Tilburg University: Student room prices increase in Tilburg

The average price for student rooms has gone up by 8% to €259 in Tilburg over the past year. The price rise is greater than in other student cities, according to survey results of intermediary website for rooms, kamernet.nl.

Despite the rise, the rent price of student rooms in Tilburg is still under the national average of €319. In Amsterdam, students pay the highest amount, an average of €421 per room per month. In Enschede, students pay the least - with an average rent of €241.

Tilburg has no room shortage any more, according to the Tilburg municipality. It does, however, have a 'qualitative room shortage'. "Basically, there are enough student rooms", explains housing cooperation WonenBreburg's spokesperson Ingrid van Loon. "Somebody who wants a room now can get one immediately, at the Stappegoorweg, for instance. There is, however, a shortage of individual housing units. Those students who want a house with their own kitchen and sanitary facilities will be on a waiting list for two to three years with WonenBreburg."

To tackle the waiting lists for independent student houses, the Taskforce Student housing - a cooperation between the Tilburg municipality, education institutions, and housing corporations - plans to make more studios and apartments available to students, for instance, in the housing complex Intermezzo close to Tiburg University, which will be completed in 2009. The new complex will offer 422 student units.

 

Tilburg University

EuroSkills 2008: first ever Europe-wide competition in vocational education and training kicks-off in Rotterdam

Under the slogan "Skills for a strong Europe" EuroSkills 2008 brings together more than 400 talented young students and graduates in vocational education and training from across Europe. The event is built around a series of competitions and demonstrations at Rotterdam's Ahoy arena on 18-20 September 2008. 49 trades are showcased at EuroSkills 2008, including florists and web designers, electricians, motorcycle technicians and nurses.

The main idea behind EuroSkills, to which around 40,000 visitors from all over Europe are expected, is to raise the image, quality and attractiveness of vocational education and training systems. The event wants to create a unique platform to demonstrate, test, compare and improve general skills and competence levels of the future labour force. With its competitions, EuroSkills is also a way of promoting excellence and recognising the talent of Europe's best trainees and graduates.

 

EuroSkills is organised by a newly established association, the European Skills Promotion Organisation (ESPO), in cooperation with Skills Netherlands. The European Commission supports the organisation of the event through funds from the Lifelong Learning Programme. The plan is to make EuroSkills a regular event, to be hosted by a different European country every two years, with the aim of promoting both vocational skills and vocational education and training across Europe.

 

On the fringes of EuroSkills, the European Commissioner for Education, Training, Culture and Youth, Ján Figel', will participate in "Skills for employability", a roundtable of European employers, key policy-makers and youth representatives on 18 September. Discussions will focus on how broader policy objectives can be linked to and translated into specific company initiatives.

 

European Comission

INHOLLAND University: money back for IELTS or TOEFL

When you needed an English test (IELTS, TOEFL or Cambridge CAE or CPE) and you enrolled in September 2008 you can get a refund of the costs of this exam. You can obtain a request for refund form at the International Offices on our main locations after your arrival at INHOLLAND University. With the form we also ask you to hand in a copy of your IELTS/TOEFL/Cambridge certificate. 
 
During the first month of your study, INHOLLAND will deposit the amount of your exam (175 Euro) on your bank account. You can also apply for this promotion with an Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English (CAE) or Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE).

Please note that this promotion is limited to the costs of 1 exam and is applicable for foreign students only. INHOLLAND university

Tilburg University: Business Studies

Manon van Caem, Student BSc Business Studies says

"Business Studies teaches you how companies work. I am currently working on an assignment with a small group of students for a company that plans to market a new educational product."

Name	Business Studies
Faculty	Economics and Business Administration
Language	English
Start	September
Duration	3 years
Title	Bachelor of Science (BSc)
Specifics	Interdisciplinary programme built on four pillars: economics, social sciences, law and philosophy
Teaching methods	• Interactive teaching • Project assignments • Workgroups of 4-5 students
Key courses	Organisational Behaviour Project Management Business Law Business Ethics Consumer Behaviour and Quantitative Methods

Tilburg University

Holland: Student numbers rise 17% over five years

Nearly 117,000 students began on a bachelor degree course in September 2007 in the Netherlands, says the central statistics agency CBS. This is 17% more than in 2002. The most popular subjects are law which grew by 75% and marketing and public relations with a rise of 67%.

Total number of students enrolled in 2007/08: 584,978

• 14 universities - 211,446 students enrolled
• 41 universities of applied sciences -  373,532 students enrolled

Total number of international students: 70,000 ( rough estimated)

• 28,900 EFTA students enrolled
• 17,350 non - EFTAstudents enrolled
•  7,300 exchange students
• 16,450 other inbound credit mobile students 

Dutch news and Nuffic.nl

Delft University: Scholarships & Awards

There are several scholarship opportunities for students wanting to pursue graduate studies at TU Delft. Whilst individual scholarships have different requirements and criteria, most scholarship providers require you to have been admitted by the university before applying for a scholarship.

Because some scholarship application deadlines are as early as 1 February 2009, we would advise students seeking a scholarship, to apply for admission to the TU Delft as soon as possible.

Erasmus Mundus

Organisation: European Commission
The programme provides EU funded full scholarships to (non-EU) students who have been admitted to an Erasmus Mundus programme.

HSP Huygens programme

Organisation: The Netherlands Organisation for International Cooperation in Higher Education (Nuffic)
Talented students from various developed and developing countries may be eligible for a Huygens Scholarship. Huygens offers scholarships which cover the costs of international travel, health insurance, part of the tuition fees and some of the living expenses. Also open to PhD students from Croatia, Turkey, Bulgaria and Romania.

Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP)

Organisation: The Netherlands Organisation for International Cooperation in Higher Education (Nuffic)
Mid-career professionals from developing countries may be eligible for NFP's full scholarships.

The Royal Dutch / Shell Centenary Scholarship

Organisation: The Shell Centenary Scholarship Fund
The Royal Dutch / Shell Centenary Scholarship offers postgraduate students from developing countries the opportunity to study in the Netherlands and to gain skills that will enable them to make a long-term contribution to the further development of their countries.

For applicants from specific regions and countries

Alban

Organisation: The European Union
Students from Latin America may be eligible for an Alban scholarship. Alban offers scholarships which cover a maximum of 75% of the study-related costs.

Bolashak Programme

Organisation: JSC Centre for International Programme of Kazakhstan's Ministry of Education and Science
Since 1993 the Kazakhstan's Bolashak Programme supports the most talented Kazakh scholars to follow a BSc, MSc or PhD abroad. Students admitted to one of TU Delft's programmes may qualify for the Bolashak programme.

Conacyt

Applicants must be Mexican professionals who want to realise postgraduate studies in scientific, technological, social and humanistic areas.

Depkominfo

Organisation: Indonesian government
The Indonesian government recently launched a 5 year project to award scholarships to 200 Indonesians to pursuit an international Master or PhD program. Only three countries are eligible for these scholarships: the Netherlands, Australia and Sweden. If you have been admitted to Delft University of Technology and you have the Indonesian nationality you may qualify for the Depkominfo scholarship.

IDEA league Research grants scheme

Organisation: IDEA league
This special IDEA League grant scheme is for the promotion of student collaborations on research projects between the members of the IDEA league: Imperial College London, TU Delft, ETH Zürich, ParisTech and RWTH Aachen.

Loan tuition fees: EU/EFTA nationals

Organisation: IB-Groep
Students from EU/EFTA countries may be eligible for a loan from the Dutch government which will cover part of their tuition fee.

STUNED

Organisation: Netherlands Education Centre, Jakarta (NEC)
Students from Indonesia may be eligible for a STUNED scholarship. STUNED gives priority to candidates who work for the Indonesian government and/or who are employed in the field of education. The scholarships offered by STUNED cover tuition fees plus international travel costs, living expenses, books and health insurance.

Other scholarship opportunities

Several other scholarship opportunities exist for students in specific fields of study. Some are provided by TU Delft, some by industry. In cases the links will only refer to websites providing specific contact information.

TU Delft scholarships: TU Delft offers a number of scholarships to highly talented students. These scholarships are awarded by the grant committees linked to the separate MSc programmes on a merits and needs basis. You will be notified if a scholarship has been granted to you. Please note that it is a TU Delft policy not to grant scholarships to second-year MSc students.

Chevron Scholarships: Chevron is one of the largest integrated energy companies in the world and is engaged in every aspect of the oil and natural gas industry. The company sponsors a number of scholarships for EU-students in the Applied Earth Sciences MSc programme specialising in the fields of Petroleum Engineering or Geosciences.

Dietsmann Scholarship: The Dietsmann Company is specialised worldwide in the management and maintenance of oil and gas installations. This scholarship is awarded once a year to a student at the Kazachstan National University, enabling the student to specialise in the field of Petroleum Engineering and Geosciences at Delft.

NXP Scholarships: Students in Microelectronics and Computer Engineering and who are interested in a career at NXP after graduation may qualify for the NXP Scholarships.

TopTalent: Partial faculty scholarships for MSc students in Microelectronics and Computer Engineering.

Corus Scholarship: Corus is a leading metals group offering partial scholarships to EU students in the MSc Materials Science & Engineering.

Other international organisations

Several international organisations sometimes offer financial support for those wishing to study abroad. UNESCO, UNDP, Unido, the World Bank, OECD, the Asian Development Bank and/or the European Union may well have offices in your country or can otherwise perhaps be contacted through their head office. Scholarship organisations in your own country may also award scholarships for TU Delft degree courses.

 

Delft University

Tilburg University: buddy system set up

The success of studying in another country is largely dependent on how well you can adapt to and integrate into your new environment. To help you achieve this as quickly as possible, Tilburg University has set up a buddy system.

A buddy is a senior student who has had to go through the same phase of adaption and integration as you may go through once you are enrolled at Tilburg University. From their own experience, they can help you find your way around the campus, the city of Tilburg, and life in the Netherlands in general. Your buddy will help you get a bicycle, buy your first groceries in a Dutch supermarket, take you for a tour of the city, etc.

During Welcome Week all new international students in Tilburg University will be assigned a buddy.

Tilburg University

Leiden University: One Year Programme Dutch studies

One Year Programme

Are you interested in Dutch, but do not want to follow a full-time university education? Then it is possible to take Dutch Studies for a year at Leiden University. Then it is worth knowing that Dutch is by no means a small, insignificant language. There are more than 22 million speakers of Dutch.

Are you interested in Dutch, but do not want to follow a full-time university education? Then it is possible to take Dutch Studies for a year at Leiden Leiden University. There are three one-year programmes available:

Programme I A
Is intended for students with little or no prior knowledge of Dutch. The programme is equivalent to the first-year programme. If all the examinations are completed successful, the student will receive a first-year certificate.

Programme I B
Is intended for students with a basic knowledge of Dutch. N.B. this programme is only offered if there are a sufficient number of applications. The programme consists of language acquisition elements, from both the first and second years, supplemented by specialist lectures as desired. A condition for admission to this programme is that candidates have successfully passed the listening skills and vocabulary tests during the entrance examinations in the first week of September. At the end, the student receives a report listing the examinations which have been passed.

Programme II
Is intended for students with a reasonable command of the Dutch language. This one-year programme is made up of language acquisition lectures from the second year, supplemented with discipline-related lectures which the student is free to choose himself or herself. A condition for admission to this programme is that candidates have passed the first-year language acquisition elements of the entrance examinations taken during the first week of September. At the end, the student receives a report listing the examinations which have been passed. 

More information

If you want to know more about the possibilities and admission to the one-year programme, please contact the study coordinator: i.zagar@hum.leidenuniv.nl, tel +31 (0)71 527 20 98.

Dutch studies programme

Tilburg University: new BA Liberal Arts started

This fall the new BA Liberal Arts will take off at the University of Tilburg. About fifty (inter)national students will join in this interdisciplanary study which is defined by depth, topicality and versatility. The opening of the BA will be celebrated and organised completely in Liberal Arts style with an interdisciplinary symposium on the 29th of August.

The theme of the symposium is: Resources for the new Europe. René Foqué, professor in Philosophy of Law at the Catholic University of Leuven and Erasmus University Rotterdam, will give the opening lecture on the challenges awaiting Europe. After this lecture, the guests will attend two parallel sessions in which a certain topic will be presented and discussed from various scientific angles.

Website: www.tilburguniversity.nl/liberalarts

 

Twente University: Air-purifying paving stones on trial

The municipality of Hengelo and the University of Twente (UT) are paving a test road section in Hengelo with air-purifying stones. The top layer of the concrete stones converts nitrogen oxide from exhaust fumes into harmless nitrates.

Car exhaust fumes contain nitrogen oxides (NOx). Nitrogen oxides cause acid rain and smog. This problem can be partly solved by using air-purifying paving stones. The top layer of the paving stones is made of air-purifying concrete. This concrete contains titanium dioxide, a photocatalytic material which uses sunlight to convert the nitrogen oxides in the air into harmless nitrates. The rain then washes the streets clean.

Based on a Japanese invention, the stones were further developed and their effectiveness demonstrated by the UT in its concrete research laboratory. The next step now is to test the stones in practice. The municipality of Hengelo has made the Castorweg location available for this purpose. The street will be divided into two sections, one half will be paved with conventional stones and the other half with air-purifying ones.

The air quality will then be measured in each section to test the effectiveness of the stones. As an added bonus, the stones repel dirt and therefore always stay clean.The location in Hengelo was chosen because of the volume of cars and the fact that the road is being reconstructed. The local air quality is currently well within the norm.

This trial is being carried out with stone producer Struyk Verwo Infra. As part of its ‘Effective Sustainability’ programme the province of Overijssel has granted a subsidy for the project. The province of Overijssel sees these stones as a good future opportunity for improving the air quality at places where the norms are not met. The demonstration project also has national significance.

The road reconstruction is expected to be completed by the end of the year. Measurements will then start early next year, with the first test results expected around the summer of 2009.

University of Twente

Den Bosch University: Double-Degree possibility for students Horticulture

 

Green Business School of HAS Den Bosch  has recently renewed its cooperation with partneruniversity Fachhochschule Osnabruck in Germany. 

Students in the Horticulture programme now have the possibility to do the 4th year programme abroad and obtain  2 diplomas after succesful completion: both the degree of HAS Den Bosch and Fachhochschule Osnabruck!

HAS Den Bosch University

Leiden University: One Year Programme Dutch studies

One Year Programme

Are you interested in Dutch, but do not want to follow a full-time university education? Then it is possible to take Dutch Studies for a year at Leiden University. Then it is worth knowing that Dutch is by no means a small, insignificant language. There are more than 22 million speakers of Dutch.

Are you interested in Dutch, but do not want to follow a full-time university education? Then it is possible to take Dutch Studies for a year at Leiden Leiden University. There are three one-year programmes available:

Programme I A
Is intended for students with little or no prior knowledge of Dutch. The programme is equivalent to the first-year programme. If all the examinations are completed successful, the student will receive a first-year certificate.

Programme I B
Is intended for students with a basic knowledge of Dutch. N.B. this programme is only offered if there are a sufficient number of applications. The programme consists of language acquisition elements, from both the first and second years, supplemented by specialist lectures as desired. A condition for admission to this programme is that candidates have successfully passed the listening skills and vocabulary tests during the entrance examinations in the first week of September. At the end, the student receives a report listing the examinations which have been passed.

Programme II
Is intended for students with a reasonable command of the Dutch language. This one-year programme is made up of language acquisition lectures from the second year, supplemented with discipline-related lectures which the student is free to choose himself or herself. A condition for admission to this programme is that candidates have passed the first-year language acquisition elements of the entrance examinations taken during the first week of September. At the end, the student receives a report listing the examinations which have been passed. 

More information

If you want to know more about the possibilities and admission to the one-year programme, please contact the study coordinator: i.zagar@hum.leidenuniv.nl, tel +31 (0)71 527 20 98.

Dutch studies programme

Tilburg University: buddy system set up

The success of studying in another country is largely dependent on how well you can adapt to and integrate into your new environment. To help you achieve this as quickly as possible, Tilburg University has set up a buddy system.

A buddy is a senior student who has had to go through the same phase of adaption and integration as you may go through once you are enrolled at Tilburg University. From their own experience, they can help you find your way around the campus, the city of Tilburg, and life in the Netherlands in general. Your buddy will help you get a bicycle, buy your first groceries in a Dutch supermarket, take you for a tour of the city, etc.

During Welcome Week all new international students in Tilburg University will be assigned a buddy.

Tilburg University

Tilburg University: new BA Liberal Arts started

This fall the new BA Liberal Arts will take off at the University of Tilburg. About fifty (inter)national students will join in this interdisciplanary study which is defined by depth, topicality and versatility. The opening of the BA will be celebrated and organised completely in Liberal Arts style with an interdisciplinary symposium on the 29th of August.

The theme of the symposium is: Resources for the new Europe. René Foqué, professor in Philosophy of Law at the Catholic University of Leuven and Erasmus University Rotterdam, will give the opening lecture on the challenges awaiting Europe. After this lecture, the guests will attend two parallel sessions in which a certain topic will be presented and discussed from various scientific angles.

Website: www.tilburguniversity.nl/liberalarts

 

Den Bosch University: Double-Degree possibility for students Horticulture

 

Green Business School of HAS Den Bosch  has recently renewed its cooperation with partneruniversity Fachhochschule Osnabruck in Germany. 

Students in the Horticulture programme now have the possibility to do the 4th year programme abroad and obtain  2 diplomas after succesful completion: both the degree of HAS Den Bosch and Fachhochschule Osnabruck!

HAS Den Bosch University

Degrees at Universities in Holland

Students who enrol on higher education programmes will obtain a bachelor’s degree upon completion of the undergraduate phase and a master’s degree upon completion of the graduate phase.

Research Universities and Universities of Applied Sciences award both types of degrees, but with a difference in orientation:

• Most degree programmes at Research Universities focus on academic study and research.
• Study programmes at Universities of Applied Sciences oriented on practical, professional knowledge.
• Institutes for International Education offer master’s programmes, but no bachelor’s programmes.

 

Bachelor’s programmes

A bachelor’s programme at a University requires three years of full-time study (180 credits) to complete while a bachelor’s programme offered by a University of Applied Sciences requires four years of full-time study (240 credits).
 

Master’s programmes

Depending on the discipline, master’s programmes at Universities, Universities of Applied Sciences and Institutes for International Education will last one to two years (60-120 credits).
 

PhD

The doctorate (PhD) is only offered at Universities and takes at least four years. A master degree is compulsory for admission. For more information, download PhD programme in Holland (PDF).
 

Table of degrees

 

	Universities	Universities of Applied Sciences	Institutes for International Education
PhD	4 years		4 years (only possible at 5 institutes)
Master (M)		1-2 years
Master of Arts (MA)	1-2 years		1-2 years
Master of Science (MSc)	1-2 years		1-2 years
Bachelor (B)		4 years
Bachelor of Arts (BA)	3 years
Bachelor of Science (BSc)	3 years

www.nuffic.nl

RSM: What would you get out of an MBA

Frederic Phipps, 36 is Executive MBA (EMBA) participant at Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University. He works as a  Liquefied Natural Gas Trading and Supply Manage  at Shell Gas and Power International company in The Hague.

He tells:"For me, the EMBA is helping me to understand the business I work in at a much higher level, ensuring I am better prepared for a senior management position. Both Shell and I see the EMBA as a win-win situation".

“At Shell, an MBA is seen as a way of maximising an individual’s contribution to the group. My choice is seen as a positive commitment to grow as a manager. The company allows me to tailor my hours to fit study around commercial deadlines and the needs of the business.

Shell recommends MBA programmes from the top ten business schools in the USA and Europe. Both Shell and I see the EMBA as a win-win situation.

“I already had a solid and diverse 10 years of business experience when I decided to join RSM’s Executive MBA programme. My reasoning was that I wanted to go beyond the basics – to get a really strong knowledge platform for future management responsibilities.

RSM is known as one of the leading business schools in Europe and I liked the learning philosophy of the school: start with theory, and then implement it in practice. I also valued the international environment and wanted to learn the best practices from different cultural and business perspectives.

“The return on the EMBA investment is life-long. The programme gives you the opportunity to connect with successful and international executives in other industries you would never normally meet, and create very strong affinities with these people.

It gives you the tools and concepts to understand issues in-depth and to solve them more efficiently. I am now more sensitive to cultural differences and their business implications. For instance, I recently managed to finalise an important deal with an Arab client because I was able to see the negotiation dynamics from his perspective. You learn how important it is to understand such complexities.

“Ultimately, I think I am gaining confidence and developing emotional maturity. Your decisions become more substantiated; you see the business world with more clarity. I now feel more comfortable dealing with complex or unfamiliar situations.

The EMBA is helping me to understand the business I work in at a much higher level, ensuring that I am better prepared for a senior management position.”

The Rotterdam School of Management offers the following MBA programmes:

- International Full-time MBA

- Executive MBA

- Global Executive OneMBA

Source: Expatica

Visit Rotterdam School of Management for information on the MBA programmes.

Leiden University: Dutch researcher on cover of Nature

Dutch researcher Freek Vonk from Leiden University recently made it to the cover of Nature due to his ground-breaking research on snake fangs.

When faced with a hissing snake rising up in front of them, most people do not wonder: ‘Is the venomous fang at the front or at the back of its mouth?  'But that is exactly what biologist Freek Vonk, of Leiden University in the Netherlands, has asked himself over the past few years.

 

Research question

He pioneered a cooperation project that looked for an answer to the question that has been tormenting evolutionary biologists for a century: 'With some snakes the fang is at the front of their mouth, with others it is at the back.

Where was this fang located with the original prehistoric snake?' Vonk and his colleagues finally managed to settle this matter. The correct answer is 'at the back of the mouth' and the editors of the famous magazine 'Nature' were so enthusiastic about this discovery that Vonk and his partners got to write the cover story. 
 

International effort

The publication in Nature is the result of an international cooperation between researchers of the Leiden University and institutes in the United States, Australia and Israel. It instantly made Freek Vonk famous: media from across the world covered the venomous fang issue.
 

Research grant

The Dutch Organization for Scientific Research (NWO) awarded him a special research grant of 150,000 Euros to pursue a PhD in the follow-up of this project.

 

www.nuffic.nl