Holland: A museum without walls

Holland's first virtual museum is devoted to its oldest pain and pride: immigration. Holland has got its first virtual museum: the mobile, interactive Museum for Diversity, devoted to the 500-year-long history of immigration to Holland and the cultural mix it brought along. It even seems strange that, in a country populated by representatives of 190 different ethnicities, no one had thought of such a museum before. "No other museum like mine exists," confirms Reza Atlaschi (40), the creator of the Museum for Immigration and Diversity (Museum voor immigratie en diversiteit). "I call it Museum Without Walls, which also goes well with its main theme 'immigration, which in effect overcomes any wall," Atlaschi says. The museum was conceived within the framework of a recent all-national competition 'Inspiration for Integration' organised by De Baak institute (De Baak — Inspiratie voor Integratie). "The museum is based on two pillars. On the one hand, it is the history of immigration to Holland since the 15th century. I started with a simple historical overview with pictures. Eventually, we will be acquiring copies of international treaties and more detailed material," Atlaschi says. His second pillar is the web's sacred principle of interactivity and immediacy. The virtual museum is also an educational portal. "Within several months, I hope to collect digital contributions from young people across the country. However I am only going to post contributions that approach the topic of immigration from a positive view-point. My intention is not to engage in propaganda or anything of the kind, it is the facts that speak for themselves," Atlaschi says. Holland has a unique immigration history that began hundreds of years ago and that is for some reason unfashionable to talk about, he continues. "Of course, my idea can be perceived as a political one. But I am going to rely on the cultural heritage and not the Dutch polder model that can hardly be applied if you really want to make change. Modernity catalyzes the learning process – people are trying to do more and faster; they no longer have time to visit museums at the weekend. I offer a flash-museum," Atlaschi says. Visit the museum at http://www.droommuseum.nl/ //Read the full story here

Holland: PhD students are largely female and foreign

The average age of a PhD student in the Netherlands is 29, an overwhelming majority are women - and 40 percent are foreigners, according to new research by careers magazine Intermediair (IM). The survey indicates that at 13.7 percent, the unemployment rate among PhD graduates is seven times higher than that of university graduates as a whole. And those who have found a job are not always enthusiastic. Over one-third are negative or neutral about their work. On the other hand, 45 percent said they are happy with their salaries. Only 8 percent said they would have done something completely different and not taken a PhD if they could make their choice again. //DutchNews.nl

Holland: Education minister not a fan of selection

Education minister Ronald Plasterk does not back introducing selection procedures for universities and higher vocational colleges, he says in an interview with educational news service HOP. Some higher education establishments are currently experimenting with selecting students for certain courses. Most Dutch school leavers get an automatic place at university and do not have to go through interviews or entrance exams. Plasterk told the agency that the evidence showed selection did not work because it was difficult to assess if a particular student would do well or not. DutchNews.nl

Amsterdam Best Town To Live In

AMSTERDAM, 20/04/07 - Amsterdam is the second most criminal town in the Netherlands. Nonetheless, the capital is the most attractive city in the country to live in, according to the Atlas for Municipalities presented yesterday. In the atlas, the 50 largest municipalities are compared every year on 40 points. Amsterdam comes 49th in the area of safety. Regarding the percentage of privately-owned housing, it is right at the bottom (50th). On the socio-economic area, Amsterdam comes 23rd. The municipality has the second highest percentage of residents on welfare (49th). On poverty (43rd) it also rates badly. The attractiveness of Amsterdam mainly reflects its extensive cultural offerings, the presence of two universities and its many restaurants. Along with Amsterdam, Utrecht, The Hague, Amstelveen and Den Bosch are the top five most attractive towns. Young towns like Almere, Purmerend and Spijkenisse have dropped down due to a lack of cultural institutions. Haarlemmermeer, Lelystad and Zoetermeer have also slipped down in the index. The combination of an interesting city centre and extensive cultural and culinary offerings is popular. For this reason, towns like Groningen, Zwolle, Den Bosch, Eindhoven and Leiden are among the big gainers on the list.// NIS News Bulletin

Tilburg: International students help recruit new students

Tilburg University is looking for international students who would like to be part of the new International Sounding Board. Students who participate will provide the university with information about their country and culture, to help Tilburg University recruit students from their home countries. In addition, the participants will have a chance to voice their opinions about what is wrong and what is right at Tilburg University. Read more

1 million for Leiden nanophysics

The Fundamental Materials Research Foundation (FOM) is starting a large-scale research programme in the field of atomic and molecular Physics. Leiden University is acting as chair of the consortium of eight research groups at five universities. A sum of 3.6 million euro is available for the whole programme. One million of this will go to the research groups of Prof. Dr Jan van Ruitenbeek and Prof. Dr Michel Orrit of the Leiden Institute of Physics (LION). The funds are intended to appoint three PhD candidates and one post-doc and for material investments. Van Ruitenbeek has been appointed as programme leader; he is responsible for the scientific progress and financial expenditure within the whole programme, which, in addition to Leiden, is being carried out at the universities of Groningen, Delft, Nijmegen and Twente. Read more

Holland: ID card for foreigners

AMSTERDAM – Every foreigner staying in the Netherlands legally is entitled to an identity card. National ombudsman Alex Brenninkmeijer wrote this in a report that appears today. He said that foreigners without an ID card are unable to meet the identification requirement in effect in the Netherlands. There has long been confusion at the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) about which foreigners are eligible for an ID card. Former minister Rita Verdonk (immigration and integration) had refused to grant ID cards to former asylum seekers who were living legally in the Netherlands. A spokesperson for the justice minister pointed out in a reaction that holding a valid passport is an important requirement for migrants to be admitted to the country. They should be encouraged to carry that with them. Brenninkmeijer's report follows on complaints from foreigners and the Dutch Refugee Council. Justice Minister Ernst Hirsch Ballin said he will study the recommendations from the ombudsman. Brenninkmeijer says the legal identification requirement has caused problems for many foreigners, especially for former asylum seekers who are waiting for a regular residence permit and victims of human trafficking. They face difficulties when they try to apply for bank services or healthcare. Young foreigners can also encounter problems if they are unable to show ID at school or an internship. Any legal alien may be fined if they are unable to show identification when requested by police. The ombudsman thinks that the government should provide ID cards since it has set the identification requirement in law. The application for a Dutch passport takes a long time and Brenninkmeijer says the government should ensure that there is a solution in the meantime that allows foreigners to take part in society.// Expatica News + ANP 2007

Tilburg Uni: Law starts research centre on flexible labour

The Faculty of Law is to set up a multidisciplinary centre for research on flexible labour. Economists and social scientists will also participate. Tilburg Flexicurity Center is the name of the new centre, which plans to open its doors in September 2007. Ton Wilthagen, professor of Social Law and Social Policy at Tilburg University, has been nominated to lead the centre. Wilthagen has established a European research network in this field, and serves as an advisor to the European Commission. In addition, the Faculty of Law hopes to attract a top foreign researcher. A group of researchers from Economics and Social Sciences will also take part in the research activities of the centre. The centre's research will focus on the field of tension between flexibility and dynamics surrounding labour. And since the balance between the social, economic, and legal aspects of labour is a European topic at the moment, the initiators of the Tilburg Flexicurity Center are counting on the necessary EU projects. For now, only a small university contribution is required: 25,000 euro, plus the finances to appoint a part-time top researcher.//Univers

LeidenUniversity: One brain, several languages

Giving directions to an English tourist? Talking with American friends or fellow students? Neither of these would present a problem to most Dutch people, the majority of whom can switch effortlessly from one language to the other. This is not as obvious as it seems because different languages are stored in overlapping areas of the human brain, which means there is a continual danger of interference. So how is it possible for people to maintain control over their spoken language? Cognitive psychologist Ingrid Christoffels, who has worked at the universities of Amsterdam and Maastricht, is now continuing her research at Leiden University. Her mission: to discover how the brain is able to make sure that we speak either one language or another when we want to. Read more here

Leiden Russian Summer School

The Leiden Russian Summer School: A challenging educational experience. · Intensive short session courses for advanced students · Half of the courses taught in Russian by experienced language instructors and senior staff · Small groups · ECTS-crediting for active participation The Leiden Russian Summer School offers five advanced intensive masterclasses. In the morning, Jos Schaeken en Daniel Collins will teach an intensive course on the birch-bark documents, giving an introduction in their language, contents and contexts. This course takes place during timeslot 1 and 2 (so taking 3 hours a day). Parallel to this course, Larissa Anissimova (winner of the Leiden University’s Teaching Award 2007) will give a Masterclass Active Russian (also during timeslot 1 and 2). This course is designed for advanced students who wish to further develop their active language proficiency and will be tailored to the individual expectations of the students. In the afternoon, Lena Lubotsky, a native speaker who is an experienced professional in the field of language instruction at institutions of higher education, will teach (in Russian) a masterclass on Russian literature, focusing on the traces of Stalin terror in Russian prose (timeslot 3) and poetry (timeslot 4). Parallel to the latter session (in time slot 3), Otto Boele and Ellen Rutte will teach (in English) a course on contemporary Russian poetry. In both courses, students will be expected to play an active part in class discussions. For students who are more interested in linguistics, Tijmen Pronk will offer an introduction to Slovene during time slot 4. For more information please look here

Holland: Employers want East Europeans admitted

AMSTERDAM - Chairman of employers' organisation VNO-NCW Bernard Wientjes is annoyed that the four large cities are urging Parliament not to fully open the borders to workers from Eastern Europe yet. In a video message on the VNO-NCW website Wientjes says: "We have been working on opening the borders for three years now. In light of the increasing pressure on the labour market these people are very welcome, they can start tomorrow." In their letter of 13 March, the cities of Amsterdam, The Hague, Rotterdam and Utrecht urge that the current system of work permits remain in place for the ten countries that joined the EU in 2004. The requirements for such a permit (which is granted to the employer) is that the worker has "suitable housing," the cities say this cannot yet be guaranteed. Wientjes thinks the cities are coming far too late with their objections. It was announced three years ago that the borders would be opened at some point. They could have made the necessary preparations. "Besides, the problem of housing is entirely unrelated to the arrival of Polish workers. Italians could come tomorrow, people could come from Spain, from all the other countries of the European Union, and these people have the right to work here." "Of course we must ensure there is housing available for the people that we need here. That is completely unrelated to opening the borders. If there isn't enough housing, it must be built." The chairman of the VNO-NCW says the campaign from the four large cities is a political manoeuvre. "The cities want to draw attention to their problems with old neighbourhoods and expect this topic can be put on the agenda by linking it with admitting Polish workers." Wientjes says he hopes Parliament will see through this action and that the borders will really be opened up as soon as possible. "Freedom of labour is one of the important building blocks of the EU." Solid agreements have been made with the trade unions to ensure fair pay for workers from Eastern Europe, so the municipalities should not be trying to stop the process at the eleventh hour. //Expatica News + ANP 2007

Holland: Be realistic about work, teenagers told

Parents, teachers and industry must play a far more active role in encouraging pupils at vocational schools to be realistic about the labour market and take more care in their choice of subjects, according to the government’s taskforce on youth unemployment. Some 44 percent of teenagers at trade schools say they have made the wrong choice, while 60 percent say they have no clue what they want to do when they leave school. Six out of 10 Dutch teenagers go to a trade school (VMBO). "Making the wrong choice leads to dropping out or having a diploma which the jobs market is not interested in," task force chairman Hans de Boer told ANP. The Dutch disease of "do what you like" means that many teenagers chose a job without perspective, he said. "That is not in the interests of industry which, for example, has a shortage of technicians," De Boer said. On the other hand, trade schools should also be far more creative in how they approach teenagers, he said. "Courses with names like Fashion and Design are far more attractive than dull names like Electrical Engineering," De Boer pointed out. The task force was set up by the last cabinet and is due to be disbanded in June. But minister for youth Andre Rouvoet, who is also a member, said its work will continue through his department. Last week, the national statistics office reported that one in three children attending the lowest level of vocational training dropped out of school without a diploma.//DutchNews.nl

Tilburg University: Language barrier for foreign PhDs

Spreken we Nederlands or should we talk English? Foreign PhDs need to understand the Dutch language for daily business. Heejung Chung and Annekathrin Ellersiek aim to raise awareness of the possible isolation of foreign PhD students because of the language barrier. You are a foreign PhD student. Do you dream in Dutch or in another language? An important question, because it is said that it tells something about your immersion in a new country. Hooray for the ones that dream in Dutch. You've mastered the language somehow, and it will help you in your daily business, for example, reading the agenda for a meeting, an invitation to lunch in the mensa, or a newsletter of the supporting staff, all of which are written in Dutch. This is not possible, however, for many foreign PhD students, claim Heejung Chung and Annekathrin Ellersiek. Chung and Ellersiek are PhD representatives of the Faculty of Law and the Faculty Social and Behavioural Science, respectively. "The first and primary problem the foreign PhD encounters is language", they say. They emphasize that this is the problem of a bigger group, not the issue of one or two PhD students. "Most foreign PhDs come to Tilburg thinking that communication at the university will be in English. After arriving they notice that department meetings, research seminars, newsletters and other things, both formal and informal, are mostly done in Dutch. Even if you have followed a few courses in Dutch, your basic knowledge is insufficient to participate. This poses an exclusion problem for those willing to integrate." Chung: "There are also practical poblems, such as finding out what forms you need to fill in to get your funding arranged for a conference abroad." Ellersiek: "Even a national meeting of PhD students was held in Dutch, although there were a number of foreign PhDs. People often opt for Dutch so they can address all issues on the agenda in time. And, of course, it is easier to express yourself in Dutch if you are a native speaker, but that is exactly what puts the non-Dutch speaker at a disadvantage. OK, as a foreigner you cannot expect Dutch people to talk English constantly, for example, during an informal lunch. On the other hand, PhDs are here for their jobs. There's no family or close friends around, so it would be nice to feel you're a part of university life. In the end, a foreign PhD gets to know mostly other foreign PhDs." "The fact that there is no uniform policy regarding the use of English is not very helpful." Chung continues. "Across faculties and departments, there are different agreements on when to use English. With an increasing number of foreign students and staff arriving in Tilburg, we feel that the issue of the language barrier has not been sufficiently addressed yet. If Tilburg University strives to be an international university, it should give the language policy more thought." Ton Heinen, manager of research institute Oldendorff (FSW), agrees that policy on the use of English within faculties is inconsistent, apart from in the Faculty of Economics, where use of English is standard. "For FSW and the research institute, we have agreed that e-mails between PhD students have to be in English. General notices, however, which are important for all staff, are written in Dutch. There are different rules for the use of English within the university." According to Heinen, faculties are hesitant about switching to English. "This has to do with practical implications, such as that personnel feel more comfortable using Dutch, or that their ability to speak or write English accurately is limited." Ellersiek and Chung consider it important that the language issue and its possible consequences for foreign PhD students get more attention. "A group of foreign PhD students is hindered by this language problem, but in daily life we are all in our separate offices." When asked how the problem can be solved, Chung answers: "The university needs to decide how to handle the language issue. We, as foreign PhDs, need an overall language policy: for instance, to have official meetings and documents in English or in English as well as Dutch. After all, they can't have put those neon letters on top of the Montesquieu building just for fun." [Josine Ducee] //Univers

Youthful Dutch population in 2050

AMSTERDAM – Despite the ageing of the population, the Netherlands will have one of the most youthful populations in Europe in the year 2050. 27 of every 100 inhabitants will be under 25 at that time. Only Luxembourg will surpass the Netherlands with more under-25s, the European statistical bureau Eurostat reported on Friday. The bureau has found that the proportion of youth in the total population is decreasing throughout the EU. While the Netherlands will see a decrease from 30 to 27 under-25s per 100 inhabitants, the EU as a whole the average will decrease from 29 to 23 percent in 2050. Eurostat also reports that the Dutch youth are the most fervent internet users of all EU youth. 96 percent of the youth are on the internet at least once a week, compared to the EU average of 73 percent. //Expatica News + ANP 2007

Holland: Judge universities on inventions

Universities should not only be judged on the quality of their research and teaching, but on the way they exploit that expertise, such as by bringing inventions onto the market, says the government's scientific policy council AWT. The council stressed that making the most of scientific expertise was not just a question of selling technology to companies. The contributions the arts and social sciences made to the economy and society in general should also be taken into account. //DutchNews.nl