The world is open for you: It is in your hands what you make out of it .

In this interview an international first year student who is studying the subject “International Communication at the Hanze University talks about her experiences of living in the Netherlands in general and her study subject in specific. It shows graduates from high school and current students who consider to change their subject the opportunities Groningen is offering to them. In addition to that the interview gives an insight into the importance of Intercultural awareness today.

1. How did you learn about the offers at the Hanze University?
I learned about the Hanze University by student representatives who visited our high school. Since Oldenburg is the twin town of Groningen this kind of promotion is done each summer in order to show German high school graduates the opportunities Groningen offers to them. As usually the visit has been dated a couple of weeks before the “Open day” of Hanze University so that interested students learn about the options they have when studying in the Netherlands and receive an invitation to come to the Open day for more detailed information at the same time.

2. How would you describe the student life in the Netherlands in general?
The most difficult task international students have to deal with is to find a decent accommodation which is not to expensive. Since especially each year in September students from all over the world start their study in Groningen the house market is more then tight.
Besides that students should be willing to adapt to the Dutch way of living. At first some things might seem weird since the student is used to different standards from his or her home country. If a situation like this occurs it is important to be open to consider the different way of handling something before judging it. This process requires Intercultural awareness in order to avoid that the mind is jumping to conclusions to quickly by stereotyping and the ability to look beyond ones own nose. Adoption in some ways or at least acceptances of differences in the Dutch culture are essential to feel more comfortable in the country and to actually feel at home in Groningen.

3. How does the Dutch University system differ from the German system?
One of the first aspects I noticed is the different teaching style at the Hanze University. First of all professors are called by their first name which leads to a more relaxed atmosphere then at German Universities. Thereby the structure of classes is more practical and group work orientated then in Germany. Both aspects are strengthens by the fact that classes consist of an average of 25 people instead of over 100 people. Furthermore the grading system is not ranking from1-15 but from 1-10 while a grade under 5.6 is a failure of the course and requests a resit.
All in all the Dutch system suitable to students who prefer a smaller and more intensive working atmosphere in teams rather then just studying theories individually.

4. What are the most important aspects a student from Oldenburg should take into account when considering starting his or her study in the Netherlands?
The most important aspects to consider is in my view to answer for yourself the following questions in order to find out whether a study program in the Netherlands is a good alternative referring to your personal strengthens and goals:
• Do I like to work in teams?
• Am I comfortable to communicate in English on a
daily basis?
• Which kind of learning style do I prefer?
• Am I willing to look beyond my own nose referring
to the importance of Intercultural awareness which
has been mentioned above?

5. Is it necessary to speak Dutch fluently when starting a study at the Hanze University?
No it is not necessary to be able to speak Dutch fluently before arriving in the Netherlands. Nearly everyone in the stores and at the school is comfortable to speak English. During the stay students easily will be able to learn some phrases and if they want it is possible to participate in a free Dutch language course additionally to the basic subjects at the Hanze University.

6. Please give a basic overview about the content of your study subject.
The study is divided into 8 semesters. During the first two years the student will learn about the basics of the different professions he or she will be able to work in after graduation. The focus in this period lies in Communication theory, Social psychology, Media skills, Marketing, Research, Business and Management studies.
Personally I think that this division gives a good overview about possible working fields so that you can decide after the first year whether the subject is suitable the students personal career goals and if he or she wants to continue the study or switch to another subject.

The first two years consist of 8 Blocks of ten weeks, 8 weeks classes and 2 weeks of exams. Each Block deals with theoretical background combined with a project in which the theory is applied in. The result is a professional product as for instance “The Event” during the fourth Block. The intent is to solve a communication problem within the business world in an international team. These international teams highlight once more the important role Intercultural awareness plays at the Hanze University. Since people from different cultures tend to have different learning styles in order to be able to work together efficiently the awareness of these differences and the intent to find a balance everyone can agree on is essential and requires the willingness of self reflection of personal values of all team members. This is a good preparation for the students work in international teams in their profession later on.
Furthermore during the third year students get the chance to test their personal level of Intercultural awareness in practice during their year abroad which is divided into an internship of 6 months and a half year of study at one of Hanzes partner universities all around the world.

7. Which personal skills are required to study ICC successfully according to the experiences you made so far?
In my view awareness of your own prejudices towards foreign people is a basic requirement. This is included in the personal Intercultural awareness which I already mentioned before. The development of this sensitivity referring to differences among people from different cultural backgrounds is necessary to during your study as well as during your work in the business world later on.
Furthermore an average ability to speak and understand English is necessary to be able to be successful during the study program. This is tested by the mandatory conduction of the TOEFEL test in advance before a student gets permission to study International Communication at the Hanze University.
Finally, a preference towards group work and good time management are further personal skills which are essential during the study program. These aspects are a main focus during the first two blocks in the first year. Professors take a special interest in demonstrating their importance and how to apply them in practice by using little projects and assignments.

8. You have mentioned the importance of Intercultural awareness frequently during this interview by now. To sum it up for our readers: Why do you think the development of a personal Intercultural awareness is important ?
First of all it is important to be aware of your own prejudices. Since everyone has certain pictures in mind when it comes to foreign people it is necessary to recognize these and not judge a person right away. This includes a reflection of different values and attitudes people of other cultures have based on their different living experiences and education.
In addition to that I learned a lot about what it means to work efficiently in a team as I elaborated above. Even though I have had group work in school before at Hanze the term “Team work” got a new meaning for me. We learned how to develop group contracts and to ensure that everyone in the group is sticking to certain rules in order to get a good result in the end. Thereby different attitudes and values of individual group members based on different cultural backgrounds have been the most difficult part to deal with. For instance Spanish people have a different attitude towards time then German people which leads to different expectations among group members. If a Spanish person says she or he will finish an assignment soon this can mean within the next 2-3 days while “soon” for Germans in general means within the next 24hours. This kind of different basic expectations need to be figured out and dealt with in the team to avoid larger conflicts. Since this difference in time is cultural related and people grew up with these values they will in most cases not even consider them as wrong but assume they are normal. Therefore it is essential to be aware of your own values as well as other peoples values and perceptions in order to be able to work together efficiently and avoid misunderstandings. These experiences helped me to develop my personal level of Intercultural awareness already and will during my further study which is a good preparation for my career later on.

In conclusion the topic “Intercultural awareness” is an important aspect not only in order to become a successful Communication specialist but for everyone who strives for an international career in the business world in the future. It all comes back to your level of Intercultural awareness which reflects your ability to look beyond your own nose and your way to deal with unfamiliar situations based on different values and personal expectations.

If this interview created curiosity for you further information to the study program can be found online at www.hanze.de.