant contribution of Inholland University of Applied Sciences, its students, lecturers, and industry partners to the development of emerging technologies such as smart glasses on both the European and international stage."

How are Inholland students doing? That question is at the heart of the Student Well-being Monitor (SWM). Every year, we ask students about their motivation, stress levels and how they experience their studies. This year’s results show another positive trend, while also highlighting areas that need attention. After all, not every student has the same experience.

More students took part
This year, 2,445 students completed the survey, which is more than last year. Thanks to all these responses, we have a better understanding of how students are doing. A big thank you to everyone who took part.

What stands out?
This year’s results reveal several positive developments:

• Students are more motivated than last year.

• Study-related stress has decreased.

• Students give their overall life satisfaction a higher score.

• Students experience greater support and involvement from their lecturers.

A stronger sense of connection
Students also feel more connected to their degree programme. Sometimes, they stay behind after class to ask a question or have a chat with a lecturer. It may seem like a small moment, but it can make a real difference.

 ‘Feeling connected to fellow students and lecturers is incredibly important,’ says Lisa Klinkenberg, researcher at Inholland’s Research Group for Student Success. ‘It helps students feel seen and keeps them motivated.’

A different experience for different students
The overall picture is positive, but it does not reflect every student’s experience. Performance pressure continues to be an important point of attention, and there are noticeable differences between groups of students. That is why it is important not only to look at the averages, but also to understand what is happening within different groups.

 What can you learn from the results?
The findings provide valuable insight into how students experience their time at Inholland University of Applied Sciences. They help us understand what is going well and where there are opportunities to offer even better support. By listening to students every year, we can continue to build an environment where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

Just like in previous years, students at Inholland University of Applied Sciences remain positive about their degree programmes overall. They say they enjoy studying at Inholland and feel safe here. These are some of the key findings from the National Student Survey 2026 (NSE), published this morning.

“This result shows that, as a university of applied sciences, we are continuing the stable upward trend of recent years and that students feel seen and supported,” says Executive Board President Jeroen van den Berg. “We would like to thank all students for completing the survey and sharing their valuable feedback.”

“We are proud of this result,” Jeroen continues. “We are making strong progress in several areas thanks to our collective efforts. At the same time, the results help us continue building strong, future-focused education and delivering on the promises we make to our students.”

Just like last year, students gave an average score of 3.7 out of 5 to the question: ‘How satisfied are you with your degree programme overall?’ Based on the degree programmes we offer, Inholland scores in line with both the average for universities of applied sciences in the Randstad region and the national average.

Students feel at home and safe
The results show a stable positive trend. The NSE 2026 once again confirms that students feel comfortable at Inholland, with this area receiving the highest scores. They feel safe to be themselves within their degree programme (4.1) and are satisfied with the atmosphere of their programme (4.1). Students also report that lecturers create an environment where it feels comfortable to ask questions (3.9). In addition, they value lecturers’ knowledge of professional practice (3.9), and are satisfied with the guidance available from, for example, a mentor, dean or student counsellor (3.9).

“It means a great deal to us that students say they feel at home and safe at Inholland,” Jeroen says. “This is a strong confirmation that our educational vision is moving in the right direction. One of the most important promises we make is that students feel at home with us and receive suitable guidance and support. It is great to see that many of them recognise and appreciate this.”

Opportunities for further improvement
It is positive that the NSE results show either a slight increase or remain stable across almost all themes compared to 2025. Students are especially satisfied with guidance, study feasibility, facilities, lecturer involvement, and the alignment of the programme with current developments and professional practice, with scores around 3.8 and 3.9. Assessment, teaching methods, inspiration, and enthusiasm for the field also score well, around 3.6 and 3.7, while still offering room for further improvement. The main areas for improvement remain the timeliness of timetables and schedule changes, as well as the limited flexibility and opportunities for personalisation within degree programmes, with scores between 3.3 and 3.5.

Jeroen is pleased that students express their appreciation in many areas. “The NSE results reflect what Inholland stands for: personal guidance, learning together and working on meaningful challenges. Students value this engaged approach, and that means a lot to us. Of course, there are also challenges and areas for improvement, such as flexibility, personalisation and timetables. Student feedback helps us continue building strong, future-focused education together.”

About the NSE
The National Student Survey (NSE) is a nationwide student satisfaction survey carried out by the National Centre for Student Choice on behalf of the Ministry of Education. Of Inholland’s 23,515 students, 8,471 students completed the survey fully or partially. This represents a response rate of 36 per cent. The national response rate is over 31 per cent.

You can view the NSE results via the NSE Information Portal.

Short, intensive and hybrid exchange projects are shaping the future. You could clearly see this during the International Staff Week (ISW) at Inholland University of Applied Sciences, which took place last week in Rotterdam and Amsterdam. More than thirty lecturers and staff members joined from ten different countries, including Canada, the United States, Jordan, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Ukraine.

In this article, you can read more about our strategic approach to internationalisation.

Working together on real-world challenges
The week focused on helping participants explore Erasmus+ Blended Intensive Programmes (BIPs). These are short, hybrid programmes in which at least three international partners work together on a societal challenge. Inholland already offers more than thirty BIPs. In her opening speech, Marije Deutekom, member of the Executive Board, highlighted their importance:‘They allow us to work across borders with regional partners on the transition to a sustainable and resilient society.’

Students present their ideas
A special part of the week was a BIP in action: ‘Flavours of Connection’, a collaboration with Yeditepe University in Istanbul and Centria University of Applied Sciences in Finland. A total of 32 students took part. They visited Giraffe Coffee Roasters and explored the Van Nelle Factory.

On Tuesday afternoon, they presented their concepts to the International Staff Week participants. Abdul Kara, lecturer in Business Studies and initiator of the BIP, reflects on this moment: ‘Our students found it quite exciting to receive feedback from international lecturers they did not know. But a great energy quickly emerged. It felt like a busy beehive. Wonderful to see.’

Showing what we stand for
During the closing session on Friday, which included a co-design workshop by Claudia Mayer from the Societal Impact Design research group, many participants shared their enthusiasm for BIPs.Petra Hogendoorn-Schweighofer, Strategic Adviser for Internationalisation, looks back on the week with pride: ‘I believe we truly showed our international partners what Inholland stands for: our ambitions, our core values and the way we design our education.’

Alongside the workshops, participants also enjoyed a rich social programme. On Monday, they explored Rotterdam and Delfshaven with guide Jaap Versluis, lecturer in Communication. On Thursday, the programme continued in Amsterdam, including a workshop at the Urban Leisure & Tourism Lab and an introduction to the English-taught minor ‘Future Finance’. After that, there was time to discover the city.

Versluis was especially moved by the stories of eight colleagues from Ukraine: ‘They travelled for more than 24 hours by bus just to be here. That alone shows incredible motivation. Given the difficult circumstances they are teaching in, we wanted to support them as much as possible.’

‘An unforgettable week’
Roman Zvarych from West Ukrainian National University in Ternopil describes the week as unforgettable: ‘The atmosphere and hospitality were exceptional. We made many new and inspiring connections. If possible, we would love to return soon.’

Nataliya Mukan from Lviv Polytechnic National University agrees: ‘It was inspiring to meet colleagues who share the same mindset. We felt part of a close and welcoming community, which made this experience truly special.’

Dat beaamde ook Nataliya Mukan van de Lviv Polytechnic National University: “Het was fantastisch om collega’s met dezelfde mindset te ontmoeten. We werden ondergedompeld in een hechte en warme gemeenschap en dat was voor ons heel bijzonder om te ervaren.”

Inholland University of Applied Sciences and AP University of Applied Sciences and Arts Antwerp have joined forces in a strategic partnership. On 2 December, Inholland Executive Board member Marije Deutekom and Pascale de Grote, General Director of AP, officially signed the agreement. 

Marije Deutekom: “We’re incredibly proud of this first strategic partnership with a university of applied sciences outside the Netherlands. Strong alliances are the future of European higher education.” 

Building a European education and research space 
International partnerships in higher education increase scale, enhance the quality and flexibility of education and research, and create opportunities for mobility, collaboration and shared resources. Marije: “Together, we’re contributing to a European education and knowledge space where students, lecturers and researchers can collaborate in meaningful ways.” 

A natural match 
Much like Inholland, AP has a strong practical focus. It offers a wide range of bachelor’s degrees, associate degrees and lifelong learning programmes. The short travel distance makes in-person collaboration easy and sustainable. On top of that, shared language and accreditation frameworks pave the way for smooth cooperation, while AP’s expertise in areas like digitalisation offers opportunities to strengthen our education and research. 

A future of shared ambitions 
“This partnership allows us to realise our ambitions,” says Marije. “We aim to strengthen our practice-based education and create more international opportunities for students and lecturers, particularly in terms of mobility and professional development.” 

The two institutions plan to jointly develop educational programmes and research projects and build an international network that evolves into a strong European consortium. As part of this, they’ll explore European and international funding opportunities and work towards an integrated approach to internationalisation. 

In 2026, the first steps will be taken to bring the partnership to life – with planned meetups for both education and research professionals.

By the end of 2025, it’s time: the Student Initiative Fund (SIF) of Inholland will celebrate its fifth anniversary, and we couldn’t be prouder! Over the years, SIF has grown into a fund that students still approach with great enthusiasm to bring their ideas to life. To celebrate this special milestone, we’ve recorded a special podcast (available in Dutch only) and are looking back on five initiatives that have stood out to us since the very beginning.

In this podcast, we shine the spotlight on two student employees involved in SIF and one initiator. Listen to the podcast here:

Our History
Five years ago, we established SIF with the goal of giving students more space to shape education according to their own ideas. From the start, students with good ideas to improve the quality of education could apply for funding: up to €10,000!

Over the past five years, we’ve seen countless ideas come to life: from small-scale projects to major collaborations across different study programs, locations, and companies. Each initiative was unique, and we continue to be amazed by the creativity students bring.

Initiatives Full of Inspiration
We’re happy to share five inspiring projects that have stayed with us over the years.

Reading Competition Pabo
We’re proud to have supported Pabo students in organizing a large-scale reading competition. During this project, students had the opportunity to actively engage with reading education. A unique workshop by children’s book author Mylo Freeman and her role as a jury member added extra sparkle to the event and brought great enthusiasm to everyone involved. With initiatives like this, we foster an active learning environment.

Development of a Wind Turbine in the Next Gen Project
The Next Gen project started with a simple question: how can engineering students make an impact in countries that haven’t yet advanced in renewable energy but have enormous potential? Students from Aeronautical engineering took on this challenge, working together to design an affordable and efficient wind turbine. We are proud to support these students and provide them the space to experiment outside the traditional curriculum with innovations that could eventually be applied worldwide.

Short Film Echo by Film Minor Students
With the production of the short film Echo, created by students during their film minor, we helped them take their project to a professional level. Thanks to our financial support, they were able to realize their ambitions from script to editing and premiere. Initiatives like these show how students can take charge of their own learning process and create something truly impressive.

Primary Education in Underprivileged Neighborhoods in Zanzibar
We are always eager to support students who apply their knowledge abroad. Pabo students traveled to Zanzibar (Tanzania) to teach English and organize a sports and play day at primary schools in underprivileged neighborhoods. To make these activities possible, we as a fund not only reimbursed the necessary materials but later also donated them to the schools. In this way, SIF directly contributes to sustainable improvements in education and the well-being of the children there—and we are more than just a fund for our own students.

Talking About Studying Without Limits
Studying Without Limits was the very first initiative we welcomed at SIF. The project brought together students with functional impairments in a community where they could find information, events, and peer support. Two successful online events hosted by Valerio Zeno gave students the chance to share their experiences and support one another, especially during tough times. Through this initiative, we as a fund support the development of learning communities*.

Fun fact: the initiator, Nina, has graduated and now works as a project leader at SIF, strengthening the fund and the team while helping to carry the mission forward.

On to the 10-Year Anniversary?
We’re looking forward to the next five years with great enthusiasm and can’t wait to realize even more wonderful initiatives together with our students! 

Follow us on Instagram to stay updated on the event and make sure you don’t miss anything from the SIF!

*During the COVID-19 period, SIF approved initiatives that fostered connection between students and the university. Curious about our current criteria? Click here.

Students from the Inholland programmes Business Innovation, Creative Business, and Applied Mathematics/Data Science claimed the top spot at the Emerging Technologies Olympiad 2025 in Hong Kong. “We proudly congratulate all students, lecturers, and coaches who contributed to this remarkable achievement.”

The event, organised by the Königsberger Bridges Institute, brought together more than forty international teams presenting innovative solutions using emerging technologies to address pressing social challenges. 

Three interdisciplinary Inholland teams 
Inholland was represented by three interdisciplinary teams: Betternative, Aithos, and HoloMed. The students combined their expertise in business, creativity, and technology to demonstrate how AI, XR, and machine learning can contribute to a more sustainable and socially responsible world. 

• Betternative won gold with a machine vision application that helps consumers make more sustainable clothing choices.
• Aithos earned bronze with an AI solution that builds data-driven marketing strategies within minutes.
• HoloMed received an Award of Merit for their immersive image-to-3D educational tool that enhances medical learning. 

“While all finalists presented technically impressive demos, our students stood out through a crystal-clear problem-solution fit and powerful storytelling,” said Inholland coach Richard John. 

Learning beyond borders
The students spent ten days in Hong Kong, collaborating with international peers and receiving valuable feedback from industry experts. In addition to the awards, they returned home with new insights, global connections, and a shared ambition to make technology more accessible and impactful.

Looking ahead
Within the Creative Business domain, Inholland continues to invest in education on emerging technologies, both locally and internationally. The next step is the Emerging Tech Minor, launching in February 2026.

Feel free to pass by the SSC anytime  
The SSC is the place for and by students at Inholland. The place where you can meet others, learn together and help each other. From fun activities like games, movie nights and sports, to good conversations with fellow students: at the SSC you are welcome as you are.  

Support by student buddies
Do you need support with your study planning or finding a good balance between study, work and private life? Our student buddies – trained fellow students – are happy to help you come up with solutions and offer practical assistance. 

Looking for a training or workshop?
Want to work on your study skills or professional development? You can turn to the SSC for that as well. Whether you want to learn to plan better, improve your language skills, or looking for help with your CV, a presentation or LinkedIn profile: we are here for you. 

Join one of our student communities
Would you like to connect with others who share your experiences? Join one of our student communities, such as for neurodiverse students, queer students, Surinamese and Caribbean students or international students. Here you will find a safe and familiar place where you can meet like-minded people, exchange experiences and support each other. 

More info and contact details: Iris knowledgebase 

Lucia Domingues Rosa (20) is a Creative Business student in Haarlem and is discovering various ways in which she can use her passion for film to promote self-acceptance and meaningful dialogue.

Searching with an open mind
‘I'm not an entrepreneur yet, but I am very enterprising. I am eager to learn and creative, and I am currently exploring what I enjoy doing. I take that exploration seriously, and it also requires perseverance to do it that way. When I work with other people, I like everyone to feel at ease. I do that, for example, by being as communicative as possible, but also by being ready to help others. Sometimes I go a bit overboard. Then I am so busy with others that my own work gets delayed. It is important to do something you enjoy, because then you are more motivated to work harder and you can deliver better quality. My search is characterized by my open mind. By looking further, you often see more things than you thought you would. My open mind allows me to see many opportunities for growth.’

Taking initiative opens doors
‘In the first year of my studies, I participated in Kunstbende, a competition for young creatives that provides a platform for their work. I submitted a short film and ended up taking second place. Even though I hesitated for a long time about whether to sign up, I don't regret it for a second. Thanks to this competition, I met lots of other people with the same interests and ended up in the creative sector. Exactly where I wanted to be.

Later, I saw a call for a project at a fort on Instagram. At first, I thought it was a scam because it was a completely new project that had never been done before. I was wrong. When the second call came out for young creatives who wanted to organize the AANGAAN 2.0 festival together, I was approached myself. How cool is that?

We locked ourselves in the fortress for four days with eight creators to make art around the theme of Light. In the end, all the results were shown during the festival and visitors could come and see them.

By seizing these different opportunities, which are outside my comfort zone, I am growing enormously. If you keep waiting, nothing will happen. No one will come to you on their own to ask you. You have to show initiative and make yourself visible. Then doors will open.

This summer I went to Italy for four weeks to attend a school for filmmakers. We immersed ourselves in all aspects of film and explore all the different roles. We made a short film as a group. This took us through the entire process of pre-production, production and post-production. We were taught by professionals from the industry. I had saved for this for a long time, had never lived on my own before and now spent a month in Italy with 20 strangers. Great, isn't it?'

Self-acceptance and daring to express yourself
‘My passion lies in making films or short videos that focus on people's stories. My goal is for viewers to be able to recognize themselves. It doesn't have to be true, but it does have to be realistic so that you can convey feelings. I hope that by watching my films, people will dare to open up more. That it can open up a dialogue and people can get to know each other on a deeper level. Self-acceptance and feeling comfortable enough to share are important pillars in my work.

A great example for me is Emma Branderhorst. She is a young director who always chooses to use a female protagonist. She became known to a wider audience through a national advertisement and is now on the rise. I had a short conversation with her and that really inspired me. I am now even more motivated to continue in film.’

You get more out of it when you step outside your comfort zone
‘At Start Up Campus Haarlem, I followed the Start programme and the Community programme. I meet lots of new people here and also learn about other sectors. It's great to see that there are other people who are ambitious to do more than just the standard stuff. It really complements my studies. 

SUCH offers me space to grow personally. I think it's so cool that this exists. It's a good and accessible way to do new things. If you can, I would say “go for it and take the workshops at SUCH!”. In any case, I advise everyone to just go for it and not sit around. You don't have to start big to be successful. You get more out of it when you step outside your comfort zone. Of course, sometimes there are things at school that are less fun. But then I get my energy from extracurricular activities and that way I enjoy my time at Inholland to the fullest.’

Over the coming months, more than 30 students from six different locations and more than fifteen different study programmes will be working on their own businesses at Start Up Campus Haarlem (SUCH).  Megan: ‘The programme tied in perfectly with what I was working on at the time. It was very educational and inspiring, but also extremely motivating. Brainstorming good ideas with other entrepreneurs and motivating each other to get started.’ 

SUCH is part of Inholland University of Applied Sciences and offers programmes alongside education. The students who participate consciously choose to invest in their own development as entrepreneurs and are often supported by their teachers. ‘We have a lot of different entrepreneurs together this semester. You can immediately see new collaborations emerging. That's so wonderful!’ – says SUCH community manager Jorien Stoop.   

Daan: ‘Great atmosphere, I learned a lot from the speakers who came to share their stories. The trainer was excellent and often contributed new ideas, and communication was clear and effective. I was also very happy with the composition of the group, which meant I learned a lot from my fellow SUCH students.’ 

This semester, the programme has been refreshed. There is a Start and a Growth programme. In the Start programme, Dutch and international students work together. In the Growth programme, students who already have paying customers work together.

MEET SUCH
‘We continue to do our best to introduce new people to Start Up Campus Haarlem. For example, a number of workshops have been made public through the MEET SUCH series. This allows students who are not yet ready to participate in a programme to still work on their entrepreneurial skills with us.’ 

The students will work with expert trainers in inspiring workshops, events, peer coaching and, above all, expanding their network. Lucia: ‘I really liked the atmosphere at SUCH. It has an open atmosphere, which makes it very accessible. The team behind SUCH is also very nice and open.’

In the coming months, SUCH will be sharing stories from entrepreneurial students, and you can follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn. 
 

Bob Scholten (20) is a Business Studies student in Haarlem and has set up his own car detailing company, ‘Bob Scholten detailing’. What started as a hobby has now grown into a business cleaning the most beautiful cars.

Don't take everything at face value
"I'm always curious about the why and how of things. How does it really work? Why do I have to do it this way? I don't just take something at face value, but always do my own research first. I do this by talking to various professionals, scouring the internet or watching YouTube tutorials."

"I started a car cleaning business and I use all kinds of chemicals for that. I don't just use them without thinking. I want to know everything about them first. Thinking logically gets you a long way, but many professionals also share their experiences on LinkedIn and Instagram. That helps enormously. In the beginning, I looked at different products and didn't consider biodegradability. But now I have products that work well, deliver results and are biodegradable. That's a win-win."

"Sustainable entrepreneurship is important, but as a beginner, it doesn't make sense to make more expensive investments in more sustainable options. I'm taking small steps and I'm proud of that.”

Can it be a little less?
“Entrepreneurship was instilled in me from an early age. I come from a family of entrepreneurs. Many of my friends also have parents who are entrepreneurs. I think that makes it easier to try it yourself."

"I don't just have any old car cleaning business. Detailing is really on another level. My customers are more likely to say “can you tone it down a bit” rather than “it needs to be better”. I make sure that cars are worth more once they've been through my treatment. A car wash sets the machines so that they use as little soap as possible. This increases the chance of dirt from other cars being transferred, which can cause scratches. With me, you get a specific pre-wash, so that as much dirt as possible is removed before I even touch the car. All corners are done with a brush and the interior is delivered in mint condition.”

Maintaining the value of cars
“My customers drive cars in the luxury segment. They appreciate that their cars are well maintained, as this preserves their value. I ensure that they enjoy every journey because their car is a place of peace and cleanliness."

"I visit most of my regular customers at home. My customers are even located in Almere. As a start-up, I am affordable, but I see a lot of potential in jobs such as polishing, coatings and deep cleaning. My ambition is to be able to add various specialities to my range of services. Such as applying film. This protects you against stone chips. I need to take a course for this and invest in machines, rollers and software. I still need to save up for that."

"I get a lot of customers through word of mouth. I see that as a good sign, because customers recommend me. I hope they find my services professional and that they also appreciate my optimistic character. I like to chat and share interesting facts about their cars. If they are considering buying a new car, I am happy to help them make a decision. I have now gained a lot of knowledge in this higher segment."

"Before the summer, I started another business in selling car cleaning products and accessories. So now we sell the chemicals I use for my customers as our own product line under the trade name Glozz.”

It's not always about money
“At SUCH, I followed both the start-up programme and the community programme. These programmes help me to take a step back and look at my business from a helicopter view. Sometimes I get so absorbed in my work that I forget to do that. My participation adds a lot of value to my study time. That's why I chose to study at Inholland, because Start Up Campus Haarlem is part of it. The added value of the group of entrepreneurs, the various workshops and a place where you can develop yourself further are worth their weight in gold to me."

"I learn a lot from the other entrepreneurs in the group, but many of my customers are also entrepreneurs."

"That's what I would always advise others to do. Talk about your ideas with others. You can learn from that. And just get started. Don't overthink it. Most people at school are still young, so what is learnt in the cradle is carried to the grave. And I always think: it's not always about money. Do it out of passion. You have a bigger purpose in life. No one wants to be the 50-year-old man without a wife and children in a Ferrari. So do what you enjoy and go for it!”

Susanna Appelman (23) is an International Creative Business student in Haarlem. She moved from China to the Netherlands and works on her business which helps organizations with cross border marketing between China and Europe.

Gap to my goals
I’m always on the look, seeking for new things and improving myself. People will put me as flexible, helpful and willing to learn. Even though I enjoy trying new things and I’m not afraid of challenges, I often feel like what I do is never quite good enough. People tell me I’m doing great, but I set the bar high for myself. That pressure pushes me to keep learning and improving, and it’s also why I always feel there is a gap between where I am and where I want to be. I’m a fast learner and have passion for a variety of things. For example, during my minor in Digital Marketing I developed a strong interest in tech, which opened up new perspectives beyond my main studies. In China, people recognize me more for my artistic side, while in the Netherlands I’m seen from a more business-oriented perspective. That’s why I chose an internship in Ecommerce, so my art and excel-mind goes hand in hand.

I know both worlds
I liked it so much, that I start working on the idea of starting my own creative agency in cross-border marketing between China and Europe. My ideal clients are companies looking to enter each other’s markets. I can help them set up their operations in the local context because I not only speak the language, but I’m also familiar with both cultures and how business is done in each.  In China we work with a completely different digital environment, some markets can only be set up with a Chinese ID. I can fix that with my local networks. That’s the benefit of knowing both worlds.

Finding first clients
I didn’t find that many competitors to be honest. And I do notice that companies missing opportunities because they think this cross-border execution is too complicated. That’s where I came in. But since I’m new on the market, I need to convince my first clients to proof my added value in their business. That’s probably the hardest part of starting your own business, finding the first clients. Once they worked with me, I hope they’ll also experience my qualities as good communication, flexibility and creative ways of problem solving.

People often see me as a sweet person, but I can be surprisingly direct when needed. That usually catches people off guard. The same goes for my artistic side, many don’t expect it. Fun fact: I’ve studied piano for years and hold a high-level certification, used to be a pianist in five-star hotels, and have created art my whole life. Music and art have shaped how I think, how I express, connect, and communicate. They influence how I approach storytelling in branding, adding depth and emotion to my work. For me, creativity and strategy aren’t separate, they’re two sides of the same coin. That’s exactly where my art and Excel-mind come together.

Test ideas with like-minded people
The last year I joined the Start and the Community programme of SUCH. For me, as an introverted person, I didn’t know what my goal was in the beginning. But being surrounded by all these motivated young people, helped me a lot with it. What stood out most to me was the community manager - Jorien. She genuinely remembers the participants and always keeps us in mind when opportunities come up. She's constantly looking for ways to build meaningful connections that are helpful and interesting for everyone involved. That personal attention made the experience feel truly supportive.

Now I know, I’m not alone. The sense of community was really great. Also, the different workshops gave us the opportunity to experience a lot of things in a short time. During the workshop you could easily test your ideas with like-minded people. The fresh perspectives were a welcoming alternation after four years of school. SUCH is different than what we learn at our courses.

To students who are considering starting their own business, I would say: go to try! You need to fail, before you actually know what you are doing. See it as an iterative process. Sometimes you will start with an idea and end up with something totally different. Just start, go out there and check it out!

Leeroy Zschuschen (20) is an E-music student at the Conservatorium in Haarlem and is an artist under the name Rey and runs his own event company Groovv.

If I really want something, I just can't do it halfway
‘I like to work hard. Just trying things out, not being afraid to make mistakes and going down on myself. For me, hard work means working long days, doing a lot of effective work, not hanging around and if you don't want to anymore, keep going anyway. I am a quick and creative thinker. Whether everyone can keep up with me? Sometimes not. In the beginning, I used to get frustrated about that, but now I have learned to deal with that. I just have a different work pace and that's fine, I allow everyone to work and learn at their pace.

If I really want something, I just can't do it halfway. Unfortunately, that often comes at the expense of seeing friends, free time and my health. With the right help, I now have a better understanding of how to dose my energy. You can't peak all the time.’

We want to get rid of the ‘headline culture’
‘I am a performing artist and have my own event company. Under my own alias, Rey, I perform and release records.

I also started the event company Groovv with a friend. With this, we really want to make a difference in the current event industry. We want to get rid of the ‘headline culture’. Groovv should become a travelling event where the art of the evening is not formed around the DJ or the venue. Everything should revolve around the audience. The experience of the event revolves around them, the people you met, with whom you danced and with whom you saw the night become day. We clearly choose a sound, though. Latin Tech. That sound has so much future. We've already had two editions on the IJ and at Club Atelier in Amsterdam. The concept is far from figured out, but the drive is there. That's the starting point.’

I dream bigger and want to show that it can be done
‘I am an ambitious guy. Being busy with music gives me satisfaction. My dot on the horizon? A Ziggo Dome show of my own. Of course my parents are also proud when I get booked at the pub around the corner, but I dream bigger and also want to show them that it can be done.

'Now you see that people only come to parties when there are big names, but that does not at all mean that something is good. You notice that artists also get booked more often if they have a lot of social following. In the end, it's all about selling tickets now.'

‘Imagine if the focus was no longer on the DJs but on the audience and the atmosphere, then I believe something could really change in the event industry. And that change is needed.’

'I hope that visitors are really touched by music or an event. That they start looking at life differently or that you can make them experience something unique. We have so many social issues right now. Music and events also have a role to play in that. That's why I'm also using the next four years to explore how to convey a bigger message as an artist.’

Confidence in your own development
‘Starting in September, I joined SUCH's Growth programme. That was really super valuable and fun. Apart from gaining a lot of information and insights, you also expand your network. You also learn a lot from others. Musicians generally hope that one day they will be discovered and then they will ‘naturally’ sell. But I have now become acutely aware that this is not how it works.

To others considering entrepreneurship, I would say: start by putting everything on paper. Not an elaborate plan, but first get your ideas out of your head. Then approach people in your network who have something to do with your plan and ask if they want to do something together. Also try to think about what you think about things yourself. Have faith in your own development, you don't know everything right away, it will come. Now that I have been at it long enough, I am finally starting to feel the first consequences of my initial choices. That is wonderful to be able to experience. So don't keep dreaming, get going!’

Last Monday evening, five promising DJs, all students from The Hague, gave their best show at the Paardcafé for the audience and a professional jury, including programmers from event venues and organizers such as Paard, Danzig, Clubhopping, and Stappen in The Hague. Ikram participated in the DJ Contest last year but was not chosen at that time. This year, she delivered a performance that blew everyone away!

Unique style that crosses cultural boundaries
Ikram, born in Madrid and of Moroccan descent, grew up with electronic beats, Arabic music from her mother, and Latin rhythms, which sparked her love for diverse music styles. A trip to underground raves in Germany strengthened her connection to music and laid the foundation for her own unique style. Her sound is a fusion of influences that crosses cultural boundaries.

Festival performances
In the coming months, you can see Ikram performing at various festivals in The Hague, including the Liberation Festival on May 5th at the Malieveld, where she will perform on the Sena Performers Stage (18.45) . The other finalists, including another Inholland student (Kevin Sewnarain), will perform at the Liberation Festival on the HI The Hague Student Experience.

Mark Ommert, alumnus and former colleague of the Aeronautical Engineering programme at Inholland University of Applied Sciences Delft, has been nominated for the prestigious Prins Friso Ingenieursprijs. Meanwhile, he is even one of the three finalists. This prize, awarded by the Royal Institute of Engineers (KIVI), is intended for engineers whose innovative work makes a significant contribution to both their profession and society.

An impressive career
Mark is still young but already has a multifaceted career behind him. Immediately after his studies, he gained valuable experience at sustainable aviation startups and played a key role in the development of the electric Dragonfly by Inholland. His experience is broad: from structural design and aeroelasticity to electric propulsion systems for aircraft. As co-founder and Engineering Manager of the Inholland Electric Flight Lab, Mark has made a crucial contribution to the development of electric aircraft. Over the past five years, he has worked closely with more than 200 students and teachers from Inholland Delft on innovative research and education for sustainable aviation. His work is bringing the certification and market introduction of sustainable aviation technology ever closer.

Towards sustainable aviation
Mark currently works as Project Manager at the Netherlands Aerospace Group (NAG), where the Dutch ecosystem is helping in the transition to sustainable aviation. Because, as Mark himself says: ‘We really need to start flying more quietly and cleaner.’ His mission is clear: to inspire young engineers, strengthen industry cooperation and bring innovative technologies to market faster. His work has contributed to greater recognition for sustainability initiatives in aviation. He has also connected knowledge, promoted cooperation and helped position the Dutch ecosystem within the international aviation sector. Think industry, knowledge and educational institutions and government. As aviation is international, it is crucial to position the Dutch ecosystem globally to achieve societal impact, including more earning power and jobs for the Netherlands.

Yenny Das (27) is a Tourism Management student in Amsterdam and is working on her entrepreneurial dream: a bed and breakfast in Bali.

Expressing desires and boundaries is very healthy
“If I think about something, and I want it very badly, I will do everything to get it. In this, I am very enterprising, creative and determined. Maybe sometimes I come across as a tad cheeky because I ask questions that others are afraid to ask. But it has only brought me benefits so far. For my graduation project, I called a real estate company and asked for construction drawings of a villa in Bali for my prototype, which I then simply got sent, and during my internship I asked for extra responsibilities because I was working below my level. And I got those too. In the hospitality world, it is important to be service-oriented, but that does not mean you always have to please. My father taught me to set my boundaries. He showed that it was just right to express yourself if you disagree with something. I am grateful that I got that skill from him. It is very healthy to be able to express your wishes but also your limits.”

Doing everything to make other people happy
“My dream is to emigrate and start my own bed and breakfast in Bali and then expand on Lombok and Java. I was born in Indonesia. Our culture is very service-oriented and we are not used to express emotions. Maybe that's why hospitality suits me so well. I want to do everything to make other people happy, but I prefer not to be in the foreground."

"I feel a huge connection with the country. With everything I will do there, I want locals to benefit. So I choose local furniture makers, workers and locally produced food. I noticed that many foreign investors see a market in Indonesia, but the government has arranged something very nice. Namely that you can only buy land with an Indonesian passport. That way they keep control of their own land. My mother has that passport and would therefore be able to buy a piece of land. The building that comes on it may then be in my name.”

Guests contribute to local population
“The population is very poor. If you see what property owners earn now, it is so out of proportion to what workers get from this. I want to change that so that all parties benefit. I also want to donate 1-2% of the turnover to charity. The guests of my b&b can indicate in advance which charity their money should go to. This also makes my guests feel good and valuable about their stay. Ideally, I would like returning guests. That's the best compliment because it means they had a nice stay and want it again. Hospitality is very important to me. I also hope they feel that their visit contributes to the development of the population and we can learn from each other.”

Money is not the main goal
“Since September 2024, I have been participating in the Start programme of Start Up Campus Haarlem. You immediately get motivated when you enter. I really enjoy hearing all the stories of others. Everyone helps each other out with different perspectives and knowledge. That is very valuable."

"My advice to other students is, do something you are 200% committed to. Money is not the main goal. I would rather earn less money and have a great time, than the other way around. It is also important to gather the right people around you. I am lucky with my mother and the people at SUCH. But I also have teacher Karen van Wermeskerken-den Boer, for instance, who supports me tremendously. At first, I was on a different course with my thesis. Then she said ‘Yenny, do you really want this? Your heart is in a different place, isn't it?' And she was right. My heart is in Indonesia and with the locals. That was my wake-up call and now I am doing something that makes me much happier.”

Lukas Warnecke (21) is an Information Technology student in Haarlem. He moved from Germany to the Netherlands and works on his own start-up which helps tenants check their rental contracts via AI.

New challenges make my energy more flowing
“I would say, I’m a team player. I like working with people, having different tasks and new people around me. New challenges make my energy more flowing than when I do repetitive stuff. Also working in a group, where we can discuss ideas, makes it more fun for me."

“When I enter a room I like to go to people and talk to them. I ask a lot of questions and also share my ideas with them. Other perspectives give me valuable insights.”

"After my high school I started working at a marketing agency and later I decided to go travel and have seen many beautiful places in the world. But, a bit surprising maybe, the USA catches me the most even I know that this country is far from perfect. Their view on innovation is very unique and so different comparing Germany for example. You see, for almost every future problem there are technical people needed. If you make use of it in the right way, it will speed up innovation in a variety of fields.”

AI will democratize a lot of things
“When I worked in the marketing agency, I liked working with the people. But the work itself wasn’t fulfilling enough. I want to work with real problems that could help people. On a personal level."

“I’m working on a start up idea which is a chatbot for Dutch law where people can upload their rental and tenancy agreements for a check if the landlord is violating.”

“And if AI find some violating, it can create a letter that is signed by a lawyer and can be sent from the customer to the landlord and the huurcommissie. So it can help you get rent lowering or get stuff fixed in your house faster.”

"Most people that have troubles with their landlords or general with the law, don’t actually make use of their rights because it’s time consuming and costly to have an advocate working for you. People get annoyed by that, so that makes it a real problem for me to solve. For example my solution is able to scan a lot of text in just a few seconds. So we can decrease the amount of time and put that into the solution. I want to focus on tenancy law at the beginning and then expand into more areas. At the end I think that AI will democratize a lot of stuff and law is just one of them.”

Making law accessible
"I want to make the law more accessible to people that don't have the financial abilities to pay for a lawyer. No cure no pay. That’s an important starting point for me. To build and execute my idea I need on the lookout for like-minded partners. In the beginning mostly technical people who can build and train the chatbot. But definitely I need to reach out to lawyers to discuss the idea and discover how it can also benefit their work. I need to get a team together who is also convinced about the idea of democratizing law and especially that large language model in law will be huge. If they are convinced about that, and committed to work on the solution, then I like to onboard them.”

Start prototyping
“I joined the Start program of Start Up Campus Haarlem since September. Being surrounded by others who are developing an idea is valuable. This combined with the different workshops given by experts is very nice. I learned that my idea is full with assumptions. It’s good to know different ways to validate your ideas. Recently I joined the Inholland Pitch Battle, which was organized in Amsterdam. I got the opportunity to join because I’m a participant of SUCH. These benefits are useful as a student, especially as an international student like me."

“If you are walking around with an business idea in your mind, I would say: go to SUCH! You’ll find different ideas, people, industries and studies combined in one room. Basically it comes down to networking. During the pitch battle I came across a girl from a different school and she told me she knows somebody in law but who is also interested in technology. She suggested to introduce me. You see, if I didn’t decide to join the pitch battle, this opportunity would have never crossed my path.”

"In tech I’ve noticed that if you go to an event, having a working prototype is key. If you can show things, then you have real stuff to talk about and that will help to get things rolling. So start prototyping.”

Societal challenges require interdisciplinary collaboration and this was the aim of the Erasmus plus Blended Intensive programme, Regenerative Cultural Practices that Inholland university, Creative Business, organized in Ercolano, Southern Italy this autumn. Approximately 60 Students of tourism, social work, landscape architecture, business communication and even biology - from four universities across Europe, came together to work on sustainable tourism in Ercolano, a poor suburb of Naples.

In post-industrial settings such as the metropole area Naples, tourism can offer a pathway to development, that is to say; if the pitfalls of unsustainable urban governance can be avoided (Horgan and Koens, 2024). Stimulating dialogue between students and local communities encourages the identification of solutions that meet the unique needs of the area, exposing students to understand how regenerative cultural heritage management can promote alternative pathways for development (Gerritsma and Horgan, 2024).

Ercolano has a lot to offer in terms of natural and cultural heritage, only the local community doesn’t always profit from this and (hence) they don’t feel ownership. The management of this heritage is in the hands of a small group of people and they struggle to identify ways to give the heritage “back to the community”. Seeking new perspectives, students were invited to work on a set of concepts that can improve quality of life and place, working closely with local civil society organisations.

The collaboration between various disciplines, various academic levels and above all; different cultures was quite the challenge for the students. They really needed time to get to know each-other and understand each-other, while they were under pressure to develop a prototype within a few days.

But eventually this discomfort brought personal growth and the embracement of change. If we want to educate our students to be changemakers, it means we have to keep training them in these situations.

Eventually the students got to present their designs to a group of local stakeholders and experts in the field of cultural heritage and they were surprised by the creativity and freshness of the ideas of the students.

This project eventually allowed a deeper understanding of the meaning of resilience, because it didn’t just focus on resilience of the local community, but also created resilience in the team of students and teachers.

This BIP was the highlight of the collaboration of a few months of collaboration between Inholland University, the university of Naples, Federico II, Munster Technological university and Vilnius Technical University, together with the local partner; the social enterprise “Variabile K”. What emerged is an intensive, interdisciplinary programme combining online masterclasses with practical experience in the field.

The Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) model allows for short, intensive programmes leveraging innovative ways of learning and teaching, in hybrid settings. Enabling new and more flexible mobility formats, BIPs can open up student mobility to all backgrounds, study fields and cycles. Besides, it is a great way to stimulate collaboration, between the domains from Inholland. Teachers from TOI and GSW joined the colleagues from CRB to develop, teach and evaluate this project. The next edition will be hosted by the domain of TOI and it will be called “Regenerative placemaking, the power of Nature” focussing on renewable energy eco-systems.

<sub>Gerritsma, R., & Horgan, D. (2024). De Urban Leisure and Tourism Labs als broedplaatsen voor interventies op het gebied van duurzaam toerisme: het delen van inzichten vanuit onderwijskundig onderzoeksperspectief op regeneratieve placemaking in Amsterdam en Rotterdam. Toeristische interventies, 129-140.

Koens, K., Stompff, G., Vervloed, J., Gerritsma, R., & Horgan, D. (2024). Hoe diep is uw lab? Inzicht in de mogelijkheden en beperkingen van living labs in het toerisme. Tijdschrift voor Destination Marketing & Management, 32, 100893.</sub>

Megan Lips (20) is a Creative Business student in Rotterdam and started her own marketing & social media company FocusWorx.

Challenging myself to go out of my comfort zone
“I am a social and hardworking entrepreneur. If I have an idea, I want to do it right away. True, I am also a bit impatient but my impatience helps me to act quickly and seize opportunities. By challenging myself to go out of my comfort zone, I grow."

“I like to work with clients in a personal way. This allows me to listen and think along with them. Together we discover what the client is up against and how I can complement that. When I walk in somewhere, they experience it as refreshing. I may be young, but I've been making videos since I was 8 years old and have spent more hours in social media than many others. Being creative is just in me!”

"That's why Creative Business is such a good fit for me. Before this I did the vwo, but I shouldn't think about sitting in theory all day. I'm really in the right place now.”

Focus for the best results
“My company FocusWorx is an online marketing company specializing in social media. By engaging with my clients, we identify the best opportunities. Maybe social media is not always the best option. The name says it all, focus works. I let my clients do what they are good at and I relieve them of online marketing. That way we both focus on what we are good at and get the best results."

“At the moment I help a variety of companies. What I notice is that I like it when a company bring people together. That there is a movement or if a company dares to do something different. That's where I come into my own with refreshing and creative ideas. My approach is really hands-on. If they engage with me, I arrange everything from a to z.”

"Think photography, content creation of visuals, short films or reels, for example. I can also take over the entire social media management, in which case I create a social media calendar and make sure everything is scheduled on the right day and time. I prefer to create content that creates organic growth, but sometimes you just need an extra boost through ads. I can set that up as well so it really is a total package.”

There is always a way that works
“When clients have worked with me, I hope they are proud of how their business is presented online and also that it was beyond expectations. I always try to exceed expectations. If you can achieve measurable and visible results for a client, I get extra motivated by that. For a local dance school, I made a video series to recruit new members. When this actually happened, of course I really enjoyed it. That's exactly what I do it for."

"What I do is longer-term focused, I often have to tell myself that. If there are no immediate results, I don't want to get frustrated but I'm nonstop investigating what the cause might be. There is always a way that works. I keep going until it works.”

SUCH is really worth the travel time
“Since September I have been participating in the Growth program at Start Up Campus Haarlem. I am doing an internship at my own company and this is really a perfect combination. I was tipped off to SUCH by internship supervisor Wim Jagtenberg. He said 'this is really something for you' and I am so glad he said that. At SUCH I find exactly what I need. In the group are all other young entrepreneurs and we set goals together. The atmosphere is super fun and everyone thinks with each other. For example, I recently did a photo shoot for JumboGym, a company owned by other entrepreneurs in the group. It's valuable to spend a few hours every month with other young entrepreneurs. Everyone brings a different perspective and experience. SUCH is really worth the travel time.”

You have to work hard for it though
“If you stay in your head too much, an idea won't get off the ground. For me, it started when I read Michael Pilarczyk's book Master Your Mindset. If you want something really badly, it will work out. But you have to work hard for it. 

"It's very exciting outside your comfort zone, but that's the only way to grow and make steps. I created my own reflection canvas. There I wrote down my annual and monthly goals and I check where I am each week. That way I know exactly what I have accomplished, learned and am grateful for this month. By making more conscious choices, I am literally moving forward in my life.”

Nuno Bastos Martins (25) is an International Creative Business student in Haarlem and moved from Portugal to the Netherlands. He started his own video production company to create promotional content for hotels.

Actions speak louder than words
“I come from an entrepreneurial family. My parents started and owned different kinds of businesses like restaurants and furniture shops. As a kid, I was always around and observed their behavior. But also helping by serving food and coffee at the tables. I loved it.

I would describe myself as hardworking, ambitious and honest. In a team I always try to bring my ideas and creativity. I see the client’s side so we can try to exceed their expectations. In a team I’m mostly the one taking the step forward and taking initiative to start something. I like to be in control of my own time and income. Starting my own business was just one step away, and an easy one to make. Sometimes I find it hard to give control in, when I can do it myself as well. It takes an effort to get me comfortable in that position. And in that case, actions speak louder than words. With my business I want to achieve the highest quality content and that comes with reliable and effective behavior of myself and people I work with.”

It’s all about connections
“I started my own video production company where I create high quality promotional content for mainly hotels. There is a lot of competition in our market. If you want to stand out, you need to specialize yourself and build a strong portfolio. I choose hotels. It’s a market that allows me to travel as well. Travelling is one of my passions. So, hotels from all over the world can fly me in, let me stay in their hotels and I take care of the best shots possible. Hotels need content the year round, so that gives me a lot of opportunities to travel among all the seasons. One of my last shoots was in Czech Republic where I shot short term rental apartments. It was a really nice experience, and the client was satisfied with the results. That’s the most important.

To enter a market, it’s all about connections. I have a couple of connections in Portugal, Luxembourg and Czech Republic. So, I started to focus on the countries where I already have a network. But since I live in the Netherlands, I would love to have a few good entry points here as well. How I’m approaching the market? Find some hotels with a need of better content, set my portfolio, send some e-mails, call them and go there.”

Admit your errors and take responsibility for it
“As a videographer I hope that my customers experience a sense of partnership. Once they worked with me, and they started seeing me as a partner from their hotel. Of course, I want to deliver high quality products and being able to tell their story that is emotionally impactful. If the client is proud of the final product and confident that working with me was the right decision, I did a good job. Hopefully they recognize my values: Hardworking, ambitious and honest. Sometimes there are unforeseen circumstances where you need to deal with. I would say: admit your errors and take responsibility for it. Don’t underestimate honesty if you want to build true partnerships.

If people say that they can count on me, anytime, and I went beyond their expectations with the results, I’m happy.”

No rush, do your research and pay your taxes
“I joined the Start program of Start Up Campus Haarlem. It helped me to understand how the Dutch business market works and how the business culture is different from other countries. It also helps me to verify some misinformation. After the program I’m sure of my step that opening my own business was the right one and I’m doing it with the right information.

Being in an environment with other people that also want to start is really motivating. I saw so many creative ideas. I didn’t feel so afraid of starting because I saw also other people starting at the same level and sharing their experiences.

My advice to other entrepreneurial students would be: no rush, do your research and pay your taxes. Just pay it and don’t run away from it. I heard many people have financial problems due to it. Prevent this for yourself. If you are serious about your business, make your business your priority. Make time for it and above all, enjoy it. Enjoy the ride and have fun with it as well.”

Derrick Kammeron (42) is a Communication student in Amsterdam, moved from Suriname to the Netherlands two years ago and is now setting up his own Media and Communication agency. 

Driven and creative mind
“I see myself as a driven and creative mind who makes purposeful choices to bring myself and teams to a higher level. I love to support people and am very empathetic. Empathy helps with good collaboration. When I enter somewhere, I start by observing. This is my way of gaining people skills. After that, I know exactly how to cooperate. I have the ability to assess others' feelings well. Usually my coming into a team leads to better cooperation. I don't want to dwell on things for too long and look for things I can do. There has to be movement. My creativity drives me in this, sitting still is not an option for me. Where it stops, I push boundaries and go further.” 

The story has to impress 
“That's why I started my own Media and Communications agency. I would like to work business to business to support organizations in the field of communication. I can do this in two ways. With a good communication and content strategy for brand awareness or a good campaign, for example. But I am also a video and photographer. I make videos and photos with a unique story where there is room for emotion and growth. The story has to impress. So not a boring corporate or promo video, but something that really sticks.” 

Can you read my mind? 
“In Suriname I worked in television for eight years from video editor to programmer. In 2010, I switched to the government. In the Surinamese government, I contributed to the innovation of government communications. I was also behind the creation of the National Information Institute which I co-managed. In 2022, I left for the Netherlands. I gained practical experience in Suriname and now I am studying here to develop my strategic skills even more. So that soon I will have a complete offer in my Media and Communication agency. My previous work experience helps me with this. I take more time for the deeper layer in a story. I am not a screamer. I listen, observe and consult. Afterwards, I often hear “Can you read my mind? This is exactly what I had in my head'. Then I know: we have a match!” 

Build relevant portfolio while studying 
“For a school project 'Children's Resistance and Friendship' we were asked to create and execute a communication strategy around an event. I also made an after movie. I consciously choose school projects that also tie in with my business. We are currently making an advisory report and accompanying corporate story for an eco-holiday destination in Suriname to attract more Dutch visitors. Thus, I am already working on a relevant portfolio and focused practical experience. 

I am also part of SUHolland, a community of students with Surinamese roots studying at Inholland. For this community, I want to produce a documentary about the student life of Surinamese students. Recently we met the district chairman of Amsterdam Southeast and I also made a video of that. These are great opportunities, which I approach with both hands.” 

Turn your talent into your business 
“In February 2024 I started at Start Up Campus Haarlem. Because of the program I now know where to start, how to turn my idea into a business model and what values are important to me. Doing business in the Netherlands is new to me. It is a unique opportunity and I love participating. My advice to other students who want to do business? Try to make your talent your business. If you have passion for something, you'll find that it goes much easier and that money is not the driving force. I feel more comfortable with people who are happy and proud of my work, rather than what they paid for me.” 

I prove it will work 
“I want to gain enough experience in the Netherlands so that when I go back to Suriname, I can make an impact there. I came here to investigate what needs to be different in Suriname, in terms of communication. I found that answer during my studies. So you have to base everything on research. Measuring is knowing. You have to do a lot of testing and ask for feedback. That's also going to help with politics. What do people want?  What are they sitting on? What's going on in their minds? That's the foundation. And from there you tune your communication. Then you start noticing a different movement at the political level as well. Because you respond to people's needs. I'm so convinced. Give me a team and I'll prove that it's going to work!” 

For the next five months, more than 40 students from five different locations and more than fourteen different courses will work on their own business at Start Up Campus Haarlem (SUCH). 

SUCH is part of Inholland University of Applied Sciences and offers extracurricular programs. The students who participate consciously choose to invest in their own development as entrepreneurs and receive support from their teachers. “It's great to see how the interaction is becoming stronger and stronger. As Inholland, we really offer a total package for entrepreneurship,” says SUCH community manager Jorien Stoop. 

In addition to the Dutch-language start-up and growth program, SUCH also offers an English-language start-up program. Because international students can't wait to start their own business.  

“We continue to do our best to involve our former participants. We regularly organize events or extra workshops that are accessible to everyone in our community. It is really fantastic to see that the more advanced entrepreneurs can help the newcomers get started again.” says Jorien. “Over the next five months we will be working on for example startups in digital services, fashion and the construction of gardens. Beautiful, right?” 

The students work with expert trainers in inspiring workshops, events, peer coaching and, above all, expanding their network. 

In the coming months, SUCH will be sharing stories from entrepreneurial students. You can follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn. 

Do you also want to start or grow your business? Please sign up for our waiting list and enroll in our program in February 2025 by emailing startupcampus@inholland.nl. 

It has already been a year since the world was shaken by a surge of violence in Israel and the Gaza Strip. Since then, tensions in the Middle East seem to have escalated, with the recent conflict involving Israel, Lebanon, and Iran. The war in Ukraine also remains ongoing. As many as one in six people in the world live in an area affected by armed conflict. Disturbing images from war-torn and conflict-ridden countries are constantly in the news. Moreover, fears of terrorist attacks are growing, and we see increasing polarisation in society. 

“It feels like we can no longer recognise the world around us. This sense of alienation, hardening, and polarisation, which inevitably makes its way into our educational institutions, affects me deeply,” says Bart Combee, Chairman of the Executive Board of Inholland. “I see concerns and frustrations around me – among students, colleagues, and my personal circle. For some of us, these concerns are very real and close, as they, their family, or friends are directly involved in one of the global conflicts. For others, it evokes feelings of not being heard or treated equally in our own country, along with all the pain that accompanies it.”  

We understand very well that, as a student or colleague, you may feel deeply affected by such events and developments – especially if you have family or friends in the affected areas or are worried about the future. Know that, as a university of applied sciences, we aim to provide a space where you feel safe and supported. A place where you are encouraged to talk about your feelings with fellow students, colleagues, or a student counsellor. We are here for all students and colleagues from the affected regions, whether from Israel, the Palestinian territories, or other conflict areas. Inholland offers individual support wherever possible. Colleagues can also reach out to their supervisor or confidential adviser. The Integrated Safety Department and safety coordinators can provide additional support. 

‘Keep the Conversation Going’ 
Bart Combee: “Keep the conversation going with one another. Today, more than ever, these conversations are essential, even if they might evoke feelings of pain, discomfort, or sadness. I want to emphasise once again that, here at Inholland, there is room for respectful dialogue and the sharing of different viewpoints. Now is the time to remain open to others' perspectives and reflect on how you engage with them. I encourage everyone to keep talking to each other while always showing respect for different perspectives. This is a responsibility we all share as an educational institution.” 

On Thursday 17 October from 14.00 to 15.00 (CET), there will be an opportunity to join an online conversation with the Executive Board on this topic. You can sign up here. Teachers can also request support and advice from our Diversity and Inclusion Taskforce or the Research Group on Diversity Issues. 

In addition, there are guidelines available for teachers on how to facilitate discussions on controversial and emotional matters, including general topics (Dutch guidelines/English guidelines) and specifically on Israel and Palestine. 

Kosisochukwu Ozougwu (23) is an Information Technology student in Haarlem who moved from Nigeria to Ukraine to study medicines. Due to the war, she ended up in the Netherlands. Now she starts her own baking company with authentic pastries.

Keep on looking at the bigger picture
“As a young professional, I embody enthusiasm, adaptability, and a relentless pursuit of learning. I thrive on challenging myself and venturing into uncharted territory. My journey began in Nigeria, where I got the opportunity to study medicine in Ukraine—an opportunity I embraced wholeheartedly."

"However, life took an unexpected turn due to the war, altering my plans. Undeterred, I made the decision to relocate to the Netherlands. Adaptability became my ally as I persevered through changing circumstances. Whether as a young professional or a student, I remain resilient, always keeping the bigger picture in mind. Success hinges on the ideas I aspire to achieve through my business and life endeavors. Learning, I've discovered, extends far beyond formal education. It encompasses self-education, life experiences, and even Bible studies. These diverse sources have enriched my understanding and shaped my path forward.”

Add something different to the table
“I’m on a journey to start a company that combines my passion and hobbies. The passion for baking and cooking has been something that has been going around in my family for a long time. I got the opportunity to travel to different countries and have been tasting different pastries. It didn’t give me the authentic flavor of how I’m used to from my country. Not saying that the pastries here are not good, but I just want to offer and add something different to the table."

"So, I started experimenting with infusing cultural flavors and innovative techniques. I make muffins, cookies, samosas, minced pies, banana bread and carrot cake. I’ve noticed that most people suffer from a lot of sickness because of the things they eat and their eating habits. As a fitness enthusiast, I make sure that all my products are made with high-quality ingredients. I prioritize wholesome, high-quality components to ensure the pastries are not only delicious but also nourishing. While I’m also exploring vegan alternatives because I’ve seen a growing demand for plant-based options.”

No matter how small, just start
“Starting my own business had always been a dream for me. I never got the opportunity to start it because I wanted to know more about entrepreneurship and finance. Through Inholland, I stumbled upon an advertisement regarding the Start Up Campus Haarlem. With the many experiences and different adventures life has thrown at me. I decided to take the risk to join. First and foremost, starting my own business helps me to make an impact (unique offerings). Secondly for flexibility and independence. Through my food, I’m able to unite different cultures and to inspire other young entrepreneurs who are looking to start something different. Even in the smallest Idea, believe in the unique value you can bring to the world, validate it, and gradually build upon it.”

Make people feel seen and appreciated
“When customers engage with me, I hope they perceive authenticity and craftsmanship. I want them to taste, experience, and savor the care, skill, and passion that go into each creation. By letting my creations speak, I aim to demonstrate my authenticity and reliability. As Maya Angelou (writer and civil rights activist) wisely said, ‘People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.’ In my customer relationships, I strive to make people feel seen and appreciated. My desire to help others also stems from my Christian beliefs."

"In addition to running my baking company, I organize live faith discussion events for young adults and women. We explore themes relevant to our generation, including religion, science, technology, relationships, love, emotional intelligence, and mental health. I firmly believe that God works through human beings to assist others, motivating me to extend help wherever I can.”

Success is not final and failure is not fatal
"I enrolled in the Start programme at Start Up Campus Haarlem in February 2024. SUCH provided a platform where I learned about business ethics and behavior in the Netherlands, enhancing my cultural fluency and communication skills. Handling finances, optimizing resources, and making informed decisions can be challenging for young people, but SUCH helped me navigate these areas.

Entrepreneurship begins with a vision—an idea or dream. My advice to fellow students is to believe in their vision, start Small, dream big and learn from their failures, and finally network and collaborate. Additionally, starting small while dreaming big is essential.

Life’s rewards often require persistence through obstacles. Success isn’t final, and failure isn’t fatal—it’s the courage to continue that truly matters."

Justin Buscher is a Food Commerce & Technology student at Inholland University of Applied Sciences in Amsterdam and is now graduating with his own company WheyFreeze. With which he markets a delicious and responsible protein-rich water ice cream.

Getting straight to work
“I am an enthusiastic entrepreneur with a focus on nutrition. If there are healthier food choices out there, that has my attention. That's why I'm so driven to create this for consumers. But healthier choices, while maintaining taste.”

"I'm very goal-oriented. Doing something that doesn't benefit you in the end is not for me. I prefer to get straight to work to get as many results as possible in a short period. This may sound a bit impatient, but I'm not. I am a go-getter. I like to work together but I usually suggest a solution or course of action."

Healthier flavorful food choices
“WheyFreeze originated from a project during my education. In which we were allowed to develop a nutritional product in a project group. Among other things, we talked to people who exercise a lot and go to festivals. I got so excited about this that I decided to develop this company further and now graduate from it. We make protein-rich water ice with WheyFreeze. A healthier choice or alternative to, for example, the well-known rocket or pear ice cream. Protein is a very important building block for our body. For muscle recovery or growth. We often link it to fanatic athletes, but it is also essential for recovering after surgery or for elderly people with malnutrition. With our product, we combine enjoyment and proper nutrients. I think that's a win-win."

Alternative to protein intake
“Ever since I was young, I have been interested in diet, cooking, and a healthy lifestyle. I am vegetarian and exercise a lot. That makes me feel good. You can find me in the gym, on the padel court and running in the park. At a young age, I got into sports nutrition. Many products contain protein, but I didn't really like it. Think of those thick shakes or cottage cheese. I try to look at alternative ways to get protein without realizing it and still enjoy it. On average, healthy people need 0.83 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. That works out to about 58 grams of protein for someone weighing 70 kilograms. But as soon as you do strength or endurance sports, this increases to 1.2-2 grams per kilogram of body weight. So then it becomes interesting to look at other ways to consume protein.”

Enjoying our ice cream at a festival
“Right now, external partners have joined WheyFreeze to speed up the production process and move to initial production. Soon we will run a first trial batch. That's incredibly cool! We are still optimizing the product development. Of course, it really has to do what we promise. I find that an important value is being reliable. We are open and honest about what it contains, what it does, and why it is there. For the average consumer, reading an ingredient declaration is complicated. I want to avoid that.”

"My dream? To be at a festival myself and see other people enjoying it. That's why I like to get in touch with festivals or catering companies that want to run a pilot with me."

Even if you have doubts, just do it!
"Through my teacher Annemiek Hollander, I was tipped off to Start Up Campus Haarlem. I was working at an Open Day for Inholland and told her I wanted to continue with the project. It was perfect timing. SUCH helps tremendously in expanding your network. Not only the fellow students but also the trainers are helpful. Even outside the programme. During my education, the focus was on nutrition, but now I'm learning entrepreneurship from a completely different perspective. That is very valuable. If you are considering entrepreneurship, I would say 'Just do it'. Even if you have doubts. Just like helping out at an Open Day at your college, just do it. You will meet new people and have different conversations. Because I did, I am now participating in SUCH and have already learned so many new things. I recommend everyone to stay curious and grow their network."

‘Every day we see images of the war violence in Israel and Gaza, as well as in other conflict zones. This deeply affects us and our community within Inholland,’ says Bart Combee, Chairman of the Executive Board at Inholland University of Applied Sciences. ‘We sympathise with the victims and their families and acknowledge their pain.’ 

Bart Combee: ‘The war in Gaza and Israel evokes strong emotions among students and colleagues. Like many others, we are concerned about the humanitarian catastrophe in the Palestinian territories and Israel. This war and other conflicts around the world deeply affect us. Our thoughts are with all the innocent civilians who suffer and lose their lives due to these conflicts.’ 

The war also affects our Inholland community. On behalf of the Executive Board, Bart Combee and Marije Deutekom recently met with a delegation of students to discuss the situation in Gaza and Israel, including the concerns they have about it.  ‘We are proud of their passion and dedication and value their contribution to our community.’ 

Our values and community 
Inholland University of Applies Sciences is committed to fostering an environment that embraces diverse viewpoints. Bart: 'Every war is a tragedy that must end. We hope for a swift resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. As an institution, we refrain from taking sides, as doing so would inherently oppose alternative perspectives. Our goal is to ensure the well-being of the entire community, creating a safe learning and working environment for people of different backgrounds and viewpoints. Knowledge and critical voices are at the heart of universities of applied sciences. Some students have expressed concerns that the coverage of the situation in Gaza and Israel isn't as extensive as that of Ukraine. We aim for balanced reporting and appreciate your feedback highlighting this perceived inequality.’ 

‘We've also observed a growing inclination among students and some colleagues to voice their sentiments and raise awareness about the situation in Gaza and Israel, as seen recently at other educational institutions. We have ensured space for this expression within the jointly established guidelines of universities and universities of applied sciences. Protesting is a right and can be done as long as we ensure a safe environment together. Peaceful, with respect for each other and with room for different voices.’ 

Concrete measures 
At various educational institutions, there have been calls for the termination of partnerships with Israeli educational institutions. At Inholland, we only have a partnership with Dar-al-Kalima University of Arts and Culture, a Palestinian university of applied sciences.  

Inholland evaluates partnerships with educational institutions in conflict zones on a case-by-case basis, following the policies of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. In addition, we are currently working with other universities and universities of applied sciences on a new ethical framework for such decisions. ‘We will use these frameworks in future collaborations. The basic principle remains that there is room for individual professional contacts that are part of an open academic world.’ 

Open conversations 
The Executive Board will engage in conversations with students and staff about the changing world and the concerns that come with it. Bart: ‘Discussing loaded and emotional topics can help you sort out your thoughts or express your concerns. Everyone should feel free to share their opinions, and it is okay to disagree. However, an open and respectful debate also means there are boundaries. There is no room for discrimination or inappropriate remarks.’ 

The first organised conversation will take place on 25 June in Rotterdam and is intended for colleagues and students from Rotterdam. Colleagues and students from other campuses are also welcome and can register here. 

 Naturally, these conversations will also take place in the classrooms. Guides are available for lecturers to facilitate conversations about controversial and emotional topics, both general (Dutch/English) and specifically about Israel and Palestine. Lecturers can also seek support and advice from our Diversity and Inclusion Taskforce or the Research Group on Diversity Issues.  

Personal conversations 
We are here for all students and colleagues from affected areas, Whether from Israel, the Palestinian territories, or other conflict zones. Inholland offers individual support where possible. Students can request a personal conversation with their study career adviser, student counsellor or confidential adviser.  

Colleagues can turn to their manager or confidential adviser. The Integral Safety Department and safety coordinators can provide additional support. 

How can Inholland University of Applied Sciences create a neuro-inclusive learning environment for all students and staff? In April, about thirty-five colleagues and students discussed this subject during the Community of Practice Diversity (CoP) Neurodiversity & Inclusion. Jonathan Evans, lecturer of Creative Business, joined to raise awareness on this topic and share practical tips. "Neuro-inclusion and an Inholland-wide approach are important," he says. 

Jonathan currently works full-time as a senior lecturer and coach in the Creative Business domain. In September, he will start as a researcher for two days a week, together with Joke Hermes, lector of Inclusion and the Creative Industries, focusing on inclusion within this domain. It was special for him to participate as a co-host in the CoP on neurodiversity and inclusion, together with our Business Innovation student Flann who is focusing on this topic for his graduation project. "Three years ago, at the age of 33, I was diagnosed as autistic. This CoP was one of the first occasions I was able to talk about this to a large group of people within my workplace," explains Jonathan. "It is important to convey commitment on certain issues to Inholland staff and students." 

Unique perspectives of neurodivergent people 
Neurodivergent people have unique perspectives that fall outside of neurotypical norms. This includes not only autism, but also ADHD, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder or Dyslexia and other forms of neurodiversity. Many people are diagnosed late or undiagnosed, especially women, ethnic minorities and members of the LGBTQ+ community. Jonathan emphasizes the importance of awareness and action on this topic. "By speaking up, you bring about positive change," he says. 

Challenges and privileges 
Partly due to his late diagnosis, Jonathan himself faced several challenges. "When I was diagnosed, a lot of things fell into place, but it's also a process of ups and downs," he says. He emphasizes the importance of a support network and understanding team leaders. "It is possible to flourish as a neurodivergent person, but there must be neuro-affirming conditions to make this possible." 

Changes within Inholland 
Within Inholland, small adjustments can be made to accommodate neurodivergent people. This includes more accessible buildings, better signage, visualisations on the website and stimulus-free spaces. Estelle Kleuskens, a former student of International Creative Business, wrote her thesis on neurodiversity and a produced several creative concepts, including a sensory hub. 

Future Vision for Inclusion 
Jonathan hopes that all Inholland programmes will be able to work on being more neurodivergent friendly within their educational programmes. "An inclusive, Inholland-wide approach is important. Embedding educational models such as 'Universal Design for Learning' and 'Compassionate Pedagogy' would help." He emphasizes that the responsibility for topics such as neurodiversity should not lie with a few ambassadors, but that a universal approach is needed. 

Jonathan is looking forward to work on this topic in his combined role as a lecturer-researcher. "It is important to listen carefully to each other and to work together to achieve Inholland's inclusive mission and vision," he concludes. Jonathan will also be working with Flann on his graduation research on neurodiversity. "Flann also highlights the experience of employees in his research, and I look forward to working with him. When it comes to diversity issues, it is important to listen carefully to each other. During a training on inclusive teaching by the Diversity research group, I saw many good examples that we can build upon. However, we need to do more and achieve this together with others." 

Community of Practice On the way to Keti Koti with Howard Komproe 
During the Community of Practice on Thursday 20 June, you can talk to comedian, presenter and actor Howard Komproe about history, freedom, impact, connection, bubbles and allyship. This session will take place at Inholland University of Applied Sciences in The Hague, in the Mauritszaal from 14:00 to 16:00. You can sign up via this form. 
 

The digital media landscape is developing rapidly. Not only is there an unimaginable amount of information out there, but AI can process that information into ready-to-use texts and videos. AI can help us, but it is also used to spread misinformation. With MediaNumeric Academy, Inholland University of Applied Sciences wants to teach students and professionals to look critically at data, to show how to collect and analyze data and how to process it in your own communication or storytelling.

From Netherlands Institute for Sound and Vision came the question about the current situation regarding data and media literacy. Natalia Berger, researcher at the Inholland research group Inclusion and the Creative Industries, tackled this question together with partners from the field and universities in France, Poland and Estonia. Together they started the research project MediaNumeric, a beautiful Erasmus+ project, in which Inholland cooperated as a knowledge and education partner. Education and research came together perfectly in this project which, in addition to the research report and white papers, resulted in the MediaNumeric Academy. Susannah Montgomery, researcher in the Inholland Media, Technology and Society lectureship, was particularly involved in the creation of the Academy. "My role was having conversations with the field and with students, and then translating that into the course. My job was to flesh out the basic course structure into clear readings, lectures, and activities and manage collecting course materials from the contributing experts."

Natalia Berger on the Need for Media Literacy
According to Natalia, MediaNumeric Academy's course is much needed nowadays. "We need to learn how to deal with data and become proficient in media literacy. Like reading, writing and math, it is a requirement because the influence of online information is unstoppable. It is therefore necessary to be able to value that information. And as a professional, it is additionally important that you know how to collect and interpret reliable data." Still, Natalia notices that many (upcoming) professionals often have little interest about collecting and analyzing data. "But if they in turn share information, and don't do so in a proper way, there is a high risk of misinformation. Therefore, you need to have some understanding of data-driven technologies. And for that you really don't have to be a statistician," Natalia says.

Didi Baas, a Creative Business student at Inholland, attended a training week during a MediaNumeric conference week in Warsaw. The total of three training weeks helped form the basis for the development of the Academy. "Many figures, tables and graphs seem scientific and we therefore often take it for granted, but since the course I have only really realized how much figures are tampered with. Take, for example, a survey with a hundred respondents in the Netherlands. You can't translate that to all Dutch people, but it often does." Didi especially notices that the context in which figures are presented, for example, is often incorrect. "I really look at the news differently now. I no longer rely on one source, I draw conclusions less quickly and I look more nuanced and critical at what appears in the media."

Impact of MediaNumeric Academy on Students and Professionals
Meanwhile, MediaNumeric Academy has been online for a while and is widely used by students and professionals inside and outside Inholland, who are involved in communications. "Actually, data and media literacy are important for everyone," Susannah believes. "Especially since we live in a world where more and more things are happening online. This is also why this free Academy is open to everyone. But for us, the focus is on our students even before they start their working lives. They need knowledge and skills to navigate in this digital landscape, but also to feel confident in it. In doing so, we give them a foundation to be able to make responsible and ethical decisions."

Didi agrees wholeheartedly. "In creative business, some students think that being able to collect and analyze information is not for them, but if you're going to work in marketing, for example, you're going to have to deal with numbers just as much." And Didi has another reason why she thinks that even every course should include MediaNumeric in their lessons: "Now everyone is diving into AI, but AI relies on information that’s already been published before. The question is whether this information is correct because anyone can put information on the Internet. So, you must be able to search and analyze data yourself to know that what you write or create is actually accurate. And that will only become more important in the future."

Dreaming of MediaNumeric Academy 2.0
Currently, only students in the Creative Business programme are offered this course as an extra option in their curriculum. But the intention is for this to become a more permanent part of this study. Ideally, Natalia would like to see all Inholland students receive at least part of this foundation. "Deception and misinformation are of all times, only now it can spread easily and at lightning speed. Anyone can create and share content. You are even inundated with it, which is why data and media literacy is so important."

"And precisely because developments are happening so fast, we especially want to create a mindset with the course," Susannah adds. "That, when you are faced with new developments in AI, you have enough confidence to deal with them. That you can and continue to think critically and have a foundation you can fall back on." Still, she is already dreaming of a MediaNumeric Academy 2.0. "We had just established a rough outline for the course when ChatGPT emerged. And AI is a hot topic. So, I see this course as something alive and not something that will ever be finished." Natalia knows that the partners from the MediaNumeric project would also like a follow-up, but how is not yet concrete. "But sponsors may come forward," Natalia jokes.

On average, students are more satisfied with their studies at Inholland University of Applied Sciences this year than they were last year. This is according to the National Student Survey 2024 (NSE), the results of which were published this morning. When asked ‘how satisfied are you with your degree programme in general?’, students give an average score of 3.6 (on a scale of 5), which is slightly higher than last year (3.5). Furthermore, students are mostly more positive about the guidance they receive during their studies. ‘As always, the NSE offers us very valuable insight into how students experience studying at our university of applied sciences. It’s nice to see an upward trend there again,’ said Bart Combee, chairman of the Executive Board, in a comment.

Satisfaction scores for the university of applied sciences across the board are slightly higher than, or equal to, last year. Satisfaction did not decrease for any aspect. As in previous years, students enjoy studying at Inholland. The atmosphere easily scores a satisfactory (4.0).

Many of the questions asked in the survey received average higher scores than last year. For example, there is greater appreciation for lecturers, including in terms of commitment, teaching skills and content expertise. Lecturers received the highest mark for knowledge about professional practice (3.9). There is also an upward trend in social safety, meaning that students feel they can safely be themselves at our university of applied sciences, with a score of 4.1 (last year: 4.0).

The timetable is also seeing an upward trend, especially for timely announcement of the timetable (up 0.2 to 3.4) and changes (up 0.2 to 3.2). The numbers are clearly on the rise, though there is of course still much room for improvement.

Programmes scoring above average 
There are several degree programmes with above-average overall satisfaction scores, and some even have a score of 4.0 or higher. The highest rating was given to the Music programme of Conservatorium Haarlem (4.2). Communication students in The Hague also indicated they are very satisfied with their degree programme (4.1). Other programmes that received highly satisfactory scores from students are Business IT & Management (Alkmaar and Diemen), the Associate degree in IT Service Management in Diemen (4.0), Midwifery in Groningen (4.0) and the Master's in Medical Imaging/Radiation Oncology in Haarlem (4.0).

‘We can all be proud of the fact that we have seen an upward trend on many fronts’, said chairman of the Executive Board Bart Combee in a reaction to the NSE results. ‘This means that, as a learning organisation, we are doing well with our improvements, including in the approach to timetabling. Let's hold on to that!

About the NSE
The National Student Survey (NSE) is a nationwide satisfaction survey for students in which you can share your opinion about your course programme. The National Student Survey is organised by Landelijk Centrum Studiekeuze (LCSK), former Studiekeuze123. The results of this years survey can be found below.

Want to know more?
If you want more specific information about the NSE results at Inholland University of Applied Sciences, you will be able to find it from 28 May via your start page on Iris in the information portal under the ‘NSE for students’ tile.

Gaining international experience without needing to study abroad is the opportunity COIL projects offer. COIL stands for ‘Collaborative Online International Learning’. Using this sustainable method, students from the Business Studies and Finance degree programmes at the Inholland University of Applied Sciences recently created their own online game around the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The project involved collaboration with foreign universities in Ghent (HoGent), Berlin (HTW), and Madrid (CEU San Pablo). There were also sessions with students from Canada and Indonesia. 

Last year, the Finance degree programmes in Rotterdam launched the COIL pilot. Students successfully set up a game on the SDGs and rated the project with a generous pass. A great testament to the learning experience and value of cross-cultural collaboration. 

Getting started online with SDGs in Europe
Based on the positive experiences with this international project, it was rolled out across the whole of Inholland this year. Students from Alkmaar, Rotterdam, The Hague, and Diemen from the relevant programmes who wished to demonstrate their intercultural competence and learning outcomes could apply. Students were then selected on the basis of their motivation and placed in a diverse team for an interdisciplinary learning experience, in keeping with flexible and innovative education.

The online nature of COIL projects means they are inclusive and low-threshold. They allow students to gain an international experience from home. And they give students the opportunity to meet online to learn about different cultures, language barriers, and the challenges they will face as future professionals.

‘COIL projects make international exchange highly accessible’
In the words of a participating partner professor from HTW Berlin: ‘COIL projects make international exchange highly accessible to all. They give every student the opportunity to gain experiences in an international environment without too much hassle. I think making COIL a regular part of the degree programme would be an amazing idea. This will give everyone the chance to get a taste of an international exchange. COIL projects remove obstacles and give students a unique international experience that they cannot get any other way.’

Students are happy to share their enthusiasm about COIL after the sessions. ‘I most enjoyed the interactivity and the fact that it’s not boring at all’, one student revealed. A fellow student: ‘What a great idea to communicate in this way with students from different countries. It helps you to learn a bit more about the world around you.’ And: ‘It was really cool that we learned so much about the SDGs and other cultures.’

Canada and Indonesia
In addition to the European sessions mentioned above, just before the spring break, many hundreds of second-year Business Studies students participated in an international project with students from Canada (Durham College, St. Lawrence College, Fleming College) and Indonesia (Universitas Syiah Kuala). They did this to explore the cultural and economic differences between the three countries, as well as international supply chains and sustainability. With more than 650 participants from Inholland and partner institutions, this was the largest COIL ever organised by Inholland.

Similar to the European COIL project, this programme offers students an opportunity to get acquainted with a foreign country without needing to travel abroad. Twan Franken, lecturer in Business Studies: ‘It was nice to see how students found challenges with each other and engaged in conversation. Sometimes with their hands and feet.’ Jeroen Triesscheijn, lecturer in Business Studies: ‘It was quite challenging to learn to deal with the big cultural differences between the partners when setting up the programme.’

Augustin Ravidat (23) is an International Creative Business student in Den Haag and moved to the Netherlands from France. He started his own content creation agency and is a songwriter and rapper.

Half work is not an option
“People will know me as a hardworking, optimistic and creative guy who has a lot of ideas and the capabilities to create and finish creative projects. Half work is not an option for me. And I think that I will bring that mentality to the table in new projects. I bring stability and commitment to the team. I was born in the south of France and grew up in Pays de Gex just near Switzerland. I started working when I was sixteen years old in the hospitality industry. After high school I went to Lyon, but I just did not like it. It did not match my expectations. I had a friend living in Den Haag, who studied International Creative Business. He told me that the study was interesting and would give you a lot of directions to go to. He invited me to come over and I stayed.”

Best professional experience ever
“During the first two years, me and this friend, stayed together and in my third year I got an internship in Thailand. Another friend from high school lived there. He just started his online business and he needed help for launching his YouTube channel. Going there was my best professional experience ever. We worked a lot in Thailand. In the beginning I worked on his online business which is creating content about dropshipping for the French market. But from the start we wanted to make videos. We kept on discussing what would work and what wouldn’t. I gave him ideas and edited the videos. I liked it so much that this was the start of my own business as well.”

I speed up creative projects
“I want to help content creators put out the best possible content they can make. I give them innovative ideas and relieve their pain if it comes to video editing, data analytics and algorithms. My talent is to help creators find success in their journey but above all I’ll make sure that the creative projects are getting finished right on time. I know how creative brains work. You get excited, you start creating and then your head is already busy with the next project. Here is where I come in. I would say: let me cover that part, so the creators can stay creative in their own way. It is a win-win. Clients know me as a reliable, nice person to work with and as a fast-working editor. I speed up creative projects in ways where it is usually lacking time. I am proud of that.”

Great way to express my thoughts
“Next to my study and content creating agency, I’m into music. The friend that got me in Den Haag is a great musician. I started writing lyrics in the summer of 2020. For almost four years now, I’m writing once a week. Not a full song, but I try to stay consistent with it. I don’t know how to play an instrument, but I know how to rap and put words on the tempo. And honestly, I love it! The first time I tried it, I felt the vibe immediately. It’s a great way to express my thoughts. I knew how to express myself back then, but music helped me open up even more than before. I have a lot of friends who are, comparing to me, more into music and want to be out there. I just want to help musicians with good lyrics, creative ideas or structures so they can focus on the music. You can find my published music on Soundcloud and in the near future I will be releasing on Spotify with another friend. Sounds good right?”

You can’t fail if you don’t give up
“I joined the Start program at Start Up Campus Haarlem. I met people with the same mindset, with all diverse backgrounds and it gave me exactly the environment where I want to be in. It gave me a lot of other perspectives. You know, every person is unique. For students who are considering starting their own business, I would say: don’t stop! If you think that your idea is good. Just start and never stop. At some point it will work. My friend from Thailand always says: You can’t fail if you don’t give up. So, never give up!”

'This is the proof that at Inholland there is space for entrepreneurship as well as new initiatives.' Wrote one of the visitors to the launch party of Start Up Campus Haarlem on LinkedIn. Last Thursday, March 28, SUCH launched the very first edition of the magazine START UP STORIES in a packed Theater de Liefde. A place buzzing with the entrepreneurial energy of student-entrepreneurs, Inholland colleagues and external partners.

Presentation first magazine START UP STORIES
During the festive event member of the Executive Board (CvB) of Inholland University of Applied Sciences Mieke van den Berg and Karin van Broekhuizen (manager external relations of Inholland Haarlem) received the first magazine from entertainment duo Kenneth and Andor. A great moment, also for Mieke: "Through Start Up Campus Haarlem we learn and strengthen each other in entrepreneurship. Whether you are a budding entrepreneur, your entrepreneurship is already well underway, you are still in doubt whether you want to become an entrepreneur. Entrepreneurship always comes in handy in every organization!

The magazine is printed in limited edition but is available digitally to everyone through SUCH's website.

Building a relevant and warm network
After the first magazine was handed over, the team of SUCH as well as all the entrepreneurs from the magazine were invited on stage and put in the spotlight. 'What a special moment to see everyone together and with such a beautiful magazine in their hands. That we can bring so many different entrepreneurs together and empower each other is really impressive. We should be very proud of that. Building a relevant and warm network starts here and now. Everyone is going to enjoy that for a long time after today.' said Jorien Stoop - Community manager of Start Up Campus Haarlem.

Typical SUCH
The theater was transformed into an extended networking event with music by Danley (ed. Dylan Remeeus, student Creative Business Rotterdam) and on stage Rudy Nicola appeared who captured the entrepreneurs' stories via a podcast. Rudy Nicola: "It is hugely inspiring to speak with young entrepreneurs. Live podcasting during a networking reception was another new experience for me. But that's typical SUCH! They always try something new there and you learn from that again.

Added value studying at Inholland
The charming theater transformed into an inspiring networking event for young entrepreneurs. The fact that starting a business alongside your studies is not so crazy was evident from the high turnout. 'That so many students from so many different programs, backgrounds and locations are participating at SUCH makes the concept so unique. This is really an added value of studying at Inholland' according to Iryna M'yakush, International Creative Business student of Inholland Haarlem. The entire event was carried by the former participants from within the SUCH program itself. From the presentation to the podcast host, photographer and DJ.

Over the next five months, 40 students from seven different locations and more than 19 different studies will work on their own businesses at Start Up Campus Haarlem (SUCH).  

SUCH is part of Hogeschool Inholland and offers programs in addition to regular studies. The students who participate consciously choose to invest in their own development as entrepreneurs. “Like-minded people, with enterprising energy and, above all, a lot of fun in being independent of experiences and knowledge,” says SUCH community manager Jorien Stoop.  

Many students are enrolled in our program through their teacher. This shows that there is increasing attention to entrepreneurship within our studies and that the value of the extracurricular program is recognized. These referrals from teachers are valuable.

In addition to the Dutch speaking Start and Growth programs, SUCH also offers an English Start program. Because international students can't wait to start their own business too.

“The diversity of participants is not only great, but also all their fantastic ideas vary,” says Jorien. “For the next five months, we will be working on startups in fashion, tech, food and sport.” One of our participants developed his product during his Minor ‘Food Challenge Ondernemen’ and is now developing the product into a business with us. Super cool! 

The students work with expert trainers in inspiring workshops, events, peer coaching and, above all, expanding their network.

In the coming months, SUCH will be sharing stories from entrepreneurial students. You can follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn.   

Do you also want to start or grow your business? Please sign up for our waiting list and enroll in our programme.

Derrick Muluya (33) is an Aeronoutical Engineering student in Delft and moved to the Netherlands from Uganda. He is a swimming coach and started his own business as a personal coach.

I can’t stop till I find the solution
I see myself as someone who is good at solving problems. I can’t stop till I find the solution. As a student I work with analytical problems and technical solutions and use my brain. That’s what I call my ‘brain side’. My head understands it and just does it. But that is not my biggest passion.

People are my biggest passion. They fulfill me as a person. I just love helping people. Listening to them and thinking of how I can help them to become a better person.  

The part of finding a solution is also about having people around you, where you can all sit together and find the solution together. I like to facilitate that process. My role has always been to get people on board and motivate them to continue. Learning is a process, and it takes perseverance. At the beginning of the process everybody is excited but halfway some of them are down. I attend to help them to finish the other half.

The hard way
I was born and raised in Uganda. I met my Dutch wife there and moved to the Netherlands six years ago. I come from a challenging country where business development is not that easy. If you want to reach somewhere, you really need to put yourself out there and keep on trying. There is nobody knowledgeable enough and willing to help or guide you. I started more than 5 startups back home. All of them failed. The process was hard and painful. I learned it the hard way. The learning part is unavoidable and necessary, but the pain isn’t. If you could have somebody who holds your hand and gives some direction, it would be so much easier and perhaps less painful. Then I realized: that’s my role!

Swimming club in Uganda
When I was 22, a friend invited me to swim. I didn’t know what it was. So, I got there and jumped into the water. Then I realized that, even though I was scared, I was actually enjoying it. My friends and I were all over 20 years old. Nobody could swim. And continuing this hobby was also very expensive. So, we faced a new challenge, we decided to start a swimming club by ourselves. Can you imagine? Three boys without any swimming experience or money started a club. We split the roles and we decided that I would be the coach. And so, I learned swimming by doing and by teaching others how to. I fell in love with this sport. That was the start of my passion for coaching and swimming.

In the Netherlands I started swimming right away and nowadays I am a swimming coach at GoSwim in Houten. They asked me to become the head coach of the club in the near future. Big shoes to fill and I am proud of that.

I need to give it out
Every year people set goals which comes with a to-do-list. The problem is, they don’t reach it. I asked myself ‘why? And then I found out that it is all mental. Its all about being the better version of your mental self so that you can do what must be done to have the goals you set.

I started a business where I can coach people to really reach their goals. I take it from a holistic point of view. Most importantly it’s not about ‘how to’ but mainly about the ‘being’ part. I want to help you to ‘be’ who you can be, so you can reach your goals. If you don’t work on the things outside of reaching your goal, you are never going to achieve the actual goal. I work with a sport mentality in my coaching sessions. So, do you rest enough, eat good food, sleep enough, do you show up on time? Maybe we first need to solve other problems before we can work on your actual goal. It truly makes a difference. Your being is mostly mindset, and I am there to guide you into this process. I have this gift of helping people and of solving problems. I feel that I need to give it out. I can’t stop myself.

Found my missing pieces
I was still looking for some missing pieces in my process of starting up my own business.

A fellow student recommended me to join the Start program of Start Up Campus Haarlem in September 2023. I can tell: I found my missing pieces. Now I can clearly see it. I know what I need to do, who I need to call and what I need to put in my business plan in order to make it work.

If you are walking around with a potential business idea, I would say: just start! And if you are an Inholland student? The next step would be: start with SUCH, it will fast forward your ideas. And after that, my third advice would be to design your idea in such a way that it can move without you being part of it. If you can reach that third level in your mind, then you see every piece of the puzzle. And then? Launch it!

Developing knowledge for policies that help governments adequately deal with long-term effects of digitization of society. To this end, the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO) recently awarded an €863,000 grant to the project proposal 'RESOCIAL'. In this project, Inholland, led by Leiden University, will work with other knowledge institutions for the next two years to address vulnerabilities and increase resilience on social media.

Rationale for RESOCIAL project
People increasingly live their social lives online, with higher risks of manipulation, online violence and discrimination. The main causes of this, according to the consortium behind RESOCIAL, are a lack of scientific methods to measure risks for human rights online, the inadequacy of Dutch and EU legislation to increase user resilience, and the ineffective protection of vulnerable users.

Goals 
RESOCIAL aims not only to identify vulnerabilities in social media platforms and analyze the gaps in existing hard and soft law. But also provide solutions through co-design workshops. Namely, a legal solution by providing government guidelines for vulnerability-aware implementation of social media laws, a design solution ("vulnerability-sensitive design") and a business solution by developing vulnerability-aware codes of conduct for platforms.

Ben Wagner, Professor of Media, Technology and Society at Inholland and Associate Professor Human Rights & Technology at TU Delft: “We’re excited to be working together with this fantastic team led by Gianclaudio Malgieri to strengthen human rights online. The scientific focus of our work will be on better measurement tools that can contribute to improving the protection of vulnerable users online.”

Consortium Partners RESOCIAL 
The partners involved in this project are: ALLAI Netherlands, Alliance for Digital Rights (AUDRI), Autoriteit Consument en Markt, BEUC, Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens, Equality Now, "Future of Privacy Forum (Dutch branch)", Hogeschool Inholland, International Observatory on Vulnerable People in Data Protection (VULNERA), Leiden University, Offlimits, SIDN Fonds, TU Delft, UNICEF Letter and University of Twente.

NWA program Vulnerability and resilience in an online society
This grant falls under the NWA program Vulnerability and Resilience in an Online Society. A total of four research projects in consortia are participating in this program.

For more information about this project and experts behind the consortium partners, also read the post on the Leiden University website.

Amber Straathof (20) is a second-year International Creative Business student in The Hague and makes custom sneakers with her own company 'Customizies'. She has already made more than 200 custom sneakers.

‘Everywhere I go, I see opportunities’
'I am creative and driven. Everywhere I go, I see opportunities. And ten new business ideas pop into my head every year. Yes, I am an entrepreneur. 

Although I like to take the initiative in a project, I can also move along with a team. The most important thing for me is that we achieve a result in good cooperation. In a group I bring positive energy and always that creative angle. That is my strength.

I am also a bit impatient and quick. Then I sometimes say to myself: 'Tone it down, Amber'. Haha! The funny thing is, when I started my own business, I went into it with full focus. Then, I am very precise about it. I won't stop until it's perfect.'

Hague Skyline for the Alderman
‘With my company Customizies, I specialize in customizing sneakers. I buy the sneakers and paint them on commission. It is customization. There are endless possibilities, examples are Pink Blossom, Rick and Morty cartoons, Lion King, and Feyenoord sneakers. I have already done over 200 commissions. One of the nicest assignments was a pair of sneakers for Hilbert Bredemeijer, the Alderman for Education, Youth, Sports, and Services of The Hague. National Vitality Day in September 2022 was the Hague Sneaker Day. On the sneakers, I drew the Hague Skyline. I was invited to the city hall and got to hand this pair to him myself (photo). It is so cool that I allow others to express themselves through their sneakers. They are unique messages. This is also how I am found around gender reveal parties and weddings. That I can be a part of that, I find very special.’

There is a market for this
'At sixteen, during corona time, everyone started picking up old hobbies. I started a new one! That's how I started. With a pair of sneakers, paint, and a video on TikTok. That immediately had over 100k views. Then my entrepreneurial brain went on: 'There's a market in this'.

It wasn't immediately perfect, it was just fun. I experimented a lot. Different paint, different sneakers, more complex designs. At first, I only shared this with my friends and family. But social media pushed my videos well. Then my friend said, 'If you want to do something with this, you need to invest in professional materials.' And that's what I did then. I follow trends closely. At one point, brown shades were in. They were not for sale in stores, but I could make them very quickly. I make what my generation wants. That catches on.

I work on a personal product. That includes a personal process. Think about listening carefully to the client's wishes and coordinating and sending photos in between. I want them to experience a sense of pride and joy when they have the sneakers on. I want my clients to feel confident in their shoes. Literally and figuratively. That's also what makes my job so much fun.'

Equal sparring partners
'In September I started the Growth program at Start Up Campus Haarlem. The monthly workshops give me lots of practical information as well as lots of ideas. That is so valuable to me. The group is full of equal sparring partners. When I ask a question or have a challenge, immediately everyone starts thinking about me. Everyone wants to help. Every time, I go home motivated and inspired. That helps me so much.'

Everyone starts somewhere
'To anyone considering entrepreneurship, I would say: do what you love. If you're doing something you enjoy, it doesn't feel like you're working. I often experience people who are afraid to present themselves. In entrepreneurship, you have to. Remember: Everyone starts somewhere. Start small, and then don't be ashamed of it. Social media is a perfect tool to go public with your business. It has done so much for me.

Koos Zwaan wants to contribute to a sustainable and healthy music ecosystem. He had been doing that for years as associate professor Innovation in the Music Industry, and since November 7 he is expanding his span as a professor. Still with two motivations: the will to innovate and the love of music. "You have to be a bit of a music freak. That's what researchers in this field have in common." 

Music and innovation came together early on for Koos. For instance, while studying Communication Studies, he researched the social significance of the innovative download platform Napster. Later, for his PhD, Koos did research into the factors that determine the success of starting musicians, only to discover that a professional network, in particular, is decisive. 

Lab lead International Music Industry Lab
In 2011, Koos joined Inholland University of Applied Sciences, where he first worked as an associate professor with Joke Hermes as part of her Research Group Media, Culture & Citizenship (now: Inclusion and the Creative Industries). "Here I was able to lay the foundation for my current Research Group. I was also a lecturer in several programmes within the Faculty of Creative Business and became lab lead of the International Music Industry Lab, where we work with students and professionals from the field to address issues in the music ecosystem." 

International character 
Koos has long been active in the industry and, as associate professor, has a broad network. "I notice that my new title gives just a little more status which opens doors faster," he says. Also abroad, which is not unimportant, because the music industry is very international. "In addition to working with international partners, I also want to continue to focus on local, small-scale research projects." 

Technological, creative and social innovation 
As far as Koos is concerned, the entire width of the music industry falls within the scope. But for the wide concept of innovation, he does bring a specific focus. "With the Research Group, we focus on technological, creative and social innovation. What do we mean by that? By technological innovation, you can think of the influence of platforms like Spotify and TikTok, for example, or the rise of generative AI. These are developments from outside the music industry that will change business models but may also require changes in copyright law." 

AI as a new tool 
"Creative innovation can be closely related to technological developments," Koos continues. "Initially with new technological developments you see resistance and fear, but also parties that actually see opportunities and experiment with them. For example, musicians adjust the length of their songs and intros to fit the logic of Spotify. Or they make different composition choices to be picked up on the short videos on TikTok. AI can be used as a new tool to create fantastic new music. And with the use of extended reality, such as augmented reality and virtual reality, you can enhance the music experience." 

Sustainable and healthy 
Finally, very topical are the issues surrounding social innovation, a theme that cuts both ways. On the one hand, there is the power of music to raise social issues, connect people in them and encourage change. On the other hand, the industry itself needs to work on numerous issues, such as working conditions in the industry, inclusion and climate impact. "By researching social innovation, I want to make my contribution to a sustainable and healthy music ecosystem. This directly touches the profiling themes of our university: the resilient society and sustainable living environment." 

Research and innovation agenda 
In April, the Research Group launched a research and innovation agenda for the Dutch pop music sector formulating the most urgent themes. Illustrative of Koos' working method is that the agenda was drawn up bottom-up and in close cooperation with the field. "All research projects we do with the professional field. In addition, I seek cooperation within Inholland: with Research Groups of the Faculty of Creative Business, but also of other faculties."  

Actively involved students 
Of course, Koos also seeks links to education. "In my role as lab lead, research and education come together nicely. The International Music Industry Lab involves students from Creative Business, Leasure & Events Management, Business Innovation and Communication, and other programmes. The initiative lies with the students themselves: within certain frameworks, they draw up their research goals to work on in co-creation with the professional field. This is how they learn multidisciplinary work, research and experimentation." 

Ayaz Saadatpour Vahid (19), first-year Information Technology student is starting his own company in content creation for social media. Where his passions for music and media come together.

If I go for something, I do it 100%
I am enthusiastic and eager to learn. If I go for something, I do it 100%. I have been living in the Netherlands for less than three years, but my thoughts are already in Dutch. I learned the language quickly and by myself at home. My father got work in the Netherlands and together with my family, we moved here from Iran. To start at Inholland, I first attended an ISK (Internationale Schakelklas) and eventually got my Iranian diploma through the embassy.

Before coming here, I had many social fears. For instance, I did not dare to walk up to anyone and was very introverted. But soon I found out that if I wanted to achieve something in the Netherlands, I needed other people. And so, I confronted my fears. And look where I am now!

I found out I love meeting new people, communicating, and connecting. This is something I never wanted to miss.

Combining music and media
All my life I have been involved in music and media. Through the ISK, I met Common Frames. It is an organization that takes up film and media projects with (young) newcomers. That is where I produced my own film for the first time. The organization picked out my work and added me to their Talent Team. Now I have independent film and media jobs and have started my own business. I want to help other entrepreneurs grow through my digital content creation.

I make videos, and photos but also music. At home, I have a small studio and create unique styles such as flamenco, pop, rock, and e-music.

Communication has always been important in our lives, but it has always taken different forms. First, there were conversations, then came newspapers, and books, and now social media is a big source of information. If you want to reach a lot of people, social media is the go-to.

My current clients are event companies. But I keep developing myself to convince other audiences to work with me as well.

My first client was on the street
My first client was a musician from Hilversum. We were there for our film project. And I took a few shots of a musician. We struck up a conversation and started following each other on Instagram. Later, I saw via Instagram that he was looking for a videographer for a gig. That videographer became me! And that is how I had my first client.

This sounds easy. But you should know, I have been on the street a thousand times. Every other time it did not work out. And this time it did. I mean persistence is key!

I hope clients perceive that I am organized. That I have my affairs in order and under control. And of course, they are happy and satisfied. I will not do it for less. My goal is to add something to society. I would like people to remember me as the guy who does 'good'. And, of course, doing genuinely nice work. I am cheerful and happy when I get to do this work. That is why people come back to me.

If I do not do anything, it will not come to me either
At SUCH, I have been following the Start program since October. I had already started entrepreneurship, but I also used the workshops as an extra check whether I was on the right path. Fortunately, I also met other students who are entrepreneurial. I want to develop even more in networking. I realize that if I do nothing, no new clients will come to me either. 

Now I still have a part-time job alongside my enterprise. But my wish, of course, is to earn money doing business. The other day I heard someone say: 'Keep daring! It's not bad to make mistakes. Keep going. This is what I do. If you encounter problems in your path and you still enjoy the work afterward, then you know you are on the right track.

Developments are moving fast, irrevocably changing the future of people's working and private lives. They offer opportunities to organize work more efficiently and to contribute to a clean, safe, and sustainable future. At DigiQuest, all these things came together: pupils and students were challenged to think about how to use digital technology in solving major (societal) challenges.

Achieving Sustainable Development Goals
This was reflected in the International Blockchain Olympiad, an annual international design competition where students think about how Blockchain and Web3 can contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Inholland University of Applied Sciences participated in this competition for the first time in 2020 and wanted to organize the event themselves this year, expanding with a larger, in-depth programme around the same themes. As a result, the Olympiad took place in Europe for the first time and became part of the first edition of DigiQuest.

In the Museum Café of NEMO, students from all over the world presented their ideas. Like Rebecca, a Computer Science and Software Engineering student from Mexico: ‘Sustainability is not always a top priority among architects, which is remarkable, because the construction industry is responsible for 37% of global CO2 emissions.’ Rebecca and her group presented their idea “EcoTransform”, a programme designed to aid architects in making sustainable choices. ‘EcoTransform allows architects to upload designs and assess the environmental impact of various sustainable options, like different materials or sourcing locally. For example, wood is a sustainable material, but if it has to come from Brazil to the Netherlands, it still has a major impact on CO2 emissions and the climate.’

EcoTransform also suggests alternative designs, immediately conducting cost analysis. ‘It is also linked to local legislation, tax benefits and subsidies. Additionally, it includes a gamification aspect: it shows which architects deliver the best performance with regard to sustainable applications. This feature is especially useful for clients prioritizing sustainability in their partnerships.’

No hype, no threat
DigiQuest is not only intended for students with a technical education. Students from other programs such as Creative Business or Social Work could also gain a lot of inspiration about the applicability of digital technology within their field. For instance, Gijs Besselink from iO Blended Design Agency gave a clear, interactive, and practice-oriented presentation on the rapid development of Generative AI. To illustrate this, he showed two photos of a piece of lime pie. The audience had to guess which photo was real and which was AI-generated. About a third of the audience got it wrong, and some of those who were right admitted they had made a wild guess. Another example showing the progress of of AI-generated images was an image of hands and how much more realistic they now look compared to six years ago. Besselink's message: AI is not a hype, but a process in development. And not a threat, but an application that helps optimizing work processes.

Design Thinking

Four students from ROC Flevoland in Almere emerged enthusiastically from “The AI Opener” workshop. Their presentation was highlighted as the best. The students came up with the idea to use AI to automatically maintain vegetation in Amsterdam. ‘We learned how to work with Design Thinking. It really teaches you to plan strategically in a team. We can also apply this in our own education.’ Then the group disappeared to look around NEMO, as this was obviously another great opportunity. Their teachers Ap and Channan watched the group with appropriate pride. ‘For such motivated students, this day is really fantastic. Lots of knowledge enrichment, well organized and nice that thought was given to providing elements of the programme in line with mbo (vocational) education.’

For Jouhar, DigiQuest was the opportunity to learn more about AI and Blockchain. Jouhar came from Syria to the Netherlands seven years ago and is now studying Applied Mathematics/Data Science at Inholland Amsterdam. ‘The attention to Bitcoin sparked my interest in Blockchain and I did some research on it. I just attended an interesting panel discussion about the future of Generation Z and education. And thanks to one of the presentations today, I discovered new possibilities: you can even use AI to identify criminals or check the veracity of politicians' claims. Data and mathematics are the basis of Blockchain, so this event gives me direction for my further study and the development of my field.’

‘As executive board of Inholland University of Applied Sciences, we naturally notice that the current situation around Israel and Gaza has a great impact on colleagues and students,’ College President Bart Combee lets us know. ‘Other conflicts in the world also have their impact. We see that these events evoke emotions and cause concern, both in the private lives of our students and colleagues and in the workplace itself. Above all, engage with each other, ask your colleagues or students how they are doing, listen to each other, to each other's stories and give space to the emotions that are there. Let us do our best to understand each other and each other's perspectives, even if it is sometimes difficult. That too is an important task of education.’

‘We, like many, are concerned about the humanitarian catastrophe the Gaza Strip and Israel and the consequences this has for its inhabitants and for the world. This war, as well as other lingering conflicts such as the war in Ukraine, and the horrific images associated with it that sweep the world, touch many deeply,’ Bart said earlier. ‘Our thoughts go out to all the innocent civilians suffering through these poignant situations and to everyone who is directly or indirectly affected in these conflicts. Inholland wants to contribute to a safe, sustainable and inclusive world of tomorrow and stands for professionals engaged in society. In doing so, a safe and supportive environment is of great importance for all students and colleagues who are directly or indirectly affected by global developments.’

Need for concrete and practical support
Because global developments can have an impact on students‘ and colleagues’ feelings of (lack of) safety, Inholland  is happy to offer space for colleagues and students to discuss this. Bart: ‘Talking about loaded and emotional topics is difficult, but it can help to sort out your thoughts or express concerns. We are happy to help you get started. Create space for this and start talking to each other. With your team, students or colleagues. After all, ignoring events in the world that also trigger a lot here raises questions and possibly even creates distance.’

To have the conversation, Inholland has, among other things, a manual for engaging in classroom discussions on controversial and emotional topics (Dutch/English). There is also a manual for teachers regarding Israel and Palestine.

Have a personal conversation 
Students who feel the need can request a personal conversation with their study career counselor or student dean. Colleagues can contact their supervisor or confidential advisor.

Have an eye for others
During conversations, it is important to ask each other how things are going, especially if you feel that a colleague, team member or student is struggling with what has happened. As a manager, you can be extra attentive to how these conflicts are experienced among your colleagues and/or teams. Above all, engage in the conversation. The Integral Safety department, as well as the safety coordinators on site, can be approached to provide additional support (customisation).

Above all, an open debate is allowed at Inholland, with the university ensuring a safe environment. Bart: ‘Everyone should feel free to share their opinion and point of view. However, an open and respectful debate also involves having boundaries. There is no room for discrimination, for statements that cannot and do not fit with our core values.’

Taskforce Diversity and Inclusion
Finally, specific cases can be submitted to the Diversity and Inclusion Taskforce, which is related to the lectureship Diversity Issues. In addition, the Executive Board can be reached for specific questions that arise among our students and colleagues.

Bart: ‘As the Executive Board of Inholland University of Applied Sciences, we continue to emphasise the importance of a safe and inclusive university. As Inholland, through education and research, we contribute in this way to a world where knowledge (exchange), sharing of perspectives and cooperation ensure a peaceful and just future for all.’

The Executive Board of Inholland University of Applied Sciences has appointed Koos Zwaan as Professor of Innovation in the Music Industry as of 7 November. Koos had been part of the Creative Business Research Center as associate professor since 1 August 2011. He is also lablead of the International Music Industry lab, one of the living labs of the Faculty of Creative Business.

Koos Zwaan: "I am honoured that the Executive Board, out of appreciation for my work as associate professor and the importance given by Inholland University of Applied Sciences to innovation in the music industry, has decided to appoint me as professor. Within the research group, and the IMI lab, I give substance to innovation by looking at three overlapping forms of innovation. Technological innovation, which can include the rise of generative AI, but also blockchain for digital revenue sharing, VR/AR, and immersive sound. Creative innovation, which is often about how that technology is used to create innovative musical productions. Think also of the emergence of relatively new genres of music, such as EDM and hip-hop, that opened the way for the emergence of these genres through, at the time, novel technological innovations. Or more recently, how the rise of short video platforms like TikTok have provided a new form of creative expression for musical talent. And social innovation, where the power of music is used to bring about social change, such as sustainability or inclusion and diversity. At the same time, this can also mean how this industry itself needs to transform and work on these kinds of themes, how do you ensure that the music industry itself becomes more sustainable and inclusive?"

Bas van Spréw, Dean, Faculty of Creative Business: “There are many issues at play in the music industry that are important to both the sector and wider society. These include sustainability, the rise of new technology, ethics and social safety, good working conditions and fair pay for creators and other professionals in the industry, and inclusion and diversity, both in the venue, on stage, and behind the scenes. Innovation in the music industry has since long been a focus within Inholland University of Applied Sciences. We educate a lot of students who contribute to the innovative capacity of the music industry from their role as artists, managers, event managers or innovation specialists. It is therefore perfectly logical to choose to contribute to innovation in the music industry through applied research as well. I am proud that Koos is leading this as a professor from our faculty."

Peggy van Schijndel, Managing Director, Creative Business Research Center: “As Creative Business Research Center, we have a lot of experience with design research for social issues. It comes full circle nicely when we can do the same for creative professionals in another design discipline: music. I am also delighted that we can appoint a colleague as a professor. As associate professor, Koos has shown for many years that his experience as a lecturer at various programmes within Inholland is enormously useful in connecting education and research. The International Music Industry lab is a great example of this.”

Over the next five months, 45 students from six different locations and more than 15 different studies will work on their own businesses at Start Up Campus Haarlem (SUCH).  

SUCH is part of Hogeschool Inholland and offers programs in addition to regular studies. The students who participate consciously choose to invest in their own development as entrepreneurs.

“Like-minded people, with enterprising energy and, above all, a lot of fun in being independent of experiences and knowledge,” says SUCH community manager Jorien Stoop.

In addition to the Dutch speaking Start and Growth programs, SUCH also offers an English Start program. Because international students can't wait to start their own business too.

“The diversity of participants is not only great, but also all their fantastic ideas vary,” says Jorien. “For the next five months, we will be working on, among other things, importing dates, a wholesaler for American sweets, cocktail experts, content creators and various e-commerce companies.” The students work with expert trainers in inspiring workshops, events, peer coaching and, above all, expanding their network.

In the coming months, SUCH will be sharing stories from entrepreneurial students. You can follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn.

Do you also want to start or grow your business? Please sign up for our waiting list and enroll in our program in February 2024. 

DigiQuest is organized by Inholland University of Applied Sciences and IBCOL. The student-focused event is scheduled for November 17 at the NEMO Science Museum in Amsterdam. In this impact-driven gathering, students and professionals will explore together how developments such as blockchain, AI, and big data can contribute to solving the big challenges society is facing today.

Blockchain Olympiad
In 2020, Inholland University of Applied Sciences participated for the first time in the International Blockchain Olympiad, an annual competition for students. Participants are challenged to solve social issues using emerging technologies such as AI and blockchain. Inholland came in third that year. That stage award in the prestigious competition got attention and sparked conversation. This is how the idea was born to bring the Olympiad to Amsterdam.

Project leader Richard John: "We were keen to collaborate with the Olympiad to find even more creative answers to the big problems we face today. It was our wish to set up a bigger event around the Olympiad. We are proud that this year's Olympiad is taking place in Europe for the first time, having previously been held in Hong Kong, Canada, and Bangladesh, among others. On November 17, students and partners will immerse themselves in the Nemo Science Museum, Amsterdam, to learn how you can use technology to influence the future."

Leap forward
Initiator Peggy van Schijndel: "Beyond just showcasing the role technology can play in social innovation, the initiative is focused on making a tangible contribution to society. This is achieved by having students work on real social challenges presented by our partner organisations, including companies like Deloitte, The Next Web, and OpenAI, as well as non-profit organisations like Oxfam Novib and The Rainforest Alliance. They will pitch diverse challenges during various workshops that will be taken up by students. We are in an important phase of technical development and innovation. It is a leap forward that also makes us face new challenges, for example, in the areas of rights, inclusion, privacy, and data ownership. These issues will all be addressed."

During the event, there will be panel discussions and active workshops, for example, on education for Generation Z and the societal side of this development, such as privacy and human rights. Richard: "Digital space is going to play an important role in education. That's why Inholland already wants to embed it as much as possible in tuition. It is very nice that we can explore this development together with so many partners from the field. The international aspect of the event, with participation from students around the world, adds a valuable global perspective to the discussions. It's fascinating to hear how students from different cultural backgrounds perceive and adapt to these digital advancements.”

Intersection between technology and society
Peggy: "DigiQuest is open to anyone who recognizes the importance of incorporating technology to address significant societal challenges. While the event welcomes participants with technical expertise, it particularly emphasizes the inclusion of students from a variety of fields, such as Creative Business, innovation, care and welfare. They may have less knowledge of technology, but they are aware of the social issues at stake. It's really about that intersection between these technical developments and pressing issues."

The event thus targets a wide audience, including students from other educational institutions who are participating in the Olympiad. The municipality of Amsterdam will issue a challenge for secondary school students. They will investigate how technology can be used to solve a typical urban issue. "That way, there is something for everyone," Richard says. "For a start, it's a great opportunity for our students to get to know the business community and future employers. Furthermore, during DigiQuest you will learn how to use AI and blockchain for your own future, both professionally and personally. And finally, it's just a fun day where you meet students from all over the world and have free access to Nemo."

Learn more and register now!

The Keuzegids hbo 2024 (a yearly Dutch guide for higher professional education) was published today. The Communication programme in The Hague, the Music and Sport Studies programmes in Haarlem and the Midwifery programme in Amsterdam and Groningen have all been awarded a ‘top programme’ quality mark. Inholland University of Applied Sciences’ overall score, however, still shows room for improvement.

‘We wholeheartedly congratulate the programmes that have been rewarded in the guide as top programmes with a well-deserved quality mark,’ said Executive Board president Bart Combee in a comment. ‘The rest of our scores in the Options Guide indicate that we must continue to make a full effort to improve our services in areas such as information provision and facilities. That is exactly what we are working on. However, this does take some time to realise. Students’ input has always been and continues to be valuable in this regard.’

In the latest edition of the Keuzegids, Inholland is awarded 51.5 points in the overall ranking of major universities of applied sciences. It is outscored by HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht (54 points), Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences (54.5 points) and The Hague University of Applied Sciences (56.5 points). Like last year, Avans University of Applied Sciences tops the list with a score of 67.5 points.

Top programmes Communication and Sport Studies
With a total score of 78 points, Inholland’s Communication programme taught in The Hague was granted the quality mark of top programme for the first time this year. Together with the programme offered by Zeeland University of Applied Sciences, this makes it the second best Communication programme in higher professional education in the Netherlands, according to the Keuzegids. Students are particularly positive about the programme’s content and study materials. They are also happy with the lecturers, the atmosphere and the manner in which they are tested and assessed.

Sport Studies has also been granted the quality mark of top programme, with the Haarlem programme even coming out best of its kind in the Netherlands with 78 points in this edition of the Keuzegids. The progression to the second year is going well, and with a double plus for lecturers and pluses for content, atmosphere, testing and career preparation, students are very positive.

Conservatorium continues to score
The Conservatorium (Music) not only continues to be a top-quality programme at Inholland University of Applied Sciences, but has even been named the best in the Netherlands. It has been named a top programme for the ninth year in a row, with an overall score of 91 points – up two points on last year. Students praise Midwifery

The fourth quality mark goes to Midwifery. The Inholland Groningen programme was awarded 87 points, with students being especially positive about lecturers and career preparation. The programme taught in Amsterdam was also awarded a quality mark, with 80 points.

Research justification for the Keuzegids hbo 2024
Issued on an annual basis, the Keuzegids hbo is published by the Centre for Higher Education Information (CHOI) and is intended to help applicants choose a degree programme. The editorial team provides an overview of the strengths and weaknesses of Dutch universities of applied sciences as well as their programmes on the basis of various figures and survey results. It considers, for instance, how many students progress to the second year and how many students have earned their degree after five years. In terms of student opinions, the Guide looked at a number of questions from the 2023 National Student Survey. Aspects that were considered included course content, testing, lecturers, career preparation and atmosphere. Student ratings are weighted at 71.4% and study success at 28.6%. A programme is then awarded a number of stars, with one star being poor and five stars being excellent. Programmes and educational institutions rated best in the Options Guide are awarded a special quality mark.

Viewing the Keuzegids hbo 2024
The Keuzegids hbo 2024 is available to everyone at Inholland University of Applied Sciences via this link. You can also always find the link on the Information Portal.

For almost a year now, four Ukrainian refugees in a work experience position at Inholland University of Applied Sciences have been studying the living conditions of Ukrainian people. From within the Accessibility of the Law research group, associate lector Martin Blaakman and his team plus four Ukrainian researchers are studying access to basic facilities such as childcare, healthcare and housing. But what does the work experience position at Inholland mean for the researchers themselves? How do they experience the institution and what are their own personal stories? Snizhana Savko and Yaroslava Chebanova tell us more.

‘When I first arrived here, I had nothing. I have left my old life behind, completely. I managed to pack some photographs, documents and some practical stuff, but I had no space for clothes,’ says Snizhana Savko (27). ‘It is wonderful to see that so many people are eager to help, but initially it felt uncomfortable.’ By way of example, she mentions seeing a lot of people at a reception centre in Poland who were ashamed of having to accept humanitarian aid. 'We used to buy everything ourselves. It makes you feel inferior when you are no longer able to do so. It's as if you are a weak person, but we are not weak. We survived a war.’ This is way Snizhana is happy to be able to work. ‘I am now in a better position to improve our lives as a family than when we just received benefits. And I pay tax, which I regard as a token of gratitude towards the country that has helped me find a safe place to live, for the time being.’

Work to keep your spirits up
Yaroslava Chebanova confirms that many Ukrainians are embarrassed to have to ask for assistance. ‘As soon as we arrived in the Netherlands and were allowed to work, my sister found a job. It's not only that she wants to be able to pay for her own living, she actually needs work to keep her spirits up.’ Yaroslava herself was also keen to find employment, but she focused on the medical sector. She's a physician, but has not been able to find work because she does not speak Dutch. ‘Washing up dishes for a month, that's just beyond me. I really need a challenging job. The result is, though, that I've done relatively little for the past six months, and that's beginning to be a strain.’ It is not as if she has been sitting around doing nothing; she has worked as a volunteer and initiated projects. For example, with her sister and son, Yaroslava baked cakes and sweets which they sold on King's Day. She used the proceeds to buy medicines and sent them to Ukraine. 

Yaroslava has been back to Ukraine three times. ‘It's hard to accept reality. Your work, your home, your life: you have to leave everything behind and start from scratch.

I met a Ukrainian public-law notary who is now preparing meals at Schiphol Airport.’ According to Yaroslava, it is not just having to make concessions in the field of work, it is also having to deal with uncertainty about their future in the Netherlands. ‘I am now living with my son in an office building. We have to go to a different building to prepare food and take a shower. I'd love to have a place of my own, but I won't be able to find one as long as I have no certainty about work.’ At the same time, Yaroslava is aware of the housing shortage in the Netherlands. Having a teenage son at a local school makes things even more complicated. She stares at her hands. ‘Initially we thought we'd be able to return soon, but now I know this war is going to last a long time.’

Lots of questions, but no answers
Snizhana is also afraid of that. She had long feared an escalation in the relationship between Ukraine and Russia. ‘As a child I moved to Kharkiv, a city located some thirty kilometres from the Russian border, so people mainly used to speak Russian there.’ However, after the Russian invasion of Crimea, in 2014, Snizhana deliberately switched back to Ukrainian. She and her family members were not the only ones to do so. ‘Many people began to speak Ukrainian again. It gives us a greater sense of freedom,’ Snizhana explains. Like Snizhana, her mother had always been aware that the situation in their country could change. ‘She urged me to be a good student. A good education is your greatest asset, my mother used to say; something you will always take with you. Knowledge is weightless.’

‘When the bombs fell, I was afraid,’ says Snizhana. ‘I had never thought to be forced to leave Ukraine. It was a difficult decision, but I had no choice. If you don't go, there may not even be a tomorrow.’ At first her mother, their three dogs, two cats and Snizhana herself stayed with a host family. They have now lived for some time in a reception facility in The Hague. ‘There is noise all the time and I don't sleep well. The facility will close within a few months and we'll have to leave, but I have no idea where we'll go and the city doesn't give us any information.’

This uncertainty comes on top of the trauma that many Ukrainians are already suffering, says Snizhana. 'People are already experiencing psychological problems due to the ordeals they’ve been through and the uncertainty about the family members they've left behind in Ukraine. And what we lack here is stability. Work, housing, all sorts of things are uncertain. We have lots of questions, but we don't get any answers.’ According to Martin Blaakman, this shows that there's room for improvement in terms of access to basic facilities in the Netherlands. ‘It is precisely this lack of certainty that is making it hard for people to build a new life for themselves, if only temporarily. While that is what they so urgently need.’

Interviewing skills
The Ukrainian researchers do get answers from the people they interview as part of the study at Inholland. ‘As a physician, I am used to conducting highly goal-oriented interviews,’ says Yaroslava. ‘It helps me get all the information I need in a very short time. For Inholland I had to adopt a completely different interviewing technique. I really had to learn how it works. At first, my interviews were too short and business-like,’ she laughs. As the Ukrainian researchers are in the same situation as the people they are interviewing, they are able to collect highly valuable stories and information for Inholland. For that same reason, however, conducting those interviews is not always easy, emotionally. ‘Especially when you're asking people about personal things while you now how sensitive these things are. Everybody here has lost something or somebody, and I feel their burden as a fellow Ukrainian.’ Still, Yaroslava noticed that the interviews had a positive effect on both parties. ‘I am a good organiser, I speak English and have information about certain things, but they in turn helped me find information for my son, for example. So it was more than an interview, we helped each other.’

The work experience position at Inholland is very important for Snizhana.  She hopes to be able to find employment as a psychologist in the future and is currently doing a follow-up study programme. ‘People are unaware of our abilities and experience, but we also have good universities and highly skilled professionals in Ukraine. I hope that having Inholland University of Applied Sciences on my CV will improve my chance of finding a pleasant job that matches my level of education.’ Even so, Snizhana would prefer to return to Ukraine. ‘I hope we will win the war and that we can return in two years’ time. That's my plan,’ she laughs. Within a second, she is serious again. ‘Me and my mother used to go out walking with the dogs in the woods, but I don't think we'll be able to do so again. For example, there may be mines all over the place. And it's far from certain that we'll be really safe, then, or only for the time being. Russia is not a good neighbour.’

A sense of home

Yaroslava hopes to build a future in the Netherlands for the next few years. Especially for her son. ‘He really wants to go back and finds it difficult to be here. While I am trying to integrate, he still tends to isolate himself. But he's doing his best and hopefully he'll find a place for himself, step by step.’ Yarsolava herself has found a place for herself at Inholland, if only temporarily. ‘In any other work environment you are just expected to work and nobody asks you anything. Here I feel supported. Every working day starts with people asking us how we are doing. We are being seen, people understand our feelings and our situation.’

Yaroslava is happy to be able to learn new things and even though she is now also working in a hospital and does not have enough time, she does not want to stop at Inholland. ‘This position helps me to rehabilitate.’ A warm smile appears on her face. ‘Last Christmas we had a get-together with the members of the Inholland team. Everybody had prepared a dish and we felt like one big family. It was the first time I had a sense of home since I arrived in the Netherlands.’

Want to know more about the research and the results?
Keep an eye on our channels for more personal stories of Ukrainian refugees in the Netherlands. Would you like to know more about the results? Read here and request the research report in English, Ukrainian or Dutch. 

Please note: the research publication will be published in English, Ukrainian and Dutch soon. 

For almost a year now, four Ukrainian refugees in a work experience position at Inholland University of Applied Sciences have been studying the living conditions of Ukrainian people. From within the Accessibility of the Law research group, associate lector Martin Blaakman and his team plus four Ukrainian researchers are studying access to basic facilities such as childcare, healthcare and housing. But what does the work experience position at Inholland mean for the researchers themselves? How do they experience the institution and what are their own personal stories? Both legal experts themselves, Alina Stepanenko and Anna Golub are particularly motivated to take part in this research.

‘I expected to be living here only for a short while, so I thought there was no need for me to learn Dutch. And I get along quite well with English in the Netherlands,' Alina Stepanenko says. The war in Ukraine made her decide to leave Ukraine for Rotterdam, with pain in her heart. The war has been going on for longer than expected, and today, one year later, she already speaks a fair bit of Dutch. 'That's what associate lector Martin Blaakman of Inholland advised me to do,’ she says. ‘If you want to find a nice job, then you should learn the language.’ If not an actual job, she has already managed to find a nice work experience position. At Inholland, together with three other Ukrainian women, she is conducting research into the living conditions of Ukrainian people in the Netherlands.

Who is going to pay their travel expenses?
One of those women is Anna Golub, who lives in Barendrecht with her two children and shares the house with another family. ‘That's not always easy. They don't want to stay in this country, they want to return to Ukraine and are still hoping that the war will be over soon. They are not the only ones. Many of these people find themselves in a difficult position, psychologically. And even though it is safe here, there is no stability. For example, I myself am living in Barendrecht at the moment, but it's quite possible that I'll have to move all of a sudden. This temporary housing makes you feel very uncertain, which is why people are sometimes reticent to look for a job. That is reflected in the research we are carrying out for Inholland. People really do want to work, but if that means they have to move to a completely different part of the country, there is a problem. Who is going to pay their travel expenses?’

Alina has no permanent home herself at the moment, but still she feels she has been very lucky. ‘On social media there's an international group for lawyers. After having shared my and my little daughter's location in Ukraine, I received a response from a Dutch lawyer, Astrid, within a day.’ Alina left for the Netherlands with her mother, her 17-year-old brother and her baby, who was seven months old at the time, and they lived with Astrid and her husband in Rotterdam for half a year. ‘They helped us tremendously during the first few days. They gave us the things we needed and helped us register with the municipality, take out a bank account and such things. I'm very grateful to them for offering us a safe place. We had a good night's sleep for the first time in two months, without the air-raid alarm waking us up.’ Alina worked as head of a legal department before her daughter was born. ‘Of course I'd love to have a similar kind of job, but for the time being that's not realistic, due to my lack of knowledge of the Dutch legal system and the Dutch language.’ She smiles, briefly. ‘You can either wait, or build up a new life. At first I just kept waiting, but now I do both. I'm building up a new life, but still I hope to be able to go home.’

I know what to say to them
For Anna, too, life in this country is quite a puzzle. She has two small children, aged three and five, and her husband is at the front in Ukraine. ‘When I arrived here I wanted to get a job straightaway, to make money. I found a post as a teacher at a Ukrainian school in Rotterdam, but if they hadn’t arranged day care for my children, I wouldn’t have been able to work at all.’ When the school closed down, somebody drew her attention to an ad for work experience positions at Inholland. ‘I worked as a lawyer back in Ukraine. The research project at Inholland into the living conditions of Ukrainian people in the Netherlands focuses on access to the law. So I was really eager to do this.’

The fact that Alina and Anna are from Ukraine themselves is a clear advantage in the research. ‘I understand the situation and the cultural differences,’ Anna explains. ‘I am a researcher, but I'm also a person who has seen the war.’ She picks up her phone, scrolls through the pictures and shows one of a beautiful apartment building. It was partly destroyed a short time ago. ‘This is where I lived for ten years.’ She is silent for a moment, swallows and goes on: ‘I want to help Ukrainian people. I know what to say to them.’

‘A perfect example of citizen science,’ Martin explains. ‘Engaging people with specific knowledge and skills that are important for our research. These Ukrainian women are in the same situation as the people they are interviewing. That creates an extra layer of trust, and it enhances the value of the interviews.’

From a well-paying job to low-paid work
A short while ago, Alina found a job via an employment agency in Zwijndrecht. She took the job in addition to her work experience position at Inholland. ‘My mother looks after my little girl, so now I am the breadwinner,’ she says, happy to be able to do this work. ‘I work as recruiter for Ukrainians who are looking for employment, and now it is even more obvious to me how important language skills are. I get to speak many highly educated Ukrainians who had good jobs at home, but practically all of them now only qualify for low-paid work because they can't speak English or Dutch.’ As an unintended advantage, her work for the employment agency generates valuable input for the research, thanks to her contacts with fellow Ukrainians.

The first part of the research project at Inholland has since been completed. In the interviews, Ukrainian people were asked about their first steps and experiences in the Netherlands, for example with regard to access to medical care and training, housing and work. ‘One thing that struck me,’ says Anna, ‘is that I see lots of differences between Ukrainians. Education, age, having a family or not – all these factors play a role. Quite a few of them don't speak English, and many are afraid and have no network. People who have experienced bombing raids in particular tend to have psychological problems.’

What these people need more than anything else, says Anna, is stability. They need access to medical aid, including psychologists. They need money to live, they need to be able to send their children to school and to get proper language classes, instead of the odd hour a week taught by volunteers. Ideally, says Anna, there should be a clear plan for refugees upon arrival, guiding them step by step and providing stability. Martin agrees. ‘There's room for improvement, no doubt about that. It's important for Ukrainians to take part in Dutch society as full citizens. We believe that our research will contribute to that, as it will also offer a range of recommendations.’

Safety is now paramount
Another factor, apart from the issue of living conditions, is that many Ukrainians have left their partners and fathers in Ukraine. ‘I would also prefer to return to the life that I used to lead.’ Alina lowers her eyes. ‘But that's not possible any more, not even when the war is over. I hope we'll eventually be able to return, but for the present safety is paramount, also for our daughter.’

Anna would prefer to stay in the Netherlands. ‘I want to give my children safety and a good education.’ She also loves Dutch culture. ‘People here are open and I have great contacts in my neighbourhood.’ Even so, uncertainty and the lack of stability also have an impact on Anna. She does not sleep well and sometimes she has difficulty getting into contact with her husband, which does not make things easier. ‘A while ago I couldn't reach him for ten days on end. But I have to be strong. For my children and for my husband. There simply is no other choice.’

Want to know more about the research and the results?
Keep an eye on our channels for more personal stories of Ukrainian refugees in the Netherlands. Would you like to know more about the results? Read here and request the research report in English, Ukrainian or Dutch. 

Please note: the research publication will be published in English, Ukrainian and Dutch soon. 

In associate lector Martin Blaakman's office, a little girl is quietly making a drawing. Around her, researchers are discussing the launch of a survey. The girl, it turns out, is the daughter of one of the young Ukrainian researchers. ‘She's here for the first time,’ Martin explains. ‘There was no space in the day care centre today.’ According to Martin, the lack of certainty about childcare facilities is a typical example of the circumstances of many Ukrainians as they are trying to find work. ‘That's exactly what we are doing in this research project: mapping out the living conditions of Ukrainian refugees in the Netherlands.’ Martin does not do this on his own: in addition to Jossian Zoutendijk, four Ukrainian women are contributing, through work experience positions at Inholland University of Applied Sciences.

The work experience position concept is not new at Inholland. In this way, graduates can gain research experience and receive guidance in finding their way on the labour market. According to Martin Blaakman, this research project is typical of Inholland's social engagement. ‘We all saw this huge influx of Ukrainian refugees when the war broke out. Here at the research group we felt the need to give substance to our shared sense of social responsibility, and this led to the idea of work experience positions.’

Inholland supported the plan and made funds available. ‘This has enabled us to help Ukrainian people in two ways. First, of course, by conducting research to map the extent to which Ukrainians who have been received in the Netherlands have access to basic facilities. And second, by showing the researchers how the Dutch labour market works.’ Martin mentions LinkedIn as an example. ‘That's a hugely important platform in this country, but in Ukraine hardly anyone uses it. So I've encouraged them to create a LinkedIn account. They are also free to use Inholland's extensive network.’ 

Citizen science
From within the Accessibility of the Law research group, Martin wanted to study the living conditions of the nearly one hundred thousand Ukrainian refugees in the Netherlands. The focus is on access to basic facilities. ‘Part of the study is based on the concept of citizen science,’ says Martin. ‘This means that we’re asking members of the target group to carry out research themselves, even though they don't belong to any university. I'm a great advocate of this type of research, because these people have better access to that target group. It's not only a matter of language and culture, but also of trust. The in-depth interviews are so valuable because the women who conduct them are from Ukraine themselves and have experienced the war. They created an atmosphere of trust, which is extremely important for the type of research that I do.'

Space to settle down
Martin shakes his head. ‘Unfortunately, our research to date has already shown that there are lots of obstacles, despite the willingness to help. For example, many Ukrainians have no structural access to childcare or to a general practitioner.’ Other studies into Ukrainian refugees show similar issues, but according to Martin the research project at Inholland is distinctive and supplementary. ‘Our research consists of three parts: the forty in-depth interviews held by the Ukrainian researchers, a survey and a photo study. In order to be representative of Ukrainian refugees in the Netherlands, we needed almost 400 respondents. Thanks in part to the Ukrainians in the Netherlands Foundation, which helped us disseminate the questionnaire, eventually we had over 900,’ Martin proudly confirms. ‘What's more, the foundation is also going to help us disseminate our photo study. In it, we call on Ukrainians to take pictures of their conditions at home and at work. This could be a picture of one's kitchen, or of the clothes one wears at work. It's very simple to take part in the photo study, so we hope to e able to reach other Ukrainians with it.’

The study is making good progress, although implementing it proved more complicated than originally thought. ‘In all, four women from Ukraine are collaborating in the study. They're extremely enthusiastic, they’re passionate and their fluency in English is quite reasonable. It did take some time though getting things started. For example, childcare is an issue, as is the place where people live. They have to advance travel expenses, but they're not always able to do so. And I also want to give them the space they need to settle down. I really take time to ask them how they're doing, what their experiences of the Netherlands are and what issues they're encountering. They also have lots of questions themselves that they now feel more at ease to ask. For example, how do I arrange a study grant or what do I need to do to get my child to a different school? Jossian and I also help them find they way in those kinds of issues.’

Martin is aware that there is a difference between Ukrainian refugees and refugees from other countries, such as Syria or Afghanistan. ‘Of course we see and hear the sad news reports about the reception centre in Ter Apel. I think we should definitely also study the living conditions of the people there. But we deliberately chose to do this particular project. This has to do with the EU directive that has now been declared applicable to Ukrainian refugees,’ Martin explains.

The result of that directive is that we now skip the asylum procedure, as it were. This is meant to relieve Member States dealing with a sudden huge influx of refugees. ‘From a legal perspective this is quite special, and it's also new,’ says Martin. ‘While asylum seekers face a procedure that takes years, people from Ukraine are allowed to look for work and housing independently as soon as they arrive here. In addition to that, we've noticed there is a solid support base in Dutch society for these refugees. That raises the question of the extent to which they actually have easy access to basic facilities such as healthcare or legal assistance.’

Lack of income keeps people hostage
The experiences of these four Ukrainian researchers are fairly consistent with the provisional results of the survey: no permanent housing; lack of privacy; difficulty finding employment, let alone a job commensurate with their skills, knowledge and experience; difficulty finding a place for their children in childcare and education; and, of course, worries about family and friends left behind in the war zone.

‘Language is one of the biggest obstacles,’ says Martin. ‘There are not enough language classes and they're often held during the day, but that's when many people are at work. At the same time, learning Dutch is essential for them to find a pleasant job at an appropriate level. But it takes time to learn a language, and they simply need work to be able to earn a living. An income provides access to housing and childcare and, more generally, puts them in a position to make choices. As long as they have no income, they're kept hostage.’ Still, the interviews also produced some positive stories. ‘Basically, Ukrainians feel safe. That's simply because there is no war here. There are no air-raid sirens, and it's safe to move around. People also find comfort in the Dutch landscape or in the museums they visit. So I'm happy to say it's not just doom and gloom.’

When asked whether he thinks Inholland has been able to help the four women, Martin pauses for a moment. ‘There's a lot they have to deal with. Some of them have another job in addition to the work they do for us. They have no stable housing, and two of them have young kids. I asked them if it is not too much for them to come to Inholland, but they all say they actually like doing that. Apparently they find a sense of peace here, a place for them to catch their breath. The idea that the research helps them contribute to the position of Ukrainians is another thing that motivates them.’

Vulnerable yet resilient
‘In Ukraine, these women led a pleasant life, but then due to this nasty war they suddenly find themselves at the bottom of society,’ Martin sighs. ‘You can see how vulnerable they are when they arrive in the Netherlands. And it's not just the Ukrainians; I noticed the same kind of vulnerability in asylum seekers when I worked at the Immigration and Naturalisation Service. But there are also vulnerable people in our own society. People with low literacy levels, for example, or people who have a low income, can't find a house or can't afford childcare. In a way, Ukrainian refugees are a mirror that reflects all sorts of problems in our society.’

What this shows, says Martin, is that things are not properly arranged in the Netherlands. He is quite impressed by the resilience of the Ukrainian researchers, despite all their problems. ‘They are worried about their families in Ukraine, they are breadwinners, they help their fellow Ukrainians, they are busy looking for a pleasant job. And yet these women are far from dejected; on the contrary, they are strong, committed and independent people who never give up!’

Martin hopes to be able to present the full results of the studies by the end of the year. ‘I haven't yet decided in what form I will present those results, but what is certain is that we aim to get certain issues on the agenda and that we're going to make recommendations to help the government and other authorities take concrete steps to improve the living conditions of Ukrainian refugees.’ There is one important recommendation Martin is already certain he will make. ‘Under the temporary EU directive, Ukrainians can work here for three years. But what happens afterwards? We need to start thinking about that now.’

Being part of the solution
Another thing that is certain is that Martin will regret it when the project is finished, but he already has plans for new projects. ‘I'd very much like to carry out a similar type of study into the living conditions of asylum seekers and holders of a residence permit. And I'd also like to map out the situation that labour migrants find themselves in. Are we dealing with them in a decent manner? In addition to doing research and presenting results, I want us to be a part of the solution. That's because if there is anything I've learnt in my career, it is that while we may have a good life right now, it is not something we should take for granted.’

Want to know more about the research and the results?
Keep an eye on our channels for more personal stories of Ukrainian refugees in the Netherlands. Would you like to know more about the results? Read here and request the research report in English, Ukrainian or Dutch. 

Please note: the research publication will be published in English, Ukrainian and Dutch soon. 

Bart Combee is eagerly looking forward to the 4 day conference, which will start at the end of September. “It’s going to be inspirational. We will be learning new things from many international colleagues, hear about new initiatives and start new collaborations. Since I was born and raised in Rotterdam, I’m very excited that such an event is taking place in my city.”

Strengthening each other
“The world is becoming a global village with ties that bind. This is not only true in the areas of education and research, but also for challenges we face as a city such as the Energy Transition, climate goals and social polarisation. Our colleagues abroad are dealing with these same issues, so it’s helpful to be able to exchange knowledge and strengthen each other.”

International experiences for students
With that, Bart is touching on the core of the vision for internationalisation: “We want to improve the quality of our education and research. We do that partly by investing in our staff’s professional skills. For example, we exchange subject related insights with our colleagues abroad. But we also do this by facilitating international experiences for students. This can be an exchange program, to let them study abroad, but internationalisation is more than that.”

Especially internationalisation at home is taking flight. Students work together online in international groups on projects dealing with social issues. Examples of this are the BIP’s, in which students both come together and work individually from their own locations, and the COIL’s, in which the students do all their work together online.

Global Professional
“You need great collaborations between institutions in different countries to make these projects succeed,” Bart explains. “But thanks to these international experiences, the students develop knowledge and skills they need to become future global professionals. This involves language skills, but also intercultural skills to work with people from other cultures or ethnical backgrounds.”

Communication styles
As Chair of the Executive Board, Bart knows first-hand how valuable it is for students to have these experiences. After he studied Economics at the Erasmus University in Rotterdam, he worked in international business, the healthcare sector, became the Director of the Consumer Association and later on President of the worldwide federation of Consumers International. This required him to work closely with people from all continents.

“Not only did I have to make an effort to express myself in another language, I also had to deal with different styles of communication. In some nations you first have to build relationships before you talk business, and in other countries they first talk about the details. If you are not aware of such communication styles, it can hinder you collaboration.”

Serve the City
Bart is involved with the EAIE in many different ways: from delivering the opening speech during the Partner Day and Campus Experience to attending some of the sessions. He wants to inspire people, but also make them think.

“An international and diverse city like Rotterdam also has it’s downsides, such as that fact that not everyone is profiting from being connected to the world out there. To some people, globalisation is a threat rather than an opportunity. I believe we should somehow serve the city. How can everyone benefit from the fact that we are all here together? That is something I want us all to think about.”

Renzo Pichel (29) Sports Science student is starting his holistic lifestyle coaching practice to achieve lasting behavioural change. With his knowledge and insights, he helps people live a valuable life. The  programmes of Start Up Campus Haarlem are helping him to realise his ambitions.

The road to resolution is pure profit     
“I am searching. And I believe it is my strength. I let it be known when I don't know something. But I have confidence that I have all the investigative power to find the answer. As a holistic coach, it's about the bigger picture. I can see and fathom multiple dimensions. Therefore, we often tackle a completely different problem from the complaint clients come to me with. When dealing with a problem, finding the solution is not the only gain. The road itself is pure profit. So it may well be that a solution works for you, but not for those around you. The resistance that arises there gives all kinds of beautiful insights. I find it mega interesting to guide clients with their issues.”

Making space for a valuable life
“I started a startup in holistic lifestyle coaching. I focus on behavioral change, but more importantly on maintaining that change. Clients come to me with issues about nutrition, their social life, and about improving their finances. Together with the client, I explore their core values, and then we set up an appropriate structure.”

“My approach is Socratic. I constantly ask questions, and based on the answers, we determine the strategy. Often underlying blockages play a role. That's where my strength comes in. Uncovering the blockages and working with the biggest ones. Everyone can live a valuable life. I help them make space the right way. That's what I do it for.”

Take the brakes off!
“When I look at the world, I see so much unnecessary pain. We want more and more. Then I think: you are already good enough. Get on with your demons. You will see that the world is a beautiful place.”

“Clients come to me because I point out the sore spot and dare to deal with it. I am good at getting people on board and get infinite energy when people start moving. That energy is sometimes wild and uninhibited. But if you want to get everything out of your life, sometimes the brakes have to come off.”

“When clients have been with me, I hope they can take more pleasure in the things they were up against beforehand. And all the obstacles, everything that blocked them, no longer has to be there. My approach is energetic but also full of humor. I love the play element, and laughter gives air. Clients quickly feel safe with me. I consider that a great compliment.”

If you think 'I don't dare' then jump!
“I attended the Start programme at Start Up Campus Haarlem. And have now also signed up for the Growth programme. I found it so inspiring!”

“It taught me what is possible. Because you get together with other student entrepreneurs and get so many insights. That is so valuable. I was so uncertain at the start. Gradually, I learned that I could do much more than I expected. For anyone considering entrepreneurship, I would say: do it! Take that leap. The moment you think 'I don't dare', that is the moment you jump. At school, we often worked with a 360-degree feedback form. I would say: 'Get that out again and take that feedback seriously'. Then you can work with it.”

“And you know, it's never flawless. But that's exactly what makes it fun!”