Nadezda Rementsova's journey to the Netherlands began as an exchange student. She earned a bachelor's degree in economic studies at the Moscow State Automobile and Road Construction University. During the last year of her studies she came to the Netherlands to study Human Resource Management. According to Rementsova, Human Resource Development is a new field in Russia and is growing very fast. Therefore, after finishing her bachelor's in economic studies, she decided to pursue a master's degree in HRD at the UT. HRD plays an important role in today's knowledge-based society.It incorporates the process of changing an organization - stakeholders outside, groups inside, and people employed by it - through planned learning and training so that they possess the knowledge and skills needed in the future. This helps organizations to sustain long-term development. According to Rementsova, HRD is a new field in Russia and was not well known in the Russian business market. Now it is growing very fast and more and more companies are interested in applying HRD. She comments, `It is interesting to study HRD as it will provide me a good future in Russia'. On being asked what made her to choose Netherlands for her master's degree, she said, `It was the advice of one of my friends, who also studied in the Netherlands'.
Comparing the Netherlands with her home country, she observes, `In the Netherlands there is not as much hierarchy as in Russia. People in the Netherlands are very direct and they do not hesitate in giving their opinion even to their boss. In Russia if we do not agree with our boss, we still have to keep it inside.' Weather is another difference between the two countries, as she says, `In Russia it is much colder and is not as rainy as it is here'.
One of the things that she likes about the Netherlands is its education system. Rementsova remarks, `The education system of the two countries differs very much. In Russia it is subject-oriented, but not learner-oriented as in the Netherlands and we do not focus on a personal development plan at all. The education system in Russia is still from the Soviet Union times and has not changed much.'
Nadezda Rementsova is a traveler at heart; she likes to visit new countries and to experience different cultures in her free time. One of her hobbies is to collect `THANK YOU' in different languages. With a smile she says, `All the countries that I visit, I like to collect how they say Thank You in their language.'
Regarding her future plans, Rementsova is sure that she does not want to stay in the Netherlands, which she also describes with a smile as, `the rainy country of Tulips and cheese.' However, if an opportunity arises in the Netherlands, she would like to work here for a while in order to get some international working experience that she can use in Russia.
.aut Seema Sharma
Favorites:
Hometown: Moscow, Russia
Languages spoken: Russian, English
Favorite film: Interview with the Vampire
Favorite Sport: Tennis
Favorite cuisine: Italian
Favorite drink: Green tea
Favorite place in NL: Den Haag
Dream Destination: Japan
Miss most about home: Parents,
Best part about living in NL: Safety
Worst part living in NL: Weather
