Hello, my name is Aleks Bozhinov, and I am an International Business and Management student from Bulgaria. I am 20 years old and am in the third year.

My decision to study in the Netherlands was based upon numerous factors, of which the main are my interest in the Dutch culture and the attractiveness of the geographical position of the Netherlands.

Furthermore, I chose the IBMS programme at Hanze UAS because it offers me the great opportunity to do a double degree programme, as well as the chance of having two internships behind my back by the end of the study. Moreover, I grew up in an international environment and continuing to work and study in such a setting was essential to me. I believe that studying at the International Business School has really satisfied my need for more international experience.

The things I like best about studying here are the practical training classes, such as Skills Training and PDT, but also the opportunities for extra-curricular activities, presented by the student association. Most of all, I liked the two practical projects that we were involved in during the first year. The idea of organising practical excercises in groups with people from different backgrounds suits my taste to the limit. 

Studying IBMS in the city of Groningen makes this experience very rich. I enjoy the constant sea breeze that refreshes the air of the city, which can be felt while driving a bike on the especially made biking lanes.
 

My name is Andrii Rantsev, I am 17 years old and I am from the Ukraine. I am studying in the first year of the International Business and Management Study (IBMS) programme at Hanze University of Applied Sciences (UAS), Groningen.

Firstly, studying abroad is the optimal way to learn a language, and since most Dutch people speak English fluently and IBMS is taught in English, I thought it would be a perfect opportunity to improve my knowledge of the English language. The integration into Dutch society, I also thought, would be easier because I would not have to face a language barrier. Secondly, the Netherlands is well known for its high quality education system, and the reputation of the Dutch universities speaks for itself. Thirdly, I have always been interested in other cultures and their customs. I considered studying in the Netherlands to be a perfect opportunity to broaden my horizons, and since culture may reflect very deep perceptions, beliefs, and values, I wanted to experience the Dutch culture at first-hand. The Netherlands is also well known for its tolerance towards other cultures.

Last but not least, I have been attracted by the career opportunities that students gain after graduating from a Dutch university. This is especially important in today’s job markets, since finding a job after graduation has become a real problem. I also considered that the experience of living and studying in a foreign country, such as the Netherlands, experiencing another culture, and acquiring other languages will all together set me apart from the majority of other job applicants.

IBMS was the study programme for me because it appealed to my personality. I was also very much attracted by the fact that I would study in an international environment, with students and lecturers from all over the world. I was interested in commerce and curious about how to succeed in foreign markets. Therefore, the IBMS programme was perfect for me, since it is an English-language programme, and I would be taught everything about setting up a company abroad, marketing strategies and international trade, etc.
Finally, an internship abroad and a six months study exchange programme during the third year caught my eye and persuaded me to apply here.

After completing 2 semesters, I have mentioned that, there is a balance between theoretical knowledge and practical experience (like the two 1st year projects we have to do) which could be efficiently applied in real world situations, and I really like that aspect.
The IBMS programme is a real international programme. Here I have met people from many different nationalities, and I have worked in project groups that consisted of various nationalities. This helped me to significantly improve my intercultural skills.

Here, at the International Business School (IBS) I am taught specific skills which are essential for my future career, such as: working in groups, providing and receiving feedback, presentation skills and delegating skills.
IBS has highly professional lecturers from all over the world, who have come here to share their knowledge, skills and talent. I very much appreciate the opportunity to stay in touch with my teachers. Anytime, I can contact a lecturer if I have any questions regarding his or her course, and then receive a satisfactory answer at a short notice. I also like to have access to all the relevant information about the courses through the intranet. That is why I have really enjoyed studying at IBMS so far.

In the Ukraine the educational system is based on theory. IBS helped me to reveal my learning style. Now, I’m able to learn practically applied subjects, and since my learning style implies experiencing things in practice, I really enjoy the transition and it definitely provided me with a benefit.
As I have already mentioned the learning style gives priority to the practical approach of studies. Hanze UAS and IBS in particular, is the perfect choice for me, because this is a university of applied sciences. The educational concept and style of teaching used at IBS give me the opportunity I’m seeking for – the opportunity of learning through direct experience.

Modern technologies are perfectly integrated into the educational concept. All the information about the course, including presentations and additional material are available via the intranet. During the classes, lectures use presentations. This also helps a lot, because I’m able to remember much more from listening, visualizing and experiencing things at the same time!

Groningen has a great atmosphere. There are about 50,000 students who make this city really fresh, young and talented.  Groningen never sleeps and always feel alive! It has an amazing day and night life. I never feel alone, because I’m always surrounded by friendly people. There are so many activities, that you never have to do the same thing twice. There’s no place like Groningen for studies, entertainment, sports and personal development.
When I moved to Groningen I started a totally new life in a foreign country and found new friends from all over the world. Living in Groningen is an unforgettable experience!

Hello, my name is Anna Orlova, and I am a first-year International Business and Management student from the Russian Federation.

I considered the idea of studying in the Netherlands when my friend told me about his study experiences in Groningen. His story was very exciting and encouraging for me. Therefore, I decided to visit Groningen and have a look for myself how people live and study there. The beautiful small town, friendly atmosphere and good knowledge of the English language by everyone won my heart.

Thanks to my former job I realized that business knowledge is necessary for jump-starting your career or starting your own business. Therefore, I opted to enter the IBMS programme at Hanze UAS. Getting connected to other (like-minded) people is very important when you do business, which is why I especially like that the programme is so international.

So far, I have truly enjoyed the pleasant international atmosphere, which is a good motivating factor for learning. After one year of education I have friends from different countries and know many interesting peculiarities about other cultures. Furthermore,  the experience I have gained in teamwork allows me to identify my strengths and weaknesses and has improved my communication skills. 

Moreover, Hanze UAS provides suitable and modern facilities for education, such as computer classes, libraries, free wi-fi, parking spaces for bikes and cars.

What I really like about Groningen are the many pubs, cafes, restaurants and clubs together with the convenient transport links that allow you to rapidly reach any place in town, either by bike or by bus. Finally, since I came for the north of Russia, the climate is also very suitable for me. The winters are not too cold and summers have many warm days. I feel comfortable and safe here. 

My name is Cristina Ciobanu, I'm 19 years old and I’m from Moldova. I am studying in the first year of the  International Business and Management Study (IBMS) programme at Hanze University of Applied Sciences, Groningen (Hanze UAS).

For a long time I dreamt about studying abroad. When I started to look for a country where I could do that, the Netherlands was the best option for me based on the tuition fee, the rate of the development of the country and the fact that I could meet a lot of people from different nationalities here.

The IBMS programme of the International Business School (IBS) offers a lot of practice which prepares us not only for our future professional life, but also for life in general. It helps us to form our personalities and develop useful skills like how to give a good presentation and how to work in a group. I think these skills are important as everyone has to deal with these situations at least once. No one was born a manager.
We often have presentations and group projects which help us not only to assimilate the information, but also to put it into practice and prepare for our future professional life. It is quite difficult at the beginning, but in the end the results will be worthwhile, I think.

The transition from high school to university was more difficult than I expected as many things changed at the same time: studies and a different society. As any other major change in life it is a quite difficult process at the beginning, but after some time you become part of that, and you get used to everything: to the style of teaching, society and all the responsibilities that come along with life and growing up.

I really like the style of teaching at IBS. We often have to take the initiative; we learn to work in groups and as I said before we have a lot of projects and presentations which make the study programme very interesting.
I really like that Groningen is an international student city, so you can find a lot of people from other nationalities and beliefs with whom you can exchange experiences and make new friends. Furthermore, it is a clear and beautiful city with welcoming people who are willing to help you. And finally, it is the safest city in the Netherlands which makes it even more attractive for me.

My name is Dilyana Vlaeva, I am 20 years old and I am from Bulgaria. I am studying in the first year of the International Business and Management Studies (IBMS) programme at Hanze University of Applied Sciences (Hanze UAS), Groningen.

I decided to study in the Netherlands because of 3 main reasons: the internship, the exchange semester and the practical subjects which can be applied right away.

Furthermore, I chose to study International Business and Management because I wanted to work and interact with people from different nationalities and another point is that I see a lot of opportunities in the business area in Europe.

Regarding the study programme, I really like the group projects. They give you a chance to apply what you have learnt so far and meanwhile you work with a team and make new friends. It is becoming more easy over time because you get used to the pressure of deadlines and the different language, culture and people. Of course, I cannot deny that I did not have a cultural shock and stress for the first 2 months. Now, in my 7th month living here, I feel more mature and realistic.

The educational system here is really different. We have 4 periods in 2 semesters which is quite different from my home country Bulgaria. However, I can see a lot of advantages to this kind of system as systematic studying and responsibilities. Teachers here are really friendly. They are trying to help you in every situation, and they work with you in order to improve yourself personally in a particular subject. This cooperation between teachers and students is really important because it develops your personal skills and motivates you more.

Groningen is definitely a lovely town. One third of the population is only young, energetic people. Life here is always exciting. You have a lot of activities for your free time. For instance sport, cinema, student unions, parties, museums. I love the fact that in Groningen many people use bikes as transportation. This is a great success in Groningen, in my opinion, because it is more quiet, clean and makes you do some sports every day.

(Check out my video)

Hi, my name is Jingyi and I’m from China.  I’m 24 years old and a fourth year student at IBS. You may be asking yourself nowadays…what is most important for people when applying for a job? A Degree? No. Work experience? Possibly. The right study with lots of practical experience? Definitely, yes! IBS is the right place to offer you a wonderful opportunity to succeed in the global workplace.

First of all, the international student environment gives you a good insight into cultural differences. You can learn a lot from other students from around the world. Secondly, the study programmes are excellent. You can choose from a major an/or minor in Marketing, Finance, and Management.

The exchange semester and the placement semester are offered in the third year of study at IBS. This is the perfect time for you to experience and improve yourself not only in study but also in work. Last but not least, compared with other schools, team work is highly valued and insisted within your study at IBS. By doing a lot of project work, you have many opportunities to practice how to work in a team and this will definitely benefit your future career.

My name is Radu Stancu , I'm 19 and I'm from Romania. I am studying in the first year of the International Business and Management Studies (IBMS) programme at the Hanze University of Applied Sciences, Groningen (Hanze UAS).
 
I built my education in a multicultural environment. Therefore it is easy for me to adapt in many different situations and environments. Making use of this skill I wanted to take the opportunity of studying abroad. In addition, I find the Netherlands one of the best places to study IBMS since the experience I have with different Dutch business people is very pleasant and inspiring.

I was convinced that these studies will offer me a larger variety of working places in the future. In my opinion I did not want to specialize in one thing because this would narrow the range of my opportunities. At the moment I consider that I cannot be very confident about what I am going to do in the future. However, the IBMS study programme will offer me the opportunity to work in different branches.

First of all I enjoy the block division each year has. Taking exams after approximately 8 weeks of studying make it easier to study and have more free time. Each block is well set up. I noticed that the courses included in each block are divided by taking into the consideration the difficulty level and holidays we have in that period.
From my personal experience the transition from high school to university was not too difficult. This is because of the close relationship students can have with their teachers and the accessibility they have when they need extra information besides the one obtained in the lectures they attend.

The educational concept is very good. It does not force students to study but it motivates them. The study concept makes the student responsible and makes him to be more honest with himself through the academic advisor. Therefore one can know why he should study here and how he can achieve his goals.

I found out that most of the people speak English. The high number of students and the multicultural environment offers great opportunities for meeting new people during my free time. I think that the things you can do in your free time are important as well, when you decide to study in another country. Groningen can keep away the homesickness.

(Check out my video)

Hello, I’m Wouter de Jonge and I am studying at IBMS.

One of the reasons I am studying in Groningen is that the city is appealing to me. For example, there are many sports activities organized by student organizations as well as sports clubs. I’m a member of a student organization and you get to know many people as well as international people that study here in Groningen.

Also, the city centre itself is excellent for student nightlife, especially in the summer, there are nice terraces that are open and you can just have a drink with your friends. There is the “Noorderzon festival” which is a music festival in the park and is very nice with the sunset and many bands.

There are so many sports activities here and many student organizations in which you get to know many people from all over the world. Many nationalities are represented here. Another thing is that the city centre is relatively small but also compact, with many bars and restaurants and clubs. I think the best way to experience Groningen is to check it out for yourself.