The rector magnificus thinks it is incredibly important for international students, about 700 of them in Twente, to mingle with their Dutch colleagues. `Up until now that doesn't really happen,' he said in the Pakkerij. Therefore, his question was: `How can student associations contribute to a better mix of different cultures?'
The associations themselves do not want to set up all kinds of special projects to promote integration. `Is this a task for us?' they ask themselves. `International students are welcome of course, but we don't want to speak English here every evening.' On top of that, they believe that students that are here for only a year are not interested in a student association.
Zijm obviously has more hope than the students. `I hope that you will offer a hand to the international students to involve them in your associations,' he said. `We have to live with each other, not next to each other.'
