Students Travelling to China for New Year Taking "Precautions" to Protect Against Corona Virus

https://www.wittenborg.eu/chinese-students-wittenborg-not-panicking-about-corona-virus.htm

Chinese students at Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences who plan to travel home this week to celebrate the Chinese New Year with their families say they will not cancel their plans because of a new Corona virus, but will take precautions. Wittenborg was told of at least two students from Wuhan - the city where the virus was first detected in December - who planned to fly home on Wednesday evening.

Meanwhile, Dutch health authorities at the time of writing, did not see any reason yet to erect a quarantine zone at Schiphol airport due to the outbreak of the virus. The Dutch public health institute RIVM, in its advice on traveling to China, said no additional measures are needed at this stage, taking its cue from the World Health Organisation (WHO).

RIVM already advises travellers against visiting markets in the country with live animals, and to adhere to general hygiene measures. General hygiene includes things like washing your hands regularly, showering, keeping your home clean - especially areas where you prepare food, and washing up after being in contact with animals and livestock, among other things. 

The Coronavirus is a brand new virus that broke out first in the Wuhan province of China. It is related to the SARS virus, which caused worldwide panic a few years ago. So far, nine people are reported to have died of the Coronavirus, and some 440 people are infected in 13 provinces of China. Infections were also reported in the United States, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand.

Most Chinese students spoken to at Wittenborg said they are worried for their families back home and about traveling there, but not panicking.

One HBA student from Beijing, who wishes to remain anonymous, said he plans to go to China in February. "I hope they find a cure, but in the meantime I will most certainly buy some surgical masks to wear. I have spoken to fellow Chinese students who will do the same. I am not comfortable traveling there, but I already booked the ticket in October." He said his family is worried but trusting that the virus will be contained.

WUP 22/1/2020
by Anesca Smith
©Wittenborg University Press

Humility in a Time of Arrogance

https://www.wittenborg.eu/opinion-humility-breeds-humanity.htm

Arrogant leaders seem to be all around us - from politics to business - the idea that you are so great already, that you can't improve. Humility, on the other hand, is the embodiment of modesty, respectfulness and honour.  It is the opposite of pride and arrogance.  Humility does not mean degradation of one’s status or dignity; in fact, it is the very opposite of that.  A person who observes humility abandons all selfishness and egotism and stands humble, altruistic and agreeable.

Humility is when a person does not see himself or herself as being better or above other people for frivolous reasons, such as the colour of the skin, race, social standing, education, nationality or wealth.

To some people, humility is unheard of, as it symbolises weakness and submissiveness. These kinds of people are proud of their absolute independence and power and would humble themselves to no one or no authority.  They believe they have limitless power and refuse to bow down, which, according to them, is disgraceful and it humiliates their personal dignity.  Indeed, human impropriety, rudeness, feeling of superiority and elevated self-esteem are around us everywhere, and what is so sad is that those who have these traits do not know it or refuse to acknowledge it.

There are too many examples around us where people have a tendency to value only themselves and pursue their own agendas without thinking about other people.  They step on other people’s toes or stab people in the back just to get what they want.  They fail to see the suffering they’ve caused to other people or the negative consequences they have inflicted along the way.  Think of animal poachers or drug traffickers. They should pause and ask themselves whether it will all be worth it.  Maybe they forget that their ‘back-stabbing’ or lack of compassion might just come back to bite them some day.

I Win, You Win

There are also people who always want to win.  They are willing to do anything to win and make other people lose, even if it means crossing the morality lines.  These are the people who cannot see past humanity.  They don’t believe in helping one another.  They perceive themselves to be better and others are losers.  Instead of sharing and having a ‘win-win’ attitude, they’d rather horde on to their wealth, power, knowledge and ideas and shove the ‘I-win, you-lose’ attitude into other people’s faces.   

Absence of humility (which means prevalence of arrogance and pride) is the major problem of the modern world.  It is the root of all evil; the widespread sufferings and tribulations of mankind.  The world nowadays is being annihilated day by day not by natural disasters but due to personal ego, feelings of superiority, power struggles, social conflicts, materialism, and wealth accumulation.  And because of that, the main value that is keeping us alive, humility, is losing out rapidly and will soon disappear into oblivion.

Humility Has its Own Rewards

The practice of humility will result in modesty, compassion, patience, empathy, sympathy, honesty and many other moral values that support harmony and humanity.  It will settle disputes, racism, discrimination, exploitation, terrorism, and instead advocate love, kindness, and social well-being.  Let’s unite together and follow the path of humility towards peace, harmony and happiness.

WUP 21/1/2020
by Hanna Abdelwahab
©Wittenborg University Press

Related Content
Student Column

Meeting up in Vietnam with Alumni  from the Saxion Class of '99 , and a Wittenborg graduate from 13 years back.

https://www.wittenborg.eu/meeting-alumni-vietnam.htm

During the Christmas and New year break, WUAS directors Peter Birdsall and Maggie Feng met up with a group of Alumni in Hanoi, Vietnam. It was a special group, as they came from the so-called 'Class of '99' - the first international class at the faculty of economics of Hogeschool Ijselland (now Saxion University of Applied Sciences) in Deventer, and were joined by Wittenborg alumnus Tracy Choé, who graduated 13 years ago.

The graduates from Deventer, had studied final year bachelors programmes at the Hogeschool Ijselland, and the master's programmes that were running at the time in partnership with the University of Greenwich. Birdsall, who at the time was director of the international office then, remembers the class of '99 as the first fully international group of students 'we had around 140 students from over 40 different countries at the time - it was very exciting'.

During the evening, the group looked back on their experiences 20 years ago, and remembered stories of the students, and teachers at the time, but especially the 'Study in Holland' experience which was quite unique in those days. The group plans to help organise a 25th anniversary in the Netherlands in 2024.

WUP 19/1/2020
by James Wittenborg
©Wittenborg University Press

Most International Students Funded by Family - Survey

https://www.wittenborg.eu/alumni-most-reliable-source-info-international-students.htm

Alumni are the most reliable source of information for prospective international students wanting to study in Europe and the UK, results from a new survey has shown. This relates to accuracy of life as a student in these countries, but also about job opportunities.

The ISEOS 2020 report was published by Cturtle. Between June and September 2019, a total of 16,830 responses were collected.  

The survey also revealed that most students funded their study abroad through family support - 62% of undergraduates and 43% of postgraduate students. The most popular field of study is management and commerce for postgraduates (33%) and finance and accounting for undergraduates (20%).   

The strongest factor when it comes to choosing a university for both undergraduate (57%) and postgraduate (52%) students is ranking, followed closely by location. Most choose to study abroad in order to improve their career opportunities. Many also view it as an opportunity to "live abroad".  

The survey also revealed that most international students are satisfied with their choice to study in a different country. A total of 93% of participants who studied in the Netherlands indicated that they had a positive international experience there, while 75% deemed it a good return on their investment.  

WUP 17/1/2020
by James Wittenborg
©Wittenborg University Press

https://www.wittenborg.eu/imagining-future-hospitality-2030.htm

What will the hospitality industry look like in 2030? This was the question HBA Hospitality Management students at Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences had to explore, then present their findings by way of a poster presentation. Hospitality Business Administration (HBA) is a double-degree programme offered jointly with the University of Brighton in the UK. 

The poster presentation is considered an alternative way of presenting research in lieu of the traditional oral or paper presentation - a snapshot if you will - which in this case was favoured by Brighton.

Students, divided in two groups, were tasked with developing an innovative concept which they imagine will be pertinent and relevant by 2030 and give them the edge over competitors.  One group proposed that by using augmented reality guests will in the future be able to experience hotel rooms and tourist attractions before booking them by way of special glasses. "With the virtual reality feature of the glasses, a guest will not just be able to do a booking, but actually see the hotel room in advance. Guests will know exactly what they are getting, leading to greater satisfaction. With visiting tourist attractions, the glasses will enable another layer of information, such as reviews, crowd level or by suggesting landmarks wherever the tourist is and providing historical context."

A Walk Among the Stars

The other group looked to the stars for inspiration and predicted that by 2030 the hospitality sector would have developed at such a pace that the space hotel would be a reality. "Space tourism is an exciting concept which many people dream about. The idea behind it is to allow regular, non-professional people to take a trip into the cosmos.

"The tourism industry is a hundred-billion dollar industry on earth alone. With that comes the possibility of turning space travel, which was previously only costing the government money, into another billion-dollar business."

Wittenborg lecturer and tutor, Radostina Zasheva, explains: "Two groups of students were expected to develop a concept or a product relating to a trend or issue of significance to the hospitality sector and promote it.

"They had to explain why it is important and the likely impacts of this concept on the contemporary and future hospitality industry. They then had to plan, build and operate an exhibition stand that displays and presents the concept and the key ideas underpinning it."

WUP 15/1/2020
by Anesca Smith
© Wittenborg University Press

More than 100 staff members of Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences gathered at a glittering event on Friday to ring in the new year during the Annual Staff Dinner with their partners. 

https://www.wittenborg.eu/wittenborg-looks-back-decade-many-milestones-during-annual-staff-dinner.htm

This year was significant as it marked the end of a decade, affording the opportunity to look back at the rapid progress the institution has made the past 10 years, starting with the move from Deventer to Apeldoorn in 2010 with just under 200 students. It now boasts more than 1,000, with 110 nationalities and a presence in 4 European cities - Apeldoorn, Amsterdam, Munich and Austria - with partnerships in many other countries like the UK, Australia and China.

Witteborg’s chair of the executive board, Peter Birdsall, ran dinner guests through some of the highlights of the second decade of the new millennium. This included Wittenborg celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2017, while continually rising in student and staff members. It also concentrated on gaining recognition and professionalising through various accreditation processes.

Birdsall said the next decade will see more development and societal impact. 

He also paused to pay tribute to members of staff and students who had passed away during the past decade, including its Academic Dean, Dr Jacques Kaat. And at the same time, Birdsall delighted guests with a collage of “newcomers” - babies born to members of staff at a rapid pace over the past few years.

The dinner was held at the 4-star Bilderberg Hotel de Keizerskroon in Apeldoorn where guests dined in splendour on a delicious 3-course meal.   

WUP 13/1/2020
by Anesca Smith
©Wittenborg University Press

Dutch Business Researcher Prof. Ad Kil to Run Wittenborg's Doctoral College in Apeldoorn

Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences has appointed Dutch academic and business researcher Prof. Ad Kil as the new Director of its Doctoral College in Apeldoorn. The college is to be run jointly by Wittenborg and its British partner, the University of Brighton.

New Doctoral College to Differentiate itself with Solution-Driven Approach and Academic Excellence

Kil already had ties with Wittenborg before accepting his new position. He served on the Advisory Board, which oversees the Executive, as well as the Graduation and Examination Board.

Although the foundation of the Doctoral College has been laid, Kill’s job will be to flesh out the details and bring it to life so that it is fully operational by the new academic year in September 2020.

“The programme will be designed for executives – a group other universities have not been eager to cater for, as they don’t always fit in with the typical research agenda and it can mean a lot of extra work. Our target group is not people who have just graduated. What will also differentiate us is that the disciplines will be more diverse and the supervisors will be more international and entrepreneurial minded. In other words, the subjects will tackle and be more attuned with real challenges in business and society. I think our challenge will be to design research and methodologies which will be solution driven without compromising on academic excellence.”

Kil has years of extensive academic and innovative experience. Besides running a research business with high-profile clients, he was also the Director of Nyenrode Business University’s Executive PhD programme and is currently Emeritus Professor of Research Didactics there. He also teaches in the same capacity at Kingston University in London and is a PhD course leader and supervisor at the Open University in Ghana. Furthermore, he serves on accreditation bodies like NVAO and QANU. 

Kil was born in Zeeland and grew up in Leusden. He is married, has 4 highly accomplished children and 6 grandchildren. In his free time he is a musician and plays various instruments in different big bands. 

WUP 11/1/2020

by Anesca Smith

©Wittenborg University Press

A week before Christmas, the Dutch Senate passed the Bill on Language and Accessibility - meant to rein in the tide of English in higher education and ensure the survival of Dutch - after fierce debate. Wittenborg’s Vice President Corporate Affairs, Dr Jan-Albert Dop, finds it regrettable that by only concentrating on Dutch and English, multiculturalism in the Netherlands is so much poorer. 

"Regrettable that Other Languages Ignored in Debate on Bill on Language and Accessibility"

"Having read the entire transcript of the discussions in parliament about the Bill on Language and Accessibility, I can only say that opinions are all over the place. The bill seems to be no more than an effort to say 'We’re on the ball!', without making clear what the game is or where the goalposts are.

With some exceptions, everyone seems to agree that the principal language at Dutch universities should in theory be Dutch, but if English is deemed to offer added value (meerwaarde) over Dutch, English can be substituted. What that added value should be and for whom remains totally unclear.

For a discussion in a country that used to pride itself - as it still does, incorrectly - on its multilingual skills, and that still has a number of different official languages, I found it distressingly poor. No mention was made of any other language except English.

The fact that around us in Europe, scholars still do serious, academic publishing in German and in French, in Spanish, Italian, Polish and Russian, that English may be the most widely used for international publications these days, but that more patents are being applied for in Chinese, was totally ignored. That, until recently, Dutch scholars had no problem teaching in Dutch, reading academic publications in a variety of languages and publishing their results in French, German, Dutch or English as circumstances required, seems to have been forgotten.

The discussion also made no mention of the fact that for many students - both from the Netherlands and elsewhere - concentrating just on English makes us culturally poorer. How many people already speak a variety of other languages in addition to their maybe not perfect Dutch or English? French, Arabic and Tamazight? Gikuyu and Swahili? Limburgish, French and German? Swiss German, Romansh, High German and French? Xhosa and Afrikaans? Marathi, Hindi, Urdu, Sanskrit and Telugu? To name but a few combinations I’ve run into over the years. A missed opportunity.

I feel we (at Wittenborg) can safely say that what we are doing is right. We are creating an international classroom, we are giving young people from all over the world the opportunity to immerse themselves in Dutch, European and international culture, and we do prepare them to the best of our ability for an international management career anywhere in the world, whether it be in their native countries or right here in Apeldoorn."

WUP 8/1/2020

by Dr Jan-Albert Dop

©Wittenborg University Press

Projects like MUN Show Wittenborg's Model of Learning is in Step with Today's World

https://www.wittenborg.eu/project-week-developing-well-rounded-students.htm

Project Week (PW) is an integral part of the Wittenborg experience, which seeks to contribute to students’ personal development and knowledge - not only about business issues but also current global concerns.  A good example of this was when Wittenborg recently hosted a Model United Nations Assembly where students debated world issues for 3 days. Their feedback was overwhelmingly positive as they got to experience what it is like to represent countries on an international level. 

Having been a teacher myself for more than 15 years, I know very well how students hate the rhetorical way of teaching and learning. The old-school model of passive learning of facts and regurgitating them out of context no longer feels in step with the students of today’s world. 

Diversity the Zeitgeist for Modern Youngsters

Working in teams with diverse nationalities, as well as brainstorming ideas and solving highly complex problems, has become the zeitgeist for our modern youngsters and future employees. German student, Robert Freytag, said he prefers this way of learning and especially likes the UN simulation model. 

With rampant problems and challenging issues that have proliferated in many, if not all countries in the world, it is not surprising that Wittenborg chose the topic of “Model United Nations at Wittenborg – Ethics in Business, Politics and Governance” as the final Project Week of the year for undergraduates.  Working in teams representing 21 different countries, students were tasked to research, discuss, synthesise information and brainstorm ideas on how to solve real-world problems such as money laundering, government and corporate corruption, regulation of social media and banking systems, as well as corporate interference in national politics. Thinking out of the box, many groups took the initiative and focused on other critical issues, such as human and women’s rights’ violations, healthcare, climate change, economic sanctions, gender inequality, ageing population, pollution and water shortage. Although Andreas Papadopoulos from the Czech Republic finds the topics a little bit overused, Iranian Elham Arefi feels the topics are different, yet interesting and relevant to her own course specialisation.

PW offers students the platform to develop the sensibility - the ability to sense and be sensitive - to the issues pertaining to countries around them. Sensibility is important in our lives as it provides us with an acute awareness about things that are going on around us. Making students realise the many problems the world is facing, on a national or global level, and making them realise that they can be part of the solution and not the problem, is really crucial, and is the very core of education in the 21st century. Stuart Benson from South Africa echoed this view and said that it is really good to get inputs from the younger generation about relevant and current issues impacting the world today. In this way, the younger generation would feel that the responsibility of making the world a better place to live in, is not in the hands of a separate group of people but could actually be in their own hands. 

It was heart-warming to see representatives from different countries speak eloquently and confidently in front of the whole assembly, defending their position papers and proposed suggestions. Unperturbed by the bombardment of questions by both students and lecturers, the "delegates" graciously and diplomatically rebuffed or clarified the questions posed to them. Although the topics discussed were difficult and complex, the atmosphere at the hall was high-spirited and energetic with a touch of humour from both students and the chair of Wittenborg, Peter Birdsall. In the words of Benson: “It was lots of fun and there was 120% active participation from students”. 

Most of the students interviewed applauded the concept of PW and believed that it has equipped them with lots of new knowledge, such as creating poster presentations, manifestos and writing position papers. Students also learn the importance of active participation in caucuses as well as other skills like negotiation and diplomacy. Commenting on the diversity of the group members, Sri Lankan student Kavinga said that she found no difficulty in working together with the other members, and even found it refreshing as she got different perspectives from each student about a particular subject matter. She believes she has learnt how to communicate better and acknowledges the importance of good leadership when working in teams. This notion was supported by Linh from Vietnam, who said that it is good to work in a team where members do not know each other, because then they have to learn how to communicate with strangers and how to work in random teams or projects.

Andreas Papadopoulos interpolated that "patience" is one of the key factors when working in teams; he said he had to maintain patience when dealing with fellow members who have different cultural habits and characters, patience in trying to resolve issues that crop up during discussion and patience in going through the long PW process. Learning good communication between different nationalities, according to Jade, is really imperative for her as she is pursuing a career path in the hospitality sector

To sum up, it would be fair to say that the PW was a huge success in getting active participation from students and in learning the important skills that would benefit them in their future careers. More importantly, they have learnt how the UN works, the many challenges that afflict other countries and the complexities of resolving those challenges. Hopefully too, students now understand the reasons why many countries are often at loggerheads with each other and also why international relations are so important to maintaining peace and harmony in the world. 

WUP 4/1/2019
by Hanna Abdelwahab
©Wittenborg University Press