Though honours students have to do additional assignments, the programme is not about high grades; it is about sharing ideas, gaining deeper and wider knowledge and being socially active. Honours participants need to communicate more with fellow students and Hanze staff and be up to date with world affairs. The programme teaches you how to manage your time and set priorities. As a result, the workload is challenging but manageable and partly depends on how far a person wants to get involved.

My personal reasons for joining the honours programme were to gain more knowledge, ideas and experience, to cooperate with motivated students and, of course, the honours diploma is also a plus. I would advise students to think carefully before applying to the honours programme, because it is time consuming and a person has to be really into it to succeed. On the other hand, I think it is worth the effort and you will definitely learn a lot and meet talented people on the way.

What I really like about the IC programme is the problem-based learning. Every block we work in international teams on a project in the field of communication, such as event management, internal communication and crisis communication. We learn strategies and concepts that a communication practitioner uses in the professional world. This practical aspect of the study makes us better prepared for an internship and graduation assignment and gives us the opportunity to distinguish ourselves on the job market.

Within the first year most students face the challenge of learning how to function in an international environment. Although this can be challenging in the beginning, the intercultural competence classes help us to understand how we can overcome our cultural differences. In the end, this leads to a unique atmosphere of compassion and understanding among the classmates.