The `Meet and Greet the Dutch' events offer a chance for international students and employees to meet personnel from various functional areas of the UT, to get answers to pertinent queries, to lodge complaints and to acquire contacts with key personnel members should they have a problem in the future. To cater to the needs of as many UTers as possible, the IO has planned three installments of this event, of which two have already been conducted with success. The first two, organized on September 26 and October 25, were substantiated even more by the presence of representatives from Acasa, IO, StudentenPlein (SPe), Student Mobility In Twente (SMIT), and the medical center.
A quick glance at the participants was enough to realize that the cross-section was not just international, but diversely so. Introductory speeches aside, the gatherings were largely informal and emphasized interactions. This provided an opportunity for one-to-one discussions with the representatives and to pose open questions.
Arguably the most difficult phase of being a student in a country whose culture is alien to the one back home is the transition phase, during which the student tries to adapt to the host country's practices. The IO is aware of this problem and during the gatherings it was all ears to the experiences of the students during this transition phase. Some of the students voiced their concerns about the teaching methods followed at the UT, which demand greater responsibility and initiative from the students. Since they are used to being guided quite extensively by their professors and lecturers to complete study-related tasks and projects, international students find it difficult to handle the responsibility and freedom thrust upon them. Also, students from African and Asian countries find it rather hard in the beginning to get used to the Dutch system, characterized by minimal hierarchy, in which the professors are veritable peers.
The representatives from Acasa were the most sought after. A number of issues were raised, the most prominent of which was the high rent the international students and AIOs have to pay. The general opinion was that they are being charged more because they are not Dutch citizens. It was pointed out to them, however, that the rents are higher because they get furnished rooms that are typically larger than those of Dutch students, who opt for unfurnished rooms. It was also made known to Acasa reps that the possibility for the international students to rent unfurnished rooms is rather minimal, as the Dutch students who live in such set-ups choose their flatmates and are not enthusiastic about accepting someone who would stay there only for a short time and who does not speak fluent Dutch.
The international students stressed the need to make informed choices, especially as far as housing is concerned. When they first arrive in the Netherlands, everything seems alien and they tend to accept whatever they get, without really knowing if that is the best option. To this end, the international student handbook distributed by the IO would be of great help. It would be better still, if an e-version were downloadable from the UT website, so that the students could make informed choices even before arriving in the Netherlands.
For those who could not attend the first `Meet and Greets,' a third one will be held on Thursday, December 7, with the theme Spending Leisure Time in Enschede. The event will start at 3:45 pm in the Bastille Atrium. To confirm participation, contact [email protected]. It is an ideal opportunity not only to get first-hand answers to questions germane to the issue, but also to help the IO successfully put the Kaizen philosophy (Japanese for `continuous improvement') into practice.
