Education news

If you have obtained your diploma in humanities, but are somewhat disheartened by its value on the current job market, you might eventually arrive to the radical decision of making a horizontal career leap to seek employment in sciences or engineering. While this makes economical sense, you will soon realise that in order to pursue such a career, you must first pursue the education.

When we are talking about a radical career change (like from a language teacher to a software engineer), some short crash course into the field will often not suffice, and you will find yourself browsing bachelor programmes before you know it. However, when you are an expat, things tend to get more complicated (subtext: longer and more expensive), so you better do your research before you make your final decision.

High School All Over Again

In order to enrol at a Dutch research university or a university of applied sciences (hogeschool), you should be a HAVO or VWO graduate.Effectively, this means that you have to produce a recognised equivalent of a high school diploma with a particular set of subjects. This set will differ per study programme you want to pursue in the higher education, but...

So you have made it through school. Now the question is, how to turn that diploma into a paycheck? It is a cold and unforgiving world out there for the crisp graduate. Perhaps even more so if you also happen to be an expat. However, with the right attitude and proactive approach, you can find just the thing you are looking for.

First step would be to analyse yourself. Make sure you know what you are good at, what you enjoy doing, what your weak points are, and – of course – what do you want in your (professional) life. This will give you an indication about the kind of job you should be looking for.

Even though traditional channels like job boards, job sites and Google searches may seem out-dated, there is a reason why people still use them. They are verified means of finding – and getting – a job. So sign up with a recruitment agency, browse job boards regularly, and apply for the positions you want. It is also important that you tailor your application for each and every different position.

In the meantime, make yourself more employable by volunteering or getting a free online qualification....

Delft University of Technology has signed up its one millionth student for its online lectures or Massive Open Online Course programme. In September 2013 were launched the first courses, on solar energy and water treatment.Starting as a small project, and no The Technical University nowoffers 36 different MOOCs, ranging from ‘leadership for engineers’ to aerospace.
There is even a programming class, in Dutch, geared towards children ages 8 and up.
Students can select which courses to take via edX, a non-profit platform for online education that is also used by MIT, Harvard and other universities to make their courses available to anyone on the planet with access to the internet. Some 20% of Delft’s subscribers hail from the United States and 13% are based in India. The most popular course so far has been solar energy, which has drawn 131,000 enrolments. Creative Problem Solving, the second most popular, has attracted 113,000.
‘We are now working hard on the next step: ensuring that our students can earn credits for MOOCs from Delft, as well as those from partner universities and vice versa’, the university vice president AnkaMulde told TU Delta magazine. ‘This means that they will gain access to a wide...

The number of people that find a job after graduation has increased since 2013. The period between graduation and the first job is on average three months, and 40% even directly find work, says the latest labour market report from the Association of Universities VSNU.
“The statistics indicate that graduate university education (WO) still provides an excellent starting position in the labour market and also gives a high job security”, concludes the VSNU.
Of the 93% who found a job within one and a half years after graduation, 69% could get a job with an academic level of thinking, 21% found work at university level and 2% at MBO level. The remaining 8% is unaccounted for.
Europe
Compared with other European countries, graduates of the Dutch universities are doing well. Of all graduates in the Netherlands, 89% have jobs, while in the 21 EU countries that are members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) this is at 86%. The Netherlands scores as good as Luxembourg and better than France, Belgium and Germany.
For the survey last year nearly 38,000 master's graduates were invited to participate and 21.4% responded. The labour market report is being published every two...

Dutch ships and yachts builders are considered amongst the world’s best. The competitive advantage can only be preserved thanks to the (technological) innovation and craftsmanship. Relevant experts and managers play a crucial role. The STC-Group has developed a new part-time HBO in Maritime Engineering / Shipbuilding, helping professionals to further develop their knowledge in the field of Maritime Engineering. The new program will start in September 2016 in Rotterdam.
The degree program takes four years, and students attend classes one day a week. Also, they can use a variety of e-learning facilities. This makes it easier to combine the study with work. STC-Group developed four separate training modules / learning tracks: Introduction Shipbuilding, Theoretical Shipbuilding, Ship Structures, Ship Production and / or Marine Engineering. The prices are different per module. There is the possibility to follow all four modules and then receive a Bachelor’s diploma.

Information Event
On June 8, the STC-Group is organizing an information event. Those interested in these and other STC programs are welcome between 13:00 and 16:00 on Lloydstraat 300 in Rotterdam.
Source: Maritime Technology...

A number of careers and job positions require experience, and internships serve as a platform to equip people with this necessary experience. Internships can also be a great way to test the waters of a career choice; however, if there is any uncertainty about pursuing that path, it can sometimes be difficult to find the ideal internship.

Before starting the search, there are several questions that need to be answered: what professional field do you want to enter? What exactly do you want to achieve in this field? How can the internship bring you closer to this goal? What can you, as an intern, contribute to the company?

One of the simplest ways to search for internships is through the power of the Internet. Millions of results will appear in a matter of seconds, but this does not make finding an internship easier, in fact, it can clutter a search with undesired results.

There are thousands of recruitment agencies that can help narrow down the search. By using recruitment agencies as a promoter, companies publish not only available vacancies, but also available internships. Recruitment agencies can help tailor a search to a certain field or career path, and recommend well-established...

Minister wants more MBO internship with freelancers. Minister Jet Bussemaker (Education) aims to make it easier for MBO students to follow an internship by the self-employed ( freelancers ). At this moment the students don’t chose the self-employed for their internships because there’s too much uncertainty around the subject, according to a letter from Bussemaker to parliament sent this Friday . The self-employed should comply with quality requirements and be recognized as a training company .

According to Bussemaker thease are mainly very specialist and creative professions such as for example gold- and silversmiths. They often work independently.
Parliament had asked the minister to seek more opportunities to create internships by such professionals.

Many MBO students struggle to gain experience in practice, while it is necessary to complete their education . However an internship by a freelancer should be a match with the education of the student, only then a student can follow it, thinks Bussemaker .
 Source: NU.nl...

Nyenrode takes organizations to the next stage of organization development during Summer Journey.

Nyenrode takes organizations to the next stage of organization development during Summer Journey. The next generation of organizations or teal organizations releases entrepreneurship forces to realise a given purpose. It is based on new form of leadership based on the stage of human consciousness. This program is therefore a good match with Nyenrode as Nyenrode’s values are Leadership, Entrepreneurship and Stewardship.

In July, Nyenrode is organizing a week long summer journey to investigate how pioneer organizations are paving the way for the next generation of organization development, and to support participants in their own reinventing quest.

The reinventing quest
Survey after survey shows that a majority of employees feel disengaged from their organizations. They suffer from power games, bureaucracy and a never-ending succession of change programs. They experience a gap between their strengths, passions and opportunities. Deep inside, employees long for soulful workplaces, for authenticity, passion, and purpose.

Liberated enterprises
A number of organizations have managed to achieve this liberation or so called ‘teal’ development, which represents the next stage of human consciousness. They are regarded as the next generation of organizations with happy and engaged employees. Example...

While the University of Amsterdam (UvA) is not in imminent danger, its current financial position as an institution is expected to deteriorate further. Therefore, the university should continue to work hard to restore itself over the next three years.

This was reported by the Education Inspectorate, who came to this conclusion, published last Friday.

The university suffered losses in recent years, but over all, the losses sustained were less than expected. Between 2015 and 2018, the institution will probably be short 15 million euros, while at first it had expected a loss of 85 million.

The UvA has spent a much of its budget on new buildings in recent years. This includes a total of approximately 620 million euros, planned to be used between 2005 and 2020. Of this budget, 380 million has already been spent.

The financial situation has also deteriorated because the number of students at the UvA has been in decline since 2011. This is because the studies which the university is aimed towards are not in high demand. and because popular disciplines such as engineering are not on offer. In 2017, the university will probably 8 million euros less than in 2015....

International MBA event to be held in Amsterdam

The Access MBA Tour, worldwide leader in One-to-One business education events, will return to Amsterdam on February 6th at Hilton Amsterdam, the organiser Advent Group announced today.

“Access MBA is designed to bridge the distance between business executives and elite MBA programmes from around the world through personalised One-to-One meetings between candidates and school representatives” – Christophe Coutat, Advent Group’s Managing Director, said.

The One-to-One meetings enable business professionals to find a top MBA programme that corresponds to their background and expectations. Each MBA candidate undergoes a selection and matching process by business education experts. Qualifying attendees are then given a custom event agenda for a series of 25-minute long meetings with admissions directors.

The event features top international business schools from Europe and North America, as well as prestigious local institutions. Candidates can expect to meet representatives from schools such as [name the three most prestigious ones]. It is expected that the gathering will be attended by up to [number of candidates] qualified MBA candidates from [city] and elsewhere around the country.

The event is part of Access MBA's Fall Tour, which features 125 international business schools and takes place in 34...

Giving teachers in the Randstad the opportunity to earn more salary during leave has not helped reduced the number of teachers leaving the education sector. It was thought that a pay rise was needed to prevent teachers from leaving education. However, it has not changed in the numbers of teachers who have left, the Centraal Planbureau (Central Planning Bureau, CPB) concludes in a report. Each year, seven percent of teachers take jobs outside of the education sector. In metropolitan areas the percentage is as high as elsewhere. That was also the case for the adjustment of salaries.

The only change is that teachers from the Randstad are less often going to a school outside the region. In other words, ''it costs about 400 thousand euros to prevent one teacher in the Randstad switching to a different area,'' the researchers said. Between 2009 and 2014, schools in the Randstad used a total of 290 million euros. This allowed them to give teachers a raise. According to the CPB, the teachers' salaries in the Randstad has risen about thirteen percent....

Nearly 150 thousand people have already benefited from special assistance programs from the government, employers, and employee organisations.

Approximately 19 thousand people have been helped to find work, including 17 thousand apprenticeships. This shows a balance between the so-called sector plans, which aim to improve the labour market. Minister Lodewijk Asscher (Social Affairs and Employment) announced these results last Tuesday.

Around 86 thousand employees have been converted or retrained to continue work since mid last year. 12 thousand employees received support in finding another job.

More than 27 thousand employees are helping to create more healthy work environments. They work in sectors like construction, metal and engineering. “These measures will give people the extra support they need to remain in work or gain new work,” says Asscher....

According to the CBS, people with higher education have higher scores on the scale of prosperity and well-being than people with low or middle education: they often feel healthy, are more satisfied and deserve better. This emerges from a new study by Statistics Netherlands.

Higher education as a basis

A diploma in higher education is a good entrance to the labor market. People with higher education are less likely to be unemployed, more likely to have a high income, more often live in a quality (purchased) house, often feel healthy and are generally more satisfied with life. On the contrast, less educated people have fewer job opportunities. Material uncertainty puts their satisfaction and health under pressure. Especially men with low education, who do not work or have to get the job, have a lower welfare. People with secondary and higher education are broadly maintained in working life and are relatively satisfied.
People with high income are more likely to own a house. Houseowners score better on some indicators of prosperity and well-being than people who live in a rented house. Owning your own house is often an indication of having (a major) power or the possibility of eventually save a (large) power together.

1.8 million...

Out of the seven biggest students cities in the Netherlands, Nijmegen is considered the safest, whereas Amsterdam is voted the least safe.

This was reported by studentenwegwijzer.nl, who conducted an online survey involving 1,016 students between the ages of 18 – 23. The seven biggest student cities are Amsterdam, Nijmegen, Delft, Leiden, Groningen, Rotterdam and Utrecht.

60% of students in Nijmegen regard their city as (very) safe, followed by Delft (53%), Leiden (52%), Groningen (41%), Utrecht (35%), Rotterdam (22%). Only 14% of Amsterdam-based students feel safe in their city. By: C. Maiko Schnelle
...

Nyenrode Business Universiteit has redesigned its full-time International MBA program around a set of six essential business practices in an effort to move away from the traditional set up of MBA programs which provide isolated courses.

According to Christo Nel, Program Director of the International MBA,

“Business isn’t run as separate courses but as a set of integrated real-life practices. It is our commitment to run a degree program which prepares people for business. To do so, the content needs to be as close to this reality as possible. The restructure of our program reflects what students and employers want to receive from an MBA.”
The new program focuses on teaching core business skills that reflect the demands of business and management. It enables students to master these skills by working with companies on real-time business projects.

To structure the new program, Nyenrode conducted research into what business education should consist of and what it should deliver, by reviewing a wide range of programs around the world, and conducting focus groups with their own students and alumni.

Alda Shabanaj, an alumna of the International MBA and Customer Service Manager at SABIC says,

“The redesign of the program offers the opportunity...

A large part of the money saved by passing the new student finance bill will be used to engage extra teachers at HBO colleges and universities.

De Volkskrant reports that Education Minister Jet Bussemaker is going to declare this move in the strategic agenda for higher education on Tuesday 14 July 2015.

The changed student loan system will save around 620 millions euros in the long run. More than half of it is supposed to pay for more than 4,000 new teachers. The four political parties (PvdA, D66, VVD, Groenlinks) have advocated the change including the abolition of the basic student grant to enable improvements in the education system.

Bussemaker aims to facilitate careers as a university teacher, not only as a researcher. She says increasing the number of teachers will allow for more intensive interactions between students and teachers. “After all, the leaders of tomorrow are being educated here”, she told de Volkskrant. 

By: C. Maiko Schnelle...

270,000 students participated in the annual National Student Inquiry, which was organised by Studiekeuze123. The survey highlighted that the Dutch students have never been this happy with their university and college courses.

The survey results were published on Thursday 21 May 2015, says ANP. Around 72% of university students are content with their courses, which makes a rise of 3% compared to last year. 58% of HBO college students are happy, which makes an increase from 53% in 2014.

Education Minister Jet Bussemaker spoke of “pleasant results” but acknowledges weak points that need to be tackled. In this sense, students criticize the lack of tutors as well as vocational preparation.
By: C. Maiko Schnelle ...

The Netherlands dropped four places in the latest edition of the World Economic Forum’s Human Capital Index.

The index measures 124 countries’ education and evaluates how they invest in skills development and deployment. According to WEF’s press release, Finland ranks number one, followed by Norway and Switzerland. Amongst others, the index highlights the Netherlands’ limited participation of over 55 year olds in the economy, which could be considered as the country’s weak point.

The WEF believes in talent as the key factor to connect growth, innovation and competitiveness in the 21st century.
By: C. Maiko Schnelle ...

Students attending the MBO (Middelbaar beroepsonderwijs; literally “intermediate vocational education“) may soon follow a newly aligned educational programme, which is supposed to increase their chances of finding a job.

The current law inhibits students from the ability to follow a flexible programme. MBO-institutions offer a combination of vocational as well as vocational guidance pathways (BOL and BBL), however they do not offer these as independent programmes.

The new law tackles this problem, as Education Minister Jet Bussemaker says on rijksoverheid.nl: “If we want young people to be better prepared for their future and want to increase their chances of finding a job, vocational training should adapt to changing labour market developments. This includes generating more room for negotiation with the business world in order to provide flexible trainings.”  The new programme seeks to offer school lessens first, followed by apprenticeship trainings. This way, students acquire crucial knowledge and skills before entering the labour world.

The new educational path for MBO-colleges will be tested in institutions on level 2, 3 and 4. Schools can register for experiments until 1 June 2015.
...

Dutch Education minister Jet Bussemaker proposed a new law to punish institutions of higher education with a fine of 810,000 euros for wrongly referring themselves as universities or HBO-colleges.

“These types of organizations abuse the reputation of the Dutch higher education. They charge money and time from students for a worthless diploma, and this must no longer go unpunished,” commented Bussemaker, as reported on rijksoverheid.nl on Friday 1 May 2015.

Accordingly, “University” or “HBO” colleges (Hoger beroepsonderwijs; literally “higher professional education”) will be a protected name by the Dutch law. Furthermore, only officially accredited universities or HBO-colleges are entitled to award Bachelor’s or Master’s degrees.

De Volkskrant says that Hogeschool Geesteswetenschappen (Utrecht), Alhuraa University (Den Haag) as well as the Dutch University College (Wilp) will have to change their names according to the law.
...

There is at least eight per cent vacancy in Dutch primary schools because the number of pupils is decreasing. This is a particlular issue for schools in Limburg, Noord-Brabant and Friesland. Daniël Vos’ research project at the TU Delft recently demonstrated this. Rinda den Besten of the Primary Education Council (PO-raad) was not surprised by this, and commented on Saturday’s issue of Trouw: “Some places even have a vacancy of 20%.”

Normally, a vacancy rate of 4% is considered as acceptable in order to have sufficient room for a decrease or increase in the number of pupils. Additional heating, cleaning as well as lighting costs must be paid for this excess space, however this money does not go to education, says Den Besten.

Vos’ research highlights that continuing to use the excess space would cost €47 per square meter per year, whereas the opposite by means of shutting down the space would cost about €18 per square meter. In total, the current excess space leads to an annual loss between €6,7 million and €17,5 million per year.
By C. Maiko Schnelle...

Dutch students show a lack of pleasure in learning experiences. They are difficult to enthuse on education compared to neighbouring countries’ students, however only relatively few students perform below average.

Many teachers as well as students consider this widespread lack of drive in education as problematic, as the Education Report (Onderwijsverslag) of 2013-2014 highlights. It was published on 15 April 2015. Accordingly, four out of ten teachers find difficulties in motivating secondary school students that show an indifferent attitude towards learning. Particularly maths and reading are very unpopular subjects. Similar findings were determined in the previous year’s report.

Another development is that schools’ selection processes are becoming stricter. This has repercussions on late developers or students who seek to switch to a different school system. Education minister Jet Bussemaker comments on this selection policy, as quoted by ANP: “Education must remain accessible for everyone, including those who thrive at a later age.“

By C. Maiko Schnelle

...

A Vrije Universiteit student, Steinar Henskes, has won the Entrepreneurs’ Organization’s (EO) Global Student Entrepreneur Awards (GSEA) with his company that provides animal friendly-lasers to keep birds at a safe distance from dangerous areas.

The organisation said that he competed against 2,000 students from 38 countries in a series of national and international contests. On Saturday 18 April 2015, Henskes was awarded the $20,000 prize to support his entrepreneurial journey. “What an unbelievable journey to not only start a business as a student, but to win the Global Student Entrepreneur Awards, it’s a dream come true,” commented the CEO of Bird Control Group on its website.

Henskes founded his company in 2012 and has already expanded to 52 countries, with installations at airports such as in Amsterdam Schiphol and London. The initiative is recognised by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) for animal friendliness and innovation. By C. Maiko Schnelle
...

The Dutch political party, Democraten 66 (D66) wants primary schools to obtain more freedom in giving English, German or French lessons. This initiative is to help reduce unemployment rates in border areas such as in Groningen.

According to NU.nl, research indicates that Dutch companies located in border regions struggle with the low German language proficiency in their employees. There are many opportunities for people to work across the border. For instance, the unemployment rate in East Groningen is at approximately 15% while the area across the border counts only half.

Paul van Meenen, who made this proposition, said: “We see plenty of opportunities for young people and our companies here. People can make a good living across the border if they master a certain language. The best way to start learning a language is at young age.”

In D66’s proposition, schools and parents jointly choose a European language to be applied for a maximum of half of the lessons.
By C. Maiko Schnelle...

The TU Delft and the University of Amsterdam nearly achieved top 50 of the global ranking of the world’s most prestigious universities.

Accordingly, TU Delft scored 42nd place last year, but could not keep its position and dropped out of the top 50. On NU.nl, college president Jan van den Berg commented: “Pity!” He then adds that not too much value should be attributed to these rankings.

Alongside TU Delft and University of Amsterdam, Leiden University, Wageningen University as well as Utrecht University managed to be in the top 100. The highest rankings, namely Harvard University, University of Cambridge as well as University of Oxford, remain constant.

The annual World Reputation Rankings was published on the Times Higher Education Magazine on Wednesday 11 March 2015.
...

REGISTER FOR FREE HERE Whether it is to start your own business, take the next step in your current role, manage large scale international companies or just a complete change of your career an MBA can give you this opportunity.

If you are ready to move forward in your career, but wondering which MBA program would best suit you, don’t miss face to face meeting with the world's most elite business schools at the QS MBA Event.

Meet them at Crowne Plaza Amsterdam City Centre, Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 5, Amsterdam 1012 RC, on Thursday 5th March between 17:00 and 22:00.

How?
Simply REGISTER HERE for free to attend QS MBA event.

Why?
• Take part in the "Getting into Business School" panel with RSM Erasmus and ESMT
• Scheduled personal 30 minute meetings with admissions directors
• Meet top business schools at the 1 hour open fair
• Join free networking drinks
• Apply for scholarships worth $1.7 million, available exclusively to event attendees
• Get a free consultation from QS team of MBA experts

Participating Business Schools:
• IESE, ESADE, Copenhagen Business School, IE, Hult, Ashridge, Rotterdam School of Management, WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management, Vlerick Business School, ESMT,...

Around eight out 10 parents in The Netherlands save for their children, especially for their studies or training.

This was according to a research conducted by PanelWizard with SNS among 1,087 parents with one or more children up to six years old.

Figures by the National Institute for Family Finance Information or Nibud showed that parents needed around €50,000 to finance a four-year study and living space for a child. However, only one per cent of parents are expected to get this amount together by their child’s eighteenth birthday.

The study also showed that nearly one in five parents expect to save €2,500-5,000; 29 per cent expect to save €5,000-€10,000. A quarter of parents expecting a child plan to have set aside €10,000-€20,000.

A quarter of parents say that as a solution to saving this amount, they would like to cut back on their expenses such as holidays, entertainment and clothing.

Also, nearly eight in 10 parents expect costs of study to increase before their children turn 18.
...

Higher vocational education (HBO) should offer more master studies, thus the students would not have to transfer to universities in order to deepen their knowledge. says Doekle Terpstra, former chairman of college Inholland .

The move to a university is according to Terpstra often a waste of talent , because many students are not suited for a scientific training programs.
They will profit much more from a practical in a practical, vocational training master program .

According Terpstra youth is 'doomed ' to go after the VWO or HBO to university, even if the student in question is not at all suitable for science education and fits much better the practical higher education.

And for students who want to continue their education after HBO and to follow a -time or part-time program , the only option is a university.

"In this way vocational education is made inferior ," says Terpstra. "If a child at the age of twelve is going to VWO , you almost certainly know that he or she is twelve years late will have r a university diploma . If he or she would like to go HBO , it is seen as inferior. "
Since a...

An MBA degree from a school with good ranking might count more than a person thinks. According to an employment data analysis by Poets and Quants, 85.9% of top ten graduates from top ten schools in the US had job offers at graduation, while 95.4% had offers in the following three months.
Although these numbers are positive, there is a difference between top ten MBA schools compared to other institutions based on their ranking. Four business schools in the US recorded the best job offer rate. The University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business, Emory University’s Goizueta Business School, Dartmouth College’s Tuck School of Business, and the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School all reported that 98% of their graduating MBA students in 2014 had job offers three months after commencement.
The top 25 schools had offers 83.9% at graduation, and 94.2% had offers within the following three months after graduation. The schools ranking from the 26th to the 50th received 75.4% of offers at commencement and 91.5% job offers in the following three months.
Alba Begasi...

College diplomas need additional backups!

It is already known the long-term benefit of having a university degree when taking job opportunities, but on the current short term present a significant number of graduates understand that the market demands additional skills as well.
“In the end you have to put some kind of applied point on your pencil in order to get through the door. These are the handholds and footholds that allow you to move around and start climbing new angles” in the job market, stated Anthony Carnevale, director of Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York concluded that the unemployment rate for recent college graduates—which was down 7% in 2011— keeps remaining above historical standards at 5%. About 46% of recent college graduates are in jobs that don’t necessarily require a degree, in comparison with about 35% for all college graduates.

...

A university degree is great for job opportunities but employers want graduates with additional skills.
Statistics from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York revealed that the unemployment rate for recent college graduates — which was down from 7% in 2011— remains above historical standards at 5%. Also, about 46% of recent college graduates are in jobs that do not necessarily require degrees in comparison with about 35% for all college graduates.
“In the end you have to put some kind of applied point on your pencil in order to get through the door. These are the handholds and footholds that allow you to move around and start climbing new angles in the job market”, stated Anthony Carnevale, director of Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce to the Wall Street Journal.
Alba Bregasi...

The best business schools in the USA are annually increasing their budget for their scholarship funds. Harvard Business School has a $31.5 million scholarship fund for little more than 1,800 MBA students, sias Fortune.com. This has significantly increased from the $22 million from around four years ago. However, the process of increasing scholarship funds seems to be a general trend in Business Schools both public and private, for example: Yale University School of Management; Stanford Graduate School of Business; University of Michigan’s Ross School; UCLA’s Anderson School and several others.

Business Schools are looking for candidates who will bring valuable experiences and unique perspectives to the classroom. The basics for setting the evaluation process are the undergraduate GPA and GMAT score tests. In order to be offered a scholarship from the Business Schools, your GPA and GMAT test scores need to be high enough. According to the U.S. News & World Report top 100 lists, GPA and GMAT scores have an overall weight of 25 %.

John Fuller, the former admissions director of the the University of Michigan Ross School of Business says that it is easier for someone with a significantly higher GMAT score (770) to get a scholarship...

  The most popular employers that would significantly give a lift to your starting career have been published by Memory Research, in the study ‘'First EMPLOYERS 2014’. This study was held among students and young professionals. Shell is the company that ranks first when asked where the starters want to start their career. Shell was already representative of its industry but in this year, they are ranked first in the overall market. The reasons that backed up this high ranking were: 20% the international opportunities; 15% the good working conditions and salary; 12% promotion opportunities.
Compared to last year’s study edition, Unilever and Google are still the favorite ones, while Nike and Friesland Campina are new entries.

Overall the study includes 50 companies and organizations. Comparing to last year, companies like Van Oord , ASML and VolkerWessels increased in popularity. The study shows that there is a difference between gender preferences toward companies as well.
The companies of Philips and VolkerWessels are really popular among men while women prefer companies like Coca-Cola and L'Oreal.

The top 10 employers of 2014
1. Shell
2. Google
3. Unilever
4. Heineken
5. KLM
6.Rabobank
7. Philips
8. Ahold
9. Nike
10. FrieslandCampina
...

A new student loan system was introduced this week in the House of Representatives, which will end the basic grant system. The new loan system will not affect students who are on the current basic grant. The new loan system is a way for the Dutch government to invest in the quality of higher education system.

According to Nu.nl, support for the proposal by Jet Bussemaker, Minister of Education was not unexpected. In spring, the ministers of VVD, PvdA, D66 and GroenLinks had already reached an agreement.
The payback period on these loans is to a period of 35 years and the amortization is limited to 4 % of the monthly income that is redeemed only in the case of a salary above or that equals the minimum wage.
Alba Bregasi
...

MBA students are seeking more than just one degree – in order to achieve their aspirations in the different industries; they are signing up for joint- or dual degrees.
Stanford’s Graduate School of Business (GSB) is launching a new joint degree programme that links an MBA with an MS in electrical engineering. The Business school has recently introduced several joint degree programmes such as MS in Computer Science/MBA and MS in Environment and Resources/MBA.
Approximately 13% to 15% of GSB students are in joint- or dual degree programmes, compared to less than 10% four or five years ago, said Madhav Rajan, senior associate dean for academic affairs, in an interview to Poets & Quants. Rajan expects that when the joint computer science and electrical engineering programs are provided, the percentage of MBA students doing joint degrees will rise.
Yale’s School of Management (SOM) also reported a record number of MBA students taking joint degrees. About 15% of students entering the MBA track have enrolled in a joint degree programme, twice the percentage of SOM’s peer institutions.
“Combining business education with graduate study in another discipline gives them a solid foundation for addressing some of the most vexing problems facing our...

Business school graduates in the US earn more over a 20-year period, says a research.
A recent analysis done for Poets&Quants by PayScale, a US data analysis firm, revealed interesting conclusions. The study collected the salary data from graduates through online pay comparison tools over 20 years after the graduation by taking into account the base salaries, cash bonuses and profit sharing’s in today’s dollar currency from 50 top ranking business schools in America.
According to the research, the income for MBA graduates over a 20-year period was a hefty seven-figure income. Furthermore, the highly ranked business schools delivered the highest income during the 20-year period to their graduates.
Harvard Business School’s MBAs led the list with a median income of US$3.233,000. Stanford MBA graduates have a median income of $3,011,000, and Wharton was next on the list with a median income of $2,989,000.
By Alba Bregasi
...

The TIAS School for Business and Society, which is affiliated with Tilburg University and Eindhoven University of Technology, has been given top place by students for its full-time Master of Science in Business Administration (MScBA) course in the Best Studies research by Elsevier.

The research is based on the results of the National Student Questionnaire. According to the study, students highly evaluate the professors of the masters, the examination process and overall quality of the programmes.

Senior Career Consultant, Jelda Veninga, said that this result was not a complete surprise because of the feedback the school gets at the end of each academic year. “The MScBA programme offers a high level of personal attention, high quality in services and creates a warm atmosphere which is supportive for students’ professional and personal development. At TIAS we really care about our students - we know you by name; you are certainly not a number.”

The Business School provides a high level of personal attention to future career prospects of the students. “We offer a special Personal Leadership and Career Development program, where students receive individual career coaching and workshops to discover their talents, improving their skills and make a career plan to help...

Business Schools are changing the structure and content of their programmes to adhere to the changing global market’s structure and conditions.
The schools are catching up with new updated strategies – introducing new subjects, flexible timetables along with renewed missions. Besides core courses, they are providing and focusing more on new foundations such as soft skills, entrepreneurship, international fieldwork, big data and a multidisciplinary approach.
Kellog School of Management of NorthWestern University has just introduced its new brand strategy by repositioning the Kellog brand. Its new focus is with regards to a growth mindset coupled with deep analysis and social intelligence. Four years ago, the management school introduced the concept of bravery as a core focus of its programmes. Since then, 55 new courses have been added, which constitute 25% of the overall curriculum.
Business schools are also offering students the opportunity to select their courses and customise their own time. Oxford University’s Saïd Business School recently introduced a new module ‘GOTO’ or Global Opportunities and Threats Oxford that focuses on big trends that are happening worldwide. The module addresses one issue per year and this year, the module analyses the impact of big data on business and society. The...

While tuition fees for increased across many countries, Germany has announced that it would re-provide a tuition-free tertiary education system.

The decision to implement fees went into effect in 2006 but it was met with backlash – many argued that public universities should not be charging for education. Soon, individual states started repealing this mandate to revert back to free tertiary education.

Lower Saxony was the last state in Germany to abolish its tuition fees for university students. “We got rid of tuition fees because we do not want higher education which depends on the wealth of the parents,” said Gabrielle Heinen-Kljajic, Minister for Science and Culture.

The German government stated that they believe in the justice of free tuition and motivating the young generation to approach higher education, even without family support.
   ...

The Centre for Higher Education Information (CHOI) recent research, Keuzegids HBO/2015 has revealed that the Hogeschool Utrecht (HU) is the top vocational university in the Randstad region.
The Keuzegids HBO 2015 made a critical evaluation of 1,150 bachelor’s programmes at HBO level. HU came in the tenth spot of the ranking list. This is an improvement from its 14th place in 2013. According to the research, the Financial Services Management course from HU was ranked the best in Utrecht.
Hogeschool van Amsterdam (HvA) was at the end of the ranking list of the large universities in The Netherlands. Fifty-nine courses of HvA were taken into consideration. A major reason for a low ranking was that the students of the institution are concerned about the facilities the university offers. Apparently, delays seem to be a critical issue.
By Alba Bregasi
...

Business schools graduates are losing interest in investment banking and turning to consultancy and technology sectors, says The Economist.
Figures show that this trend can be seen among MBA graduates from elite business schools across the globe. The percentage of students from the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business choosing jobs in investment banking fell from 30% in 2007 to 16% in 2014. In 2007, 46% of London Business School’s MBA graduates entered financial services but in 2013, only 28% did.
According to The Economist, about 30% of the business schools graduates apply and work in the consultancy technology industries.
MBA graduates are attracted by better career opportunities and salaries in these sectors. The technology industry percentage of recruiting MBA graduates has risen from 6% to 12 % since 2007. By: Alba Bregasi
...

The University of Amsterdam (UvA) has come in the 50th place in the QS World University Rankings 2014/2015 which makes it the top rated university in The Netherlands.

UvA moved up by eight spots compared to last year’s rankings. Among UvA’s departments, The Natural Science Faculty and Engineering and Technology are ranked the highest at 100th and 137th places, respectively.

Leiden University ranked at the 44th place and Utrecht University at the 80th place.

Other notable universities that have moved up places among the best universities across the globe are The Delft University of Technology (TU Delft), The Groningen University and Erasmus University. TU Delft ranked at the 86th place from 104th place in 2011. Both The Groningen University and The Erasmus University ranked at the 90th place.

Criteria for the rankings were based upon a university’s academic reputation, employer reputation, faculty/ student ratio, international faculty ratio, international student ratio and citations per faculty.

...

The Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU), also known as the Shanghai Ranking, has recently published their list of the top 500 universities in the world. Many research institutions in the Netherlands that offer higher education for international students improved their overall positions. They also excelled in specific subjects and fields of sciences.

The Shanghai Ranking (ARWU) is an annual ranking that has been published since 2003. It uses six objective indicators to rank more than 1200 universities across the globe. These indicators include the number of highly cited researchers chosen by Thomson Scientific, the number of articles published in Nature and Science journals, and per capita performance based on the size of an institution.

Top 10 in ARWU 2014

In 2014, American universities continued to dominate the ranking with Harvard University topping the list for the 12th time in a row. There were only 2 institutions from other countries in the top 10 this year, both of which were British universities. Oxford was in 5th place and Cambridge tied for 9th.

Results of Dutch universities

The 2014 results showed an overall improvement for the Dutch higher education system. 4 Dutch research universities have made the top 100, one more...

 


Tamkara Adun speaks to Willem van Dongen, head of Career and Personal Development and Javier Arias, community marketer and an alumnus at Nyenrode on their views on the university, its MBA programs and how they are catered to the needs of its candidates

Could you tell us a bit about Nyenrode and the Nyenrode Heritage?

Nyenrode Business Universiteit was created in 1946 by industry leaders from leading corporations such as KLM, Shell, Unilever, Philips and Akzo with the intent to set up a business community that would create business leaders in order to impact the global business community, positively.

Nyenrode is unique in the sense that we are here as an institution to create responsible leaders and therefore we maintain a strong connection to the business community. The link from university to business and business to university is still very strong at Nyenrode University and this is evidenced in all our programs. A good example of this is our “Meet The CEO sessions” which are held exclusively for our MBA students and aim at providing them with the ability to understand and exceed the expectations of managers and top executives. During these sessions, our MBA students get an opportunity to...

It should be made more attractive for top students from abroad to study in the Netherlands. Conversely, talented Dutch students should be encouraged to pursue studies in other countries. With this aim in mind, education minister Jet Bussemaker is creating a scholarship programme that will provide 1,000 grants a year towards study costs: each grant will be worth € 5,000.

Top students from abroad boost standards, raise results (including those of Dutch students) and strengthen the international character of Dutch higher education. Over the next few years, the new scholarship programme will enable high fliers from other countries to study in the Netherlands and talented Dutch students to study abroad. Half of the cost of the scholarships will be borne by the individual educational institutions. The plans were announced in the Minister's letter outlining the government's vision on the international dimension of Dutch higher education and vocational education and training.

International experience as the norm
It is becoming increasingly important for students in higher education to acquire international and intercultural skills. International experience is already a standard requirement for many employers, so Ms Bussemaker wants to make this the norm for all students.

'International education helps students to become critical...

 

                               Nyenrode MBA: the gateway to a successful career in the Netherlands

The Nyenrode’s one year full-time International MBA is an investment that has the potential to open up new doors of opportunity and provide the pertinent skills required to thrive in the global job market.
The Nyenrode full-time MBA provides an incredible opportunity for career growth and for the acquisition of Business and Management skills that can be utilised on a global scale.

In some occasions, expatriats living in The Netherlands encounter challenges to step into the Dutch labour market. Nyenrode understands this and provides them with the tools and foundations to make the next career progress within the Netherlands. Our CPD department and the personalised attention of our MBA program support our graduates’ ambitions to succeed in their next career step.

Thus, Nyenrode and Together Abroad has partnered to offer top talents based in the Netherlands with 50% tuition-fee revolving scholarship for Nyenrode’s one-year full-time International MBA program + 3 months of intense career training* in the form of an internship combined with career advice and support from our Career and Personal Development Center.

“I would encourage candidates to see the MBA as a career enabler and with...

Focus on work in civic integration exam

From 1 January 2015, the civic integration examination will contain a stronger focus on work. The Government wants to get more immigrants into employment by helping them learn how to find a job. The Cabinet has approved a proposal from Lodewijk Asscher (Minister of Social Affairs and Employment) to augment the exam with an extra job-seeking module.

At present, the exam includes only general questions about work, such as the role of temporary employment agencies. From 1 January 2015, candidates preparing to take the exam will have to take steps to find employment. Having a job increases self-reliance and helps immigrants integrate faster.

The extra module will include writing a letter of application and a curriculum vitae, assessing one's own chances of employment in particular occupations, and building a network. It will cost each candidate an extra €100, raising the total cost of taking the exam to €350.

Source Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment...

Workshop Mind Your Step, you’re wearing wooden shoes! 7 September Dubai 

On Sunday September 7, the Netherlands Business Council in Dubai is offering you a free-of-charge workshop “Mind Your Step, you’re wearing wooden shoes’ by established cross-cultural specialist Esther Janssen. You will receive useful insights and practical tips and tricks on how to turn cultural differences between Arabs, Asians and yourself into more successful business operations.

Business across cultures
Today’s international business landscape changes the way organizations operate and people communicate. It is increasingly common to work with colleagues, clients or suppliers in or from more countries. While colleagues or suppliers from different countries may work for the same organization, in the same industry or possess similar professional knowledge and skills, their ways of working, interacting with each other and doing business, may be vastly different.

People from various cultural backgrounds differ in their mindsets, drivers, values and beliefs, and as a result employ diverse management and communicating styles and working methods. Therefore, Dutch, Indian, American and Arab team members do not go hand-in hand just like that. This can be seen as a source of frustration but also as a source of innovation. Diverse teams have proven to be more...

Nyenrode MBA Roadshow - Rotterdam 02-12-2014


Nyenrode is coming to you! During our MBA Road Show we will visit a variety of cities in the Netherlands in order for you to experience how a Nyenrode MBA can boost your career and personal development.

Looking for an MBA to get the most out of yourself and your career? Come to the Nyenrode MBA Road Show Rotterdam, powered by Together Abroad on December 2nd 2014.
Discover how to drive innovation, exercise power and become the best leader you can be!

Program MBA Road Show Rotterdam

18:00h – 18:30h Registration with warm snack

18:30h – 18:45h Welcome by Christo Nel, MBA Program Director

18:45h – 20:00h Career Progress and Personal Leadership Workshop

20:00h – 20:45h Meet our alumni and students

20:45h – 21:30h Wrap-up & drinks


Are you thinking of doing an MBA? Do you wanna know how to increase your leadership impact with 25-50%?
Meet us on the road and register for Rotterdam...

Nyenrode MBA Roadshow - The Hague WTC The Hague 14-10-2014

Nyenrode is coming to you! During our MBA Road Show we will visit a variety of cities in the Netherlands in order for you to experience how a Nyenrode MBA can boost your career and personal development.

Looking for an MBA to get the most out of yourself and your career? Come to the Nyenrode MBA Road Show The Hague, powered by Together Abroad on October 14th 2014.
Discover how to drive innovation, exercise power and become the best leader you can be!

Program MBA Road Show The Hague

18:00h – 18:30h Registration with warm snack

18:30h – 18:45h Welcome by Christo Nel, MBA Program Director

18:45h – 20:00h Career Progress and Personal Leadership Workshop

20:00h – 20:45h Meet our alumni and students

20:45h – 21:30h Wrap-up & drinks


Are you thinking of doing an MBA? Do you wanna know how to increase your leadership impact with 25-50%?
Meet us on the road and register for The Hague





...

Campus of Delft University of Technology

TU Delft has risen to 42nd place in the global reputation ranking list of universities, the World Reputation Rankings of Times Higher Education magazine. Last year, the university stood at a shared 51st-60th place. With the new ranking, TU Delft is now the highest ranked Dutch university and the third highest European university of technology. Three other Dutch universities are ranked in this top 100.Services
Competition
TU Delft President Dirk Jan van den Berg is delighted with this new ranking: "A great reputation is important for staying attractive to talented students and researchers from all over the world, and also for procuring funding, which leads to increasing competition between researchers for research funds from, for example, Europe. We will have to make an enormous effort to keep this great ranking in this rapidly changing world in the next 20 years or more."

Inspiring
At the same time, Dirk Jan van den Berg is careful to place the value of such ‘lists’ in perspective. “There are a number of rankings, and compiling these kinds of tables is not an exact science. Much depends on the manner in which you do this and who sends back...

VU AMSTERDAM INVITES TOGETHER ABROAD FOR THEIR INTERNATIONAL BACHELOR & INTERNATIONAL MASTER STUDENTS.
Today the 13th of March Together Abroad will give a presentation about "How to find a job after graduation in the Netherlands?


Together Abroad will talk about the topics; Aspects of finding a job / employment in the Netherlands Dutch labor market: Current situation on the Dutch labour market Hiring companies Hidden vacancies Recruitment channels: How agencies work and which should you register with Which internet boards you should check to find a job, matching your profile; New recruitment trends / Online recruitment: Recruitment via social media esp. Linkedin, Facebook, Forums Google recruitment and how to use Boolean Logic to enhance your job search results
Job search engines: How do I find job in the Netherlands matching my education and background? RSS and Phone applications CV according to Dutch standards
   ...

Master Experience
Experience our one year, English-taught, professional and practical Business Masters.

Are you planning a career in Finance and Accounting, Consultancy & Entrepreneurship or Logistics Management?
Do you want to build on your bachelor’s degree in business, invest in your future and improve your opportunities?
Or are you ready for the next step in your career, and by doing a Master in Business Administration (MBA) want to grow into a higher management position?

Join us for a unique insight into our Master programmes. Follow a trial lesson, meet our lecturers and current students. Get a taste of what the Rotterdam Business School Masters can mean for you.

We are offering:
• Our primary goal is to let you experience the level of teaching and find out more about the nature and scope of the Master programme.
• A free trial lesson from your Master programme of choice and meet lecturers
• Meet & Greet with Master students of Rotterdam Business School
Who should attend?

Bachelors of Business related studies who want to further improve their career opportunities and increase their contribution to the world of business.
Or if you are ready for the next step in your career, and by...

Education should be a hotbed for innovative and ambitious enterprise. All too often entrepreneurs who are still in college or students who want to branch out into enterprise are frustrated by practical restrictions. The government wishes to remove these restrictions and close the gap between education and enterprise.

Linking education to the needs of enterprise
Until a few decades ago, pupils and students trained to work for a company. Now 1 in 8 people working in the Netherlands is an entrepreneur. The government aims to link education to the needs of enterprise:

Incorporating entrepreneurship in the curriculum;
Removing practical restrictions for students running their own business;
Enabling start-ups and established SMEs to make better use of available expertise.
Teaching entrepreneurship
Start-up companies are likely to be more successful if they have enough 'entrepreneurial skills', including an insight in the market and negotiating skills. Students will be more likely to start a business if they are introduced to entrepreneurship during their study.

The government stimulates educational institutions to incorporate 'entrepreneurial skills' in their curriculum. This could involve students setting up a student business, being taught by a host lecturer working in the industry, or being encouraged to undertake a work placement....

World’s Leading Business Schools return to Amsterdam
QS World MBA Tour brings top business schools to your doorstep
Register for free at www.topmba.com


The QS World MBA Tour, the world’s leading series of career and education events for aspiring MBAs, returns to Amsterdam on Tuesday 11th March building on the great success of recent events. The fair gives prospective MBA candidates a fantastic opportunity to meet face-to-face with admissions officers from around the world. Who? Meet the world’s top business schools including IMD, St. Gallen, IE , RSM Erasmus, Hult, MIP, ESMT European School of Mngt, GISMA, HEC Paris, Aarhus, CEIBS, Vlerick, Melbourne, IESE ...
When? Amsterdam – Tuesday 11th March, 4:30pm – 9pm
Where? Doubletree by Hilton Hotel (Centraal Station)
Why? It is the best chance for candidates to meet with and ask questions of the Admissions Directors of leading international business schools and attend seminars, workshops
How? Register for free at www.topmba.com
In addition, the QS World MBA Tour offers US$1.7 million worth of exclusive scholarships every year. These scholarships for top business schools are available only to attendees of the fair. For more information please email us at ipasmantier@qs.com

EVENT AGENDA

16:30 - Registration Opens

17:00 -...

There are various types of leave. The rights and obligations of employers and employees to leave standing in the Work and Care Act.
The following leave arrangements are set out in the Work and Care Act (Wet arbeid en zorg):

Maternity leave and maternity leave
Paternity leave
Parental leave
Adoption leave or foster care leave
Short-term care leave
Long-term care leave
Emergency leave

Other arrangements in collective agreements
Employers and employees may make additional or alternative arrangements in a collective labor agreement (CAO).

...

Pitching for an MBA scholarship at Nyenrode

Last year’s winners of the International MBA Scholarship Challenge about getting an MBA
A few weeks ago the International MBA Scholarship Challenge 2014 was launched. Nyenrode Business Universiteit rewards remarkable talents with five revolving scholarships for the full-time International MBA program starting in October 2014. The International MBA Challenge is organized by Nyenrode and powered by IamExpat.

The IMBA Challenge is an online scholarship competition for talented professionals with at least three years of work experience who are eager to boost their personal authenticity in leadership, entrepreneurship and stewardship. Previous editions of the IMBA Challenge have gathered hundreds of candidates from all corners of the world.

Selected finalists will receive a Nyenrode business case which they will discuss with other finalists and an online jury during the Grand Finale that will take place on March 27th, 2014, in an online environment. The jury, comprised of faculty, staff and current students, will select the winners of the International MBA Scholarship Challenge 2014.

Zolboo Bataa from Mongolia and Alejandra Chaves Viquez from Costa Rica were two of the winners of last year’s competition. “Getting an MBA was always my ultimate goal as far as academic qualifications...

Summary
Christo Nel is the Program Director of International MBA and Executive MBA at Nyenrode Business Universiteit in the Netherlands. Christo Nel is a previous head of the Centre for Leadership Studies at the Stellenbosch University School of Business (USB), where he specialized in leadership development and high performance organization cultures and practices. His wealth of experience of the challenges facing leadership of medium to large and corporate organizations makes him one of South Africa’s most respected consultants and executive coaches.



An MBA qualification is not a degree – it is so much more. It is a journey of personal development that enables the vast majority of participants in a good MBA program to significantly enhance the fulfilment of their potential. This highly sought after post-graduate program has evolved into one of the most – if not the most – sought after business qualifications throughout the world, and for many reasons.

Participating in over a 100 MBA cohorts and engaging with more than 3000 students over more than a decade has taught me so many valuable lessons about personal growth and meeting the continuously evolving challenges of developing some of the finest talent the world has to offer.

Like with any...

Number of school dropouts down in the Netherlands and the EU

The school dropout rate in the Netherlands was reduced in recent years to 8.8 percent in 2012. The rate across the EU was also gradually reduced. The reduction of school dropouts is high on the national and international policy agenda.
Fewer girls than boys leave school prematurely
The school dropout rate among 18 to 24-year-olds in the Netherlands declined from more than 14 percent in 2003 to nearly 9 percent in 2012. The dropout rate among girls is lower than among boys (7 percent versus more than 10 percent). Over the last four years, boys mainly accounted for the reduction of the total school dropout rate.


Proportion of school dropouts in the Netherlands


Proportion of school dropouts in the EU gradually down
The average dropout rate across the 28 EU member states was just under 13 percent. The EU percentage is also lower than in 2003, when it was more than 16 percent. Among the EU member states, the Netherlands was in tenth place in 2012. The rate in the Netherlands is marginally lower than in the adjacent countries Belgium and Germany.

National target still out of reach
The EU seeks to...

Scholarships in the Netherlands
The Dutch government continually attempts to make higher education as accessible as possible to students and mid-career professionals from other countries. In Holland, higher education is subsidized meaning that tuition fees can be kept relatively low, especially when compared with the United Kingdom and the United States.

Regular Scholarship
If you are in full-time/dual higher education in the Netherlands, you may be eligible for a student grant. You must satisfy the following three requirements:

Age: you must be under the age of 30 when you become entitled to a student grant
Nationality: you must be a Dutch national or have the same rights. You can check this with the nationality chart.
Education: you must be in full-time or dual education
Do you fail to meet the nationality requirement, but are you under 30 and do you come from a country in the EU/EEA or Switzerland? Then you can apply for limited funding, namely the loan tuition fees.

Please note: if you receive a student grant, an extra earnings limit applies. In 2009 you may earn a maximum of € 13.215,83 (2008: € 12.916,17) in supplementary income. This refers to aggregate income or taxable wage, and you must...

Universities of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands

The programs offered by Universities of Applied Sciences ('Hogescholen') focus on the practical application of knowledge. Acquiring work experience through internships is an integral part of professional study programs. The Netherlands has 45 government-funded Universities of Applied Sciences. The largest institute enroll between 20,000 to 39,000 students. Altogether some 365,000 students are enrolled on professional programs.
» Master (M): 1–2 years
» Bachelor (B): 4 years
Below universities of Applied Science in the Hague area:

The Hague University of Professional Education
The Hague University has a critical part to play in the future success of The Netherlands. More than 19,000 students come from over 100 different nationalities can chose for a master or bachelor studie INHolland University of Applied Sciences The Hague
INHolland University of Applied Sciences Small Business & Retail Management (SBRM) marketing, business studies, management, business economics, entrepreneurial law, retail management, communication skills, ICT and foreign languages.

Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences
Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences is the result of a merger between 19 institutions for higher professional education . In 2002 another merger took place between Rotterdam University and HES Rotterdam, an international business school. They offer
International Business and Management...

International Institutes in the Netherlands
For more than 50 year the Netherlands has been offering a specified form of higher education, namely advanced coursed, taught in English, in what is known as ‘international education’

There are five large and a number of smaller IE institutes all of which focus on development-orientated courses; these are based on small, intercultural groups working together in the exchange of knowledge, facilitated by teachers with extensive experience of working in developing countries.

» PhD (only possible at 1 institute): duration is flexible.
» Master of Arts (MA): 1 – 2 years.
» Master of Science (MSc): 1 – 2 years.

International Institutes in the Netherlands
Delft Unesco-IHE
The UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education is an international institute for water education offering postgraduate diploma course in Water Science and Engineering ,Environmental resources, Municipal Water and Infrastructure and Water Management. Berlage Institute Rotterdam
The Berlage Institute is an international postgraduate laboratory for education, research and development in architecture, urbanism, and landscape.
Institute of Social Studies
...

Universities in the Netherlands

Of the fourteen government-funded research Universities in the Netherlands, three specialize in engineering, one in agriculture, and one is part of the Open University. These institutes instruct students in all aspects of academic study and research, although many programs also contain a professional component and most graduates find employment outside the research community. The Universities vary in size, ranging from 6,000 to 30,000 students. Altogether they enroll some 205,000 students.
» PhD: 4 years.
» Master of Arts (MA): 1 – 2 years.
» Master of Science (MSc): 1 – 2 years.
» Bachelor of Arts (BA): 3 years.
» Bachelor of Science (BSc): 3 years.
DELFT UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
Delft University of Technology is a modern university with a rich tradition. Its eight faculties are at the forefront of technological development, contributing to scientific advancement in the interests of society. Ranked among the top universities of technology in the world (THES, 2006) TU...

EINDHOVEN UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) is a research driven, design-oriented technological university of international stature. We give young people an academic education within the field of engineering science and technology. At the heart of the TU/e is excellent teaching,...

Universities, Universities of Applied Sciences (Hogescholen) and International Institutes in the Netherlands

As one of the best educational centers in Europe, the Netherlands offers more than 1400 internationally-orientated degree programs and courses in English. Higher education in the Netherlands can be divided into three main streams: Universities, Universities of Applied Sciences (Hogescholen) and International Institutes

Universities in Holland
Of the fourteen government-funded research Universities in the Netherlands, three specialize in engineering, one in agriculture, and one is part of the Open University. These institutes instruct students in all aspects of academic study and research, although many programs also contain a professional component and most graduates find employment outside the research community. The Universities vary in size, ranging from 6,000 to 30,000 students. Altogether they enroll some 205,000 students.
» PhD: 4 years.
» Master of Arts (MA): 1 – 2 years.
» Master of Science (MSc): 1 – 2 years.
» Bachelor of Arts (BA): 3 years.
» Bachelor of Science (BSc): 3 years.
See the government funded and private Universities

International institutes in Holland
« Delft Unesco- IHE
« Berlage Institute Rotterdam
« Institute of Social Studies
See more information on Institute for International studies

Compare the degrees
A comparison...

Since 2010, 48 HBO college and university courses have been criticised for not being up to scratch by the higher education accreditation agency NVAO.
Of these, 38 courses were offered by public institutions and 10 by private bodies, such as correspondence schools. The problems included poor final year theses, poor marking standards and students who did not know how to carry out research, the paper said. Courses which come under fire are given one or two years to improve. The paper said that eleven courses, including the much-criticised journalism training scheme at the Windesheim College in Zwolle, are now up to standard. None have yet been closed down.
Source: Dutchnews.nl ...

We think it is important for you to experience our university for yourself before you start the MBA journey at Nyenrode. We felt a campus tour just wasn’t enough, so we created the MBA Weekends. During the MBA Weekends, Nyenrode Business University opens its doors to remarkable prospective MBA students, allowing you to experience our university first-hand.

The MBA Weekends  include two action-packed days and nights on our 13th Century estate, giving you a taste of what our International MBA and Executive MBA are all about while you discuss, attend top quality lectures and workshops.

We handpick who will attend this event, as we do for our MBA programs themselves. Register today to see if you will be coming to campus as our guest: food, hotel and airfare (if you live abroad) included!

Register today via Nyenrode MBA Weekend and get the chance to visit Nyenrode as their guest! Next MBA Weekend event dates:

September 27th - 29th, 2013 ( registration before 25th)

November 22nd - 24th, 2013

February 7th - 9th, 2014

We look forward to seeing you on campus! ...

A MBA in the Netherlands. Which MBA should I pursue?

7 steps to make the right choice
By Javier Arias

At a certain point in your career path, you may wonder whether pursuing an MBA is the next step. Nowadays, exploring MBA opportunities can be very overwhelming due to the large number of programs and formats that are offered. Accreditations, rankings, location, costs and return on investment are amongst the elements that play a role in your decision.
At Nyenrode Business Universiteit, we have identified somekey steps for you to find the right MBA:

1. Is an MBA really the right choice?
You will face a reality check the moment you bump into thousands of different programs. Traditional MBAs, specialized MBAs, Masters of Science, Masters of Arts are amongst the options that you will encounter as you look for management related studies. Explore different types of programs and find the one that suits you the best. In case you decide that an MBA is the right option for you, look into the different formats and decide whether you will like to pursue a full-time, part-time or modular one.

2. Where and why?
The time to make one of the most...

The MBA is a significant financial investment for a business professional, but the rewards can be very worthwhile, as your career chances after an MBA are likely to be greatly enhanced.
In fact, the MBA Career market has been improving in recent times. Figures from GMAT show that 75% of employers from around the world plan to hire recent MBAs in 2013, compared to just 71% in 2012. Of course an MBA is not a guarantee of a job; it can just help to open doors. And the GMAT survey shows that 56% of employers still consider prior experience to be extremely important when choosing between business school MBA talent.

Internationally Recognized
One of the distinct advantages of the MBA qualification is that it is an internationally recognized and respected qualification which means you will be viewed as a top candidate in most countries around the world if you possess one.

Help with Visas
If you need to apply for a work visa to take up in employment in the Netherlands or any country in the world, a MBA can help to show that you are a highly educated candidate. And as a general rule of thumb, the more educated...

Although the number of vacancies for highly skilled has increased by seven per cent compared to 2012 during the past six months, college and university graduates still struggle with finding the job up to their level

Fourteen percent of highly educated candidates work currently below its level of education. Also, a quarter of all college and university level students accepted a job below his level last year. At the same time more than twenty percent of all high school graduates work in a position above his education.

According to Dick Koopman Direcor of Yacht , the fact that highly educated candidates work below their intellectual capacity despite an increasing demand for high educated personnel has to do with the situation when increased supply of college and university students does not reflect the demand of companies. In the absence of work he graduates are forced to accept choose a position below their level.

The MBO level students, on the contrary benefit from this contrast in supply and demand. They get the chance to grow to a function at college level. Thus almost sixty percent of all secondary skilled ICT professionals work above their level.

" The internal MBO level candidate has...

Scholarships in the Netherlands

The Dutch government continually attempts to make higher education as accessible as possible to students and mid-career professionals from other countries. In Holland, higher education is subsidized meaning that tuition fees can be kept relatively low, especially when compared with the United Kingdom and the United States.
Regular Scholarship
If you are in full-time/dual higher education in the Netherlands, you may be eligible for a student grant. You must satisfy the following three requirements:

Age: you must be under the age of 30 when you become entitled to a student grant
Nationality: you must be a Dutch national or have the same rights. You can check this with the nationality chart.
Education: you must be in full-time or dual education
Do you fail to meet the nationality requirement, but are you under 30 and do you come from a country in the EU/EEA or Switzerland? Then you can apply for limited funding, namely the loan tuition fees.

Please note: if you receive a student grant, an extra earnings limit applies. In 2009 you may earn a maximum of € 13.215,83 (2008: € 12.916,17) in supplementary income. This refers to aggregate income or taxable wage, and you must...

81 per cent of European youths are willing to move abroad for work. These numbers were made clear from Research performed by StudentJob among ten thousand students and starters from seven western European countries showed these numbers. Although all youths show willingness, there are remarkable differences to be seen among these countries. Dutch youngsters are quite satisfied, the Spanish aren’t and Germans and Austrians are not quite as conservative as people seem to think.
In the last few weeks, StudentJob has questioned 10,651 students and starters from the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Austria, France, Spain and Great Britain. The main question was to which extent students were willing to move to another country for employment.

Spanish most ambitious
Spanish youths are the most ambitious. 88.6 per cent of them say that they would like to work abroad. Over half of the emigrants to be say that the most important reason is that ‘they will do anything for their career’. ‘Not very surprising’ according to StudentJob in view of the job shortage back home. A mere 6.9 per cent proclaims to be satisfied with the current situation; this means that Spanish youths are the least satisfied.

Austrians and Germans adventurous
With 81.4...

University bachelors graduate sooner
The share of bachelor students at universities graduating within 5 years has grown substantially. Female students still graduate faster than their male counterparts, but men are catching up.
More than two thirds take their bachelor’s degree within 5 years
After 5 years, 68 percent of first year university students in study year 2007/’08, had completed their bachelor’s degree, i.e. an increase by 5 percentage points compared to first-year students from 2006/’07 and 8 percentage points compared to 2005/’06. The increase comes after a period, in which the binding study advice, the bachelor-before-master rule and the long-study fine – later abolished – were introduced.
Graduation gap between genders narrowing
Among women, the share of students to obtain their bachelor’s degree within 5 years increased to 76 percent of first-year students from 2007/’08, i.e. 17 percentage points higher than among men. The gap between men and women has existed for a fairly long period, but men are in the process of catching up, because the graduation gender gap was 20 percentage points in 2006/’07.
Source CBS...

“Nyenrode Programs for Professionals & Entrepreneurs”

Nyenrode Business Universiteit is offering breakthrough international programs for experienced professionals and entrepreneurs to enhance their business skills and knowledge with insights than can immediately be put into practice in their current businesses. These programs are MBA level courses with an international focus and a practical orientation.

Nyenrode programs allow professionals and entrepreneurs to experience the most up-to-date academic know-how and the best business practices in topics such as entrepreneurship, international business, sustainability and finance. All our programs for professionals and entrepreneurs are English-taught. These programs last from 5 to 10 days.

Find more about the different programs that Nyenrode is currently offering:

Finance and banking (based in Nyenrode, Breukelen)

Start-up entrepreneurship and business planning (based in Nyenrode, Breukelen)

Sustainability in business (based in Nyenrode, Breukelen)

China: economic and business landscape (based in Shanghai, China)

India: foreign investments (based in Mumbai, India)


For more information about the programs visit Nyenrode Programs for Professionals & Entrepreneurs or contac Cindy Yim via c.yim@nyenrode.nl or +31 (0)346 291 211“

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Buitenlandse studenten leveren Nederland geld op als zij na hun opleiding hier blijven werken, berekende het Centraal Planbureau. Het kabinet wil daarom meer buitenlands talent behouden. Veel studenten willen wel blijven, maar vertrekken toch. Hoe kan Nederland dat veranderen?

In het tweede jaar van haar master Sociale Wetenschappen aan de Universiteit van Amsterdam kreeg Shuiqin Liu een Nederlandse vriend. Was ze anders ook hier gebleven na haar afstuderen? “Waarschijnlijk niet”, zegt de Chinese. Via een Chinese online community kwam ze er bovendien achter dat ze na het afronden van haar studie nog een jaar in Nederland mocht blijven om een baan te vinden. Vele sollicitatiebrieven en bijna evenzoveel afwijzingen later slaagde zij daar in. Ruim anderhalf jaar na het behalen van haar bul werkt de Chinese nog steeds in Nederland.
Zorgen dat zo veel mogelijk buitenlandse studenten – net als Shuiqin Lin - verliefd worden op een Nederlander, zou een manier kunnen zijn om de kans te vergroten dat zij hier blijven na hun studie. En dat is wat het kabinet wil, omdat uit een kosten-batenanalyse van Centraal Planbureau blijkt dat de schatkist daar baat bij heeft. Gaat één op de vijf internationale studenten na het afronden van de opleiding aan...

Shop assistant, shelf stacker and waitress are the most popular jobs among pupils and students. Boys most often work as shelf stackers in supermarkets, shop assistant is the most popular job among girls. Altogether, 871 thousand young pupils and students held small jobs to supplement their income in 2011.
Boys often work as shelf stackers
Shop assistant, shelf stacker and waiter/waitress are the most popular jobs among young people attending regular education. More than 68 thousand male pupils and students were working part-time as shelf stackers in supermarkets to earn an extra income in 2011; 36 thousand worked as shop assistants and 23 thousand delivered newspapers. With 80 thousand, shop assistant is by far the most popular job for female pupils and students. Waitress comes in second place with 54 thousand.

Nearly six in ten worked less the twelve hours a week
More than 1.5 million young people attended some form of education in 2011, versus 1.2 million a decade ago. In 2011, 57 percent of pupils and students worked at least 1 hour a week. Nearly six in ten of them (some 495 thousand young people) were working less than twelve hours a week. More than one in ten were...

MBA World Café Presents ‘The Winner Effect’ 10 free tickets to win! 

A new perspective on leadership

On Wednesday 23rd of January, Nyenrode will celebrate the New Year with an inspiring and interactive Executive MBA event. A gathering of current, aspiring Executive MBA students, alumni and company executives to gain a new perspective on leadership.

During the MBA World Café evening, prof. dr. Ian Robertson, neuroscientist and author of The Winner Effect will give an interactive lecture on leadership. To celebrate the Dutch publication of his book, Het Winnaar Effect, he happily agreed upon sharing his knowledge and expertise with Nyenrode.

Mr. Robertson is currently professor of Psychology at Trinity College Dublin and visiting professor at the University of Toronto, University College London, and the University of Wales. He is a member of the Royal Irish Academy and has published over 250 scientific articles in leading journals. Mr. Robertson is a trained clinical psychologist, international expert on neuropsychology and a regular keynote speaker at conferences on brain function throughout the world.

In addition, drs. Tom Cummings, co-author of the book Leadership Landscapes and CEO Conference Moderator, will moderate the discussion where participants will be invited to share their views with...

AMSTERDAM – The working population still has not mastered basic communication English. The Netherlands, Belgium, Norway and Sweden are exceptions to this rule.
This was made clear by the English Proficiency Index for Companies 2012, a research performed by education organisation Education First, according to EurActiv.
This research was performed under 115,000 employees and 1.7 million adults in 24 countries. The interviewed labour force is employed by companies which turn over from one million dollars up to 100 billion dollars annually. In the Czech Republic, Japan and Russia, the working population is even worse at conversation English than the general public.

Vacancies

In the countries that score well, English is taught as early as primary school. Moreover, a good command of the English language is often a requirement in job vacancies. The fact that television programmes and films are not subtitled is also a reason. The level of command of the English language is not adequate in practically each sector. Employees working in travel and tourism score highest, closely followed by consultants, but even they speak English at a basic level. A possible reason for the poor command of English could be that people who work full time usually don’t have...

12 institutions in the world top 200 in the rankings

Dutch universities rank significantly high in the world according to the recently released Times Higher Education World University Ranking 2011-2012. The Netherlands has 12 institutions in the world top 200 in the rankings - the most representatives of any country other than the UK and US. And this year every single Dutch university improved its position.

The Netherlands, Germany and Belgium have emerged as strong performers in Europe. The three European countries buck a clear trend of overall decline for Western universities against rising investment in world class universities in the Asia Pacific region.


The Netherlands also has a new national number one. At the top, Leiden takes the number one spot for the Netherlands, moving from 79th to 64th, overtaking last year’s top Dutch institution, Utrecht which now takes 67th place.

California Institute of Technology holds on to the world’s number one spot, while Harvard is pushed into fourth place by Oxford and Stanford, which share second place

The Times Higher Education World University Rankings are the world’s most comprehensive and carefully calibrated global rankings, using 13 separate performance indicators to examine a university’s strengths against all of its...

Students rate Maastricht University as the best specialist university in the Netherlands. This was the outcome of a survey entitled De beste studies 2012 (‘the best study programmes in 2012’) conducted by Elsevier in partnership with research institute ResearchNed. Of the Maastricht University programmes included in the survey, nine of the sixteen bachelor’s degree programmes were rated above average by the students, and six of the eight master’s degree programmes were among the Top 3.


Bachelor’s degree programmes
Sixteen of Maastricht University’s bachelor’s degree programmes were evaluated, most of them by both students and professors. Nine of those programmes were rated above average: International Business, Econometrics & Operations Research, Economics, Tax Law, Fiscal Economics, Dutch Law, Medicine, European Studies and Liberal Arts & Sciences (University College). Based on the percentage of pleased or very pleased students, twelve Maastricht University programmes found their way into the Top 3, and four achieved the top spot: International Business, Tax Law, Medicine and European Studies.

Master’s degree programmes
This year Elsevier also published results for the master’s degree programmes for the first time, including thirty programmes offered by Maastricht University. As it is not always possible to compare courses with other master’s degree programmes,...

London - Four Dutch universities are in this year's top 100 of the prestigious QS rankings. According to the British institute, the University of Amsterdam (UvA) is the best university in the Netherlands. The UvA is in 62nd position, one spot up from last year.

The University of Leiden was the strongest riser in the ranking: from 88th place to 75th. After that, Utrecht University follows in 85th place and the Erasmus University of Rotterdam (EUR) in 99th.

Source: QS Topuniversities 11 September 2012


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If you are from the EU/EEA (but not from Bulgaria or Romania) or from Switzerland, you are free to work without restrictions.

If you are from Bulgaria or Romania, or from a country outside the EU/EEA or Switzerland, there are some restrictions if you want to take a job next to your studies. You need a permit and you can only work for a maximum of ten hours a week or, instead, you can work full-time during the summer months June, July and August.

Work permit application
Your employer needs to apply for a work permit for you. The organisation that decides on work permits is called UWV Werkbedrijf.

Exception for internships
If you are studying at a Dutch host institution and you need to do an internship as part of your study programme, you do not need a work permit. Your host institution and your employer do need to sign an internship agreement. 

Health insurance and jobs
You need to be aware that as soon as you pick up a job, you are obliged to take out the Dutch basic healthcare insurance. If you do not meet this requirement you risk a huge fine.

Social security number
BSN is...

Each year VU University organizes a career event for international students interested in starting a career in the Netherlands. During this event you are informed about career perspectives after obtaining an academic degree, PhD-positions, networking possibilities and practical advice on grants, immigration, residency and application procedures in the Netherlands.

Incorporated in this event is a career fair. Here, employment agencies and international businesses interested in attracting international young professionals and researchers present themselves and share their expertise. Moreover, a number of supporting organizations is present to answer your questions, such as the Dutch immigration service, VU Career Information Center and the Expatcenter.

International Career Event 2012


The Career Event 2012 was a successful day with over 200 participating students. The survey-evaluation shows there was a real need for this kind of event. Furthermore, students highly appreciated the information provided at the first half of the day, during which presentations were held by various organizations such as Together Abroad, the Municipality of Amsterdam and I-ProVU.

The organizations and companies that were invited to share their expertise at the subsequent fair were very content to be face-to-face with so much potential talent, and expressed their wish to attend next year. For the...

A total of 4112 businesses have been declared bankrupt in the first half of 2012. These bankruptcies affect at least 28473 employed people.
The number of bankruptcies has risen by 26% compared to the same period in the previous year. The attendant job loss has risen by 28%. This has become clear from figures from the company register of the Chamber of Commerce.

Biggest blows
Financial holdings suffer the biggest blows. 495 companies within this line of business have been declared bankrupt. Together with construction companies (230 businesses) and organization and consultancy agencies (80 businesses) it forms the top three of hardest hit lines of business. The provinces of Zuid-Holland (830 businesses), Brabant (624 businesses) and Noord-Holland (585 businesses) had the most adjudication orders issued.

Big and small businesses
Out of 4112 companies declared bankrupt, 577 are one-man businesses. But larger companies were also hit: 17 companies with over 100 employees and 52 companies with 50 to 99 employees also were not able to keep their heads above water.

Still many entrepreneurs setting up business
Despite of unstable financial times, still many entrepreneurs set up their own business. In the first half of this year 69822 starting businesses were registered...

In primary and secondary schools classrooms are getting more crowded, as the number of pupils per teacher is increasing by 4%, said the junior Education minister Halbe Zijlstra in a parliamentary briefing on 3rd July.

Even though the number of pupils per class in falling, the number of teachers is decreasing disproportionately, reports DutchNews.nl. According to the HBO college council, applications for teacher training college was down by almost 11% compared to last year.

A spokesman for the council was reported by the website saying that these results are not surprising, since the entry requirements for the training have become stricter and the government has cut jobs in the education sector.

The teachers’ union AOB denounces that 9000 jobs have disappeared since 2010-2011 and the teachers remaining have to work longer hours to compensate for the shortage of colleagues. AOB is expecting the deficit between pupils and teachers to worsen in the future.

The union also points to a difference between jobs availability between cities, where there are many more employment opportunities, and the less populated areas.
...

The three main Dutch student organisation went to court on Monday with the aim of changing government plan to introduce a fine for those students who stay behind in their study.

According to the government proposal, which has already being voted by the majority of the Senate and the Tweede Kamer, students who take too long to complete the degree are to pay €3,000 fine every extra study year they take to complete their Bachelor.

This law would be retroactive: the fine would also apply to students who are already enrolled in University and have accumulated a delay. This point in particular has angered the student organisations ISO, LSVb and LKvV, who have hired Tom Barkhuysen from the Stibbe law firm to represent them. “The rules change during the game” he said, adding that it is not fair that the “baby-boomers political generation of The Hague, who have taken a long time to achieve their degree” now enforce such pressure on students.

Student organisations also worry that this fine will create a split in society, allowing extra time to those who can afford it. Also, as many students work while they are enrolled in University to pay for their fees...

The share of university student receiving a bachelor’s degree within 4 years has risen in the last few years. Women are graduating faster than men. Graduation rates are rising for science disciplines in particular.

Half of students have a bachelor’s degree within 4 years
Nearly half (49 percent) of first year university students in study year 2007/’08 had received their bachelor’s degree within 4 years. This is 9 percent points more than students staring university in 2004/’05. One possible explanation for this improvement is the introduction of the binding study advice at Dutch universities. In addition, the bachelor-before-master rule may also have an effect in this respect.

Women graduating faster
The share of women receiving a bachelor’s degree within 4 years of starting university in 2007/’08 rose to 58 percent. This is 20 percent points more than the percentage of men. Although the difference between men and women has existed for a long time, it was 3 percent points smaller for students starting in 2007/’08 than for those starting in 2006/’07.


Science students do better
In the engineering, technical, construction, natural and information sciences in particular the graduation rates of students starting in 2007/’08 were significantly higher than those starting...

Around one third of college and university students have a student loan, averaging €365 a month, but at the same time they forget to claim other cash they are entitled to, according to research by family spending institute Nibud.

On average, students will graduate with a debt of some €17,500 Nibud calculates, based on research among 3,000 hbo college and university goers. But many have no idea under what conditions they have borrowed the money - some 50% have no idea what interest they have to pay over the loan.

In addition, one in five students do not claim help with health insurance and one in 10 never completes a tax return, Nibud says.

On average students who live away from home have €914 a month to spend, with rent costing an average €340. Students who live at home have income of €535.

Monday 21 May 2012 © Dutchnews.nl 


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The happiest countries in the world are all in Northern Europe (Denmark, Norway, Finland, Netherlands). Their average life evaluation score is 7.6 on a 0-to-10 scale. The least happy countries are all poor countries in Sub-Saharan Africa (Togo, Benin, Central African Republic, Sierra Leone) with average life evaluation scores of 3.4. But it is not just wealth that makes people happy: Political freedom, strong social networks and an absence of corruption are together more important than income in explaining well-being differences between the top and bottom countries. At the individual level, good mental and physical health, someone to count on, job security and stable families are crucial.

Read more on website of the Earth Institute at Colombia University
Source NFIA...

In the past 10 years, the Netherlands has seen a steep increase in the creation of University Colleges where to study Liberal Arts and Sciences.
The concept of Liberal Arts and Sciences is an old one, dating back to the fifth Century. Back then, there were considered to be seven subjects: grammar, rhetoric, logic, music, arithmetic, astronomy, and geometry. Nowadays, bachelor courses of Liberal Arts and Sciences cover a wider area of subjects than the original seven, including law, economics, foreign languages, biology, history, and others, usually divided in the traditional tracks od Humanities, Social Sciences and Sciences.

One of the characteristics of the bachelor study is to be able to focus on one discipline in itself and in its interdisciplinary aspects: students choose a major, but they usually have to take a certain “core” course, electives and a minor to complement and broaden their preparation.
In the Netherlands, there are about seven different cities hosting University Colleges that offer the Bachelor of Liberal Arts and Sciences: Amsterdam, Maastricht, Middleburg (affiliated to University of Utrecht), The Hague (affiliated to University of Leiden), Tilburg, and Utrecht. Each of these programmes has a particular theme, topic, or focus that makes studying Liberal...