In collaboration with the Geneeskundige Hulpverlening bij Ongevallen en Rampen (GHOR; Medical Assistance in Accidents and Disasters) Groningen, Facility Management students supported the nursing and nursing care institutions in the Province of Groningen in the solution of issues concerning the continuity of care in the case of accidents and emergency situations.

‘Experience has proven that, in general, nursing and nursing care institutions are reasonably well prepared for emergencies in the house and can call on their own in-house emergency and first-aid service organisation. However, one important aspect in the plans for this is often lacking: continuity of care during (and after) calamities and accidents. One example is the availability of the care files of clients. Suppose an institution has to be evacuated in the short term due to fire. How can an institution access client files? Our students have developed a method for the improvement of these plans and ensure proper execution.’

Dr Ab Reitsma CFM, COBRA (COnituïteit Bij RAmpen; continuity in emergency situations) Senior lecturer & project manager

On the 1st and 2nd of September I taught in Turku, Finland; this because of the International Facility Management Programme, also called ‘Summer School’. One could call the summer school a travelling circus consisting of 22 students from Austria, Germany, Finland and the Netherlands. The ‘circus’visits three cities in a period of six weeks; this year it visited The Hague, Turku and Hamburg. The participating students work towards an end product, which is executed in the last city visited. Yan Sun and Anouk Meereboer were our participants for this year. Last year I did the programming for the last two weeks in Groningen. The students then did a emergency simulation for the emergency teams of the Hanze University. This turned out to be such a  huge success that the participating school in Hamburg wanted to do the exact same. In order to prepare the students to the fullest, I spent two days in Turku on the preparation for the simulation in Hamburg. Doing this was great fun. They were already familiar with the theory, but had no clue as to how to approach the practical side of the project.  After these two day, they knew what to expect and the seed for the project had been sown. I really enjoyed teaching in Finland for a change. It was certainly worth it.

Regards,

Jelmer

All kinds of organisations like to contribute to the quality of the IFM programme, because they all need broadly employable Facility Managers. Exclusive for the Minor Purchase Management Shell organises a training in e-auction/online bidding for students at the Nederlandse Aardolie Maatschappij (NAM; Royal Dutch Petroleum Company) in Assen. We were provided with an extensive explanation and instruction concerning principles, objectives and backgrounds and we put our newly acquired knowledge into action in a simulation where we functioned as suppliers. An e-auction is exciting as a real auction and extremely dynamic just as well as hectic.

You get a real kick out of succeeding in obtaining a lot at the auction, with a margin just above your minimum. The continuation of your imaginary organisation is safeguarded for now!’

Marius van der Woude MSc
Senior lecturer