Wittenborg Students Give Teachers Score of 3.80, Compared to 3.73 Nationwide

Wittenborg students have rated the school’s academic staff above average, according to the results of the 2022 edition of the National Student Survey (NSE), published on 31 May. While Wittenborg’s teachers were awarded a score of 3.8 out of 5, the Dutch national average is 3.73.

In total, 143 Wittenborg students answered the survey between 17 January and 13 March, assigning ratings that ranged from 1 (Very Dissatisfied/Disagree) to 5 (Very Satisfied/Agree). Conducted by Studiekeuze123 on behalf of the Dutch Ministry of Education, the study encompasses six main themes: Content & Organisation, Connection to Professional Practice/Career, Teachers, Guidance/Counselling, Examination & Assessment and Engagement & Contact. These themes, in turn, are divided into multiple subtopics. Moreover, the survey also assesses the students’ general level of satisfaction with their programmes.

Some of Wittenborg’s most significant results concern the category ‘Teachers’, one example being the statement ‘The teachers are involved with the students’, which went from a score of 3.66 in 2021 to 3.89 in 2022. Additionally, the students have given considerably higher ratings to the statements ‘The teachers have good didactic skills’ (awarded 3.80 in 2022, in comparison to 3.53 in 2021) and ‘The teachers foster an environment where questions can be asked’ (which went from 3.89 in the previous year to 4.07 in the survey’s current edition).

In regard to the students’ general satisfaction levels, the score for the item ‘Satisfaction with course programme in general’ has gone from 3.34 to 3.61. Furthermore, the school has scored higher than the national average in two subtopics within the same category: ‘General skills acquired in course programme’, which was rated 3.90, in comparison to 3.60 in 2021, and ‘Information provided by course programme’, which went up from 3.48 to 3.67.

Wittenborg President Peter Birdsall thanked all the students who took the time to participate in the survey and highlighted its importance for Dutch higher education institutions. “Apart from being used by external parties to rank schools, the NSE gives institutions the opportunity to keep enhancing their quality, by seeing what they are doing right and where there is room for improvement. Therefore, by taking this year’s survey, students have done something that will also be beneficial for Wittenborg’s future cohorts,” he stressed.

WUP 24/6/2022
by Ulisses Sawczuk
©WUAS Press

Participants Develop Advisory Reports for Famous Apeldoorn Zoo

In partnership with Apenheul Primate Park, Wittenborg organised a project week for 130 bachelor’s students between 30 May and 3 June. The activity’s goal was to provide the famous Apeldoorn zoo with advisory reports on the latest changes in consumer behaviour, also detailing how to effectively serve consumers in the current scenario.

Having been divided into groups of five or six, students were required to act as consultants, defining the key issues related to Apenheul’s challenges, offering accurate analyses through facts and figures and presenting an array of diverse recommendations and long-term solutions.
 
The initiative included an excursion to the zoo on 31 May, which in addition to familiarising students with the organisation was also a fun-filled way to encourage them to reflect on topics such as sustainability, tourism and animal conservation. At the end of the project week, all groups were required to deliver a consultancy report and a video presentation, and each student was tasked with submitting a group evaluation and self-assessment.

Upinderjeet Kaur, who is pursuing an HBA degree in Tourism Management, said that this was his first visit to Apenheul Primate Park, describing it as an immersive and memorable experience. “I felt that this project week was really unique, and I was able to have fun and learn a lot by taking part in it. There are a number of elements within Apenheul that make the visitors’ experience fun and enjoyable, all the while keeping it educational. Overall, the park has been beautifully structured and I think they are doing a great job for the animals and the environment. I am grateful to Wittenborg and Apenheul for this opportunity and I would like to visit the park again soon.”

For HBA student Valeriia Gineva, specialising in Sports Business Management, collaborations of this type are positive for all parties involved and offer multiple benefits, such as protecting the environment. “During this activity, we were required to conduct research in different ways, such as asking questions to the zoo’s staff members and using our own experience as visitors at the park. This helped us improve our communication skills,” she added.

HBA student Musa Ayuba, also specialising in Sports Business Management, said that he enjoyed participating in the project week because activities like this enable students to work with people of different backgrounds and personalities. “For me, this was a good opportunity to develop skills such as proactiveness. Collaborating with proactive group members means that you also need to be proactive, so that you do not slow the group down. At first, I was not that interested in the field of animal conservation, but the project week was really insightful and made me learn and understand a number of things,” he stressed.

A Special Farewell

This was the last activity organised by Wittenborg’s bachelor's project week coordinator, Samantha Birdsall, before she moves on to fully dedicate her time to primary school teaching. Samantha complimented the students on their hard work and pointed out that the assignment gave them the chance to act as professional consultants, addressing important competencies such as teamwork and the ability to focus on work while going on an excursion.

Being the daughter of Wittenborg president Peter Birdsall, Samantha explains that the school has been part of her life since she was a child, and points out that in addition to coordinating the project weeks she did various types of work for Wittenborg.

“My first ‘job’ was going with the students on camp, at around age 12, and helping out while staying on the location with a few friends. So, it will be strange to let go of my work at Wittenborg, but I will never really be gone from the school. All these years taught me so much about working and working together that is it hard to sum up. Besides project weeks, I also learned a lot by being an administrative assistant, translating texts and writing articles for newsletters, among other tasks,” she says.  

Samantha highlights that, given Wittenborg’s high level of diversity, coordinating the school’s project weeks was a great way to learn more about various cultures, languages, similarities and differences. “As a primary school teacher, it was also a way to see how teaching methods and assignments can be adapted for students of different ages and levels, and this has been very enriching,” she adds.

WUP 20/6/2022
by Ulisses Sawczuk
©WUAS Press

Event Included Singing, Dancing, Drinks and Snacks

To celebrate the great weather and get people ready for summer, Wittenborg organised the Summer Jam party for 106 students and five staff members on 3 June at the popular Schenkers café in Apeldoorn. The sunny and warm evening was filled with singing, dancing, lively chats and laughs, and all attendants were offered drinks and snacks.

During the party, a DJ played songs requested by the students – encompassing music from multiple countries and styles – and people had the opportunity to indulge in karaoke singing. Moreover, the venue included an outdoor area where students could enjoy the sun.

Support Office & External Relations Coordinator Sophia Faraji, who organised the activity, explained that based on student feedback on previous events, this year’s Summer Jam was scheduled for a date and time that was convenient for students. “This time, we chose a day on which students were physically present at the school and the party started right after their classes, so it was easy for them to join and we had a great number of attendants. The Summer Jam went beyond my expectations, and I was very happy to see that the students really enjoyed it; we received many positive comments after the event.”

Beatriz Soares, an MBM student from Brazil specialising in Entrepreneurship & Innovation, described the event as “amazing”, adding that it gave her the chance to meet many new people. “I participated in the karaoke and it was lots of fun; we sang a famous Brazilian song that everybody knew. I am looking forward to more events like this because Wittenborg is an awesome school, full of great people, and it is always cool to socialise with the others,” she highlighted.

According to Iranian MBA student Amin Nadervandi, who is pursuing a degree in International Management, the Summer Jam was a wonderful opportunity to relax and chill with classmates, as well as make new friends. “The atmosphere was really cosy and nice, and the moment was ideal because we had just finished most of our exams,” he pointed out.

WUP 18/6/2022
by Ulisses Sawczuk
©WUAS Press

More than 450,000 Opportunities Available for Job Seekers

Students and professionals looking for work in the Netherlands might find opportunities in multiple sectors, as the number of job vacancies in the country is on the rise, having reached 451,000 at the end of March, according to the Dutch Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS). Data shows that in the first quarter of 2022 there were 133 job vacancies for every 100 unemployed people, up from 106 opportunities per 100 unemployed workers in the last quarter of 2021.
 
In the same period, the country reached the lowest unemployment rate in 20 years at just 3.5%, corresponding to approximately 9 million people currently employed, while businesses are struggling to fill vacancies. Therefore, job applicants can take the opportunity to negotiate for higher salaries or more advantageous contracts. For students, in particular, this means that businesses might be open to more flexible arrangements, such as part-time positions and internships.

Accounting together for 225,000 vacancies – nearly half of all jobs on offer – the three sectors facing the most significant staff shortages are trade (90,000), business services (74,000) and healthcare (61,000). Another industry where the number of opportunities has significantly risen following the COVID-19 pandemic is the hospitality sector, with vacancies going from 30,000 in December to 44,000 in March. Because the Dutch tourism and hospitality industry is recovering from the impacts of the pandemic, the number of vacancies is likely to keep increasing.
 
Apart from the reopening of the economy in the aftermath of the COVID-19 lockdowns as well as other restrictive measures, the rise in the number of jobs is also connected to the record low level of bankruptcies. In April, only 109 Dutch companies went out of business.
 
In light of the current situation, the government expects the number of vacancies to go on increasing in the second half of 2022. Therefore, students looking for jobs have good reason to be on the watch for opportunities while strengthening their networks and keeping updated CVs!

WUP 16/6/2022
by Ulisses Sawczuk
©WUAS Press

Real Challenges Faced by Real Companies

With the aim of providing students the platform to learn within the context of real, problem-based learning, 64 students from the Business Administration (MBA) and Business Management (MSc) are participating in the Master Challenge Project Week. The 7-week long project is coordinated by Wittenborg's Head of School of Business Dr Rauf Abdul and Education Support Administrator Hanna Abdelwahab. During the project week, groups of 6 students will be matched with a real-life company based in the Netherlands to help them resolve their business challenges.

The project was officially launched during its kick-off meeting on 18th May 2022 at Wittenborg's Spoorstraat building in Apeldoorn. In this project, students are required to act as consultants who will analyse, research and present practical solutions for the specific real challenges faced by the companies. Unlike the first Master Challenge in which students were tasked to solve only Digital Marketing and Communication challenges, this time, five groups will be solving Artificial Intelligence in the business context challenges and six groups will be solving Digital Marketing challenges.

Manifestations of Theoretical Knowledge and Soft Skills

Being a university of applied sciences whereby the curriculum is more practical oriented rather than theory or research, providing this platform for students will help them to put into practice what they have learnt at Wittenborg during the first semester, as well as what they have experienced in their personal or previous career. Real-life projects like this are important to show the manifestations of students' academic knowledge, professional skills and soft skills like problem-solving, creative and critical thinking and innovativeness. Immersing in this kind of group project is also pertinent to helping students develop skills which are increasingly significant in the professional world, such as leadership, communication, listening, negotiation, collaboration and peer review.

Based on a general overview of the kick-off meeting, students seem to be very excited and are eager to start this challenging learning experience. In his kick-off meeting speech, Dr Rauf Abdul said that students are being given this opportunity to help them internalise real challenges and see for themselves the complexities of real-life problems which are affected by many underlying factors. The partnerships with various companies also present opportunities for students to build and expand their networks, thus, increasing their chances of securing jobs in the Netherlands.

WUP 14/6/2022
by Hanna Abdelwahab
©WUAS Press

Edith Nordmann Discusses International Law in Business and Commerce

On 23 May, Wittenborg hosted a guest lecture with experienced corporate and commercial litigator Edith Nordmann, who is managing partner and attorney at law at ACG International, Amsterdam. The activity had the goal of introducing bachelor’s students from various specialisations to different legal aspects of international business transactions, including risks and opportunities, types of agreements, methods of dispute resolution, choice of law and choice of jurisdiction. During the session, Nordmann exemplified each topic with real-life cases she encountered during her career.

The guest speaker stressed that businesspeople and entrepreneurs need to pay attention to the rules and details of business agreements, such as the challenges involved and who is going to bear the costs if the risks are manifested. Nordmann highlighted that, when working as a mediator in alternative dispute resolution cases, she makes use of her background as a lawyer to try to find the best possible agreement for her clients.

“I help my clients see opportunities as well as the legal consequences that will result from each possible approach to the dispute, and this gives them ideas on which path to take. In addition to that, I always point out that mediation is an opportunity to decide for themselves what they want to say ‘yes’ to and what they do not want to accept. This is different from when people go to court, because then the judge will tell them what is going to happen and they will win or lose, there is nothing in between,” she said.

According to Nordmann, the most important thing she has learned throughout her career is to stay curious and keep on learning, because no professional has all the answers. “It is also important to keep in mind that every situation has multiple sides, and your clients will always be telling you their own version of the story. As a lawyer, you must make a difference between yourself and your clients; you should not become so involved that you lose contact with the real matter. So, try to be objective and never promise anything that cannot be done. Finally, this is a profession that requires long hours and a lot of dedication, and people should only go into it if that is what they really love.”

She described the interaction with the students as “inspirational”, pointing out that the participants were very engaged in the activity, by asking questions and making comments.

Opportunities for Learning

IBA student Martin Hattingh, specialising in Financial Services Management, said that Nordmann’s guest lecture was “fascinating”, adding that the real-life examples she used helped solidify the concepts discussed. “This was a nice introduction to the topic and one key takeaway is that I should have all my agreements written and the contract should be signed by both parties, to ensure that its stipulations are all correct and not ambiguous. Plus, the importance of having a good lawyer early on should not be overlooked, because they can save you from many lawsuits and ensure that all legal agreements are done correctly, which will save you lots of money and time in the long run.”

In Hattingh’s view, activities such as guest lectures can be very beneficial for students. “They are a great way to inspire students and give relevant, real-world accounts of the theories learned in class. Hearing the thoughts and opinions of leading professionals is a wonderful opportunity for learning and enables students to think of these topics in new ways, seeing aspects they had not previously considered.”

WUP 10/6/2022
by Ulisses Sawczuk
©WUAS Press

Event Gives Students Chance to Make New Friends and Have Fun

A group of 34 Wittenborg students and alumni had the opportunity to socialise, have fun and make new friends during the Bowling Night organised by the school’s Amsterdam study location on 20 May. Lasting two hours, the event took place at the popular venue Aloha Amsterdam, where four bowling lanes had been reserved for the participants, who played in groups. In addition to playing the game, the students were also provided with free drinks and snacks.

Wittenborg associate professor Dadi Chen, who attended the event and took part in the game, described the activity as fun and highlighted that it was a great opportunity for students and graduates to catch up with their peers. “I published a post on LinkedIn inviting our alumni to join us and they immediately responded. Some of them graduated during the pandemic and had missed the chance to meet and celebrate with us, and so they were happy and grateful that they could have a good time with our current students. On top of that, we also talked about their current life and plans for the future.”

Chen added that social activities are very important for staff and students, and said that he will go on encouraging the school’s alumni to participate in these events. “They are members of the Wittenborg family and Wittenborg will always be their home in the Netherlands and support them when they need it. I really love how these events create a cosy environment where we can have fun together, and it is important that we share our joys and sorrows as well as strengthen our solidarity because that helps us face all of our challenges.”

Student organiser Isaac Pattinson, who is pursuing an EBA degree, said that the atmosphere of the event was really pleasant and that he enjoyed interacting with his peers outside school. “It was also very nice to meet the alumni and hear them tell stories about their life after graduating. There should be more activities like this, because it is a way for the Wittenborg community to bond.”

For MBA alumnus Santosh Sedai, the Bowling Night was an opportunity to reunite with former classmates. “It was lots of fun! I got a few strikes – which I celebrated – and also some funny shots where I did not get a single hit, and we laughed together during those moments. Integrating into Dutch society is very difficult for international students, and the school’s social events make their student life more enjoyable.”

Support Office & External Relations Coordinator Xiaoli Wu, who was responsible for organising the Bowling Night, said that she was very satisfied with the outcome of the event. “Apart from being a fun activity, it also enabled students to meet people from different backgrounds and helped them develop important professional skills, such as communication, teamwork and organisation.”

Amal Orm, studying for an MBA degree, thanked the organisers for the initiative, and highlighted that this was the first social activity she joined after the COVID-19 lockdowns. “We had a great time and, although I am not that good at bowling, there were people of all skill levels playing together and my friends helped me learn more about the game. Plus, we also had the chance to dance and have a few drinks, and the atmosphere was lovely.”

WUP 8/6/2022
by Ulisses Sawczuk
©WUAS Press