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What exchange students have to say
Dan Stiplosek
Architecture Project and Facility Management, Conestoga College
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The campus was beautiful, the faculty was excellent, and the student body brought international dive
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I started my Facility Management degree at Conestoga College in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada with the advice of a local building inspector. Having built and managed industrial buildings, I was looking to improve my knowledge through education that could be used to expand my business. Seeing the posters around Conestoga College for Hanze University , I saw an opportunity to gain a broader knowledge through international experience. I absolutely had to participate in an exchange.
The experience started as soon as I arrived in Groningen. Immediately at Centraal Station, I saw architecture unlike anything I am used to. The heritage buildings placed beside the bold colours of modern design were unlike anything I see at home, immediately showing the possibilities of strong, unique design.
The urban fabric of Groningen was a learning experience in itself. The ability to navigate past so many unique places on a bike created a feeling of comfort not felt in most of North America. Centuries old buildings with modern culture and usage were an inspiration for the management of facilities – to ensure good services in wonderful buildings for the benefit of society. And all this experience was had before even getting to Hanze’s campus.
Experiencing Hanze’s International Facility Management Program blocks about hospitality and quality were very different from our own program. I was able to understand more about the life of buildings after they are built, and the provision of services. I learned about the management of people in buildings, not just the buildings themselves. And I learned about all this in a small class environment that encouraged participation and discussion.
The campus was beautiful, the faculty was excellent, and the student body brought international diversity and experience. As the days of academic learning melt into night, the experience doesn’t stop. Groningen had so many activities to partake in, from festivals to basketball tournaments to quiet walks along the canals. The Groningen experience added so much to Hanze’s academic teaching. The experience afforded by Hanze and its surroundings are an invaluable experience for any student. The most heat-breaking experience was leaving the city to go home. After experiencing the splendor of Groningen and the knowledge to be learned at Hanze, I didn’t want to return home.
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Diana Cruz
Architecture Project and Facility Management, Conestoga College
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My experience at Hanze University raised my level of awareness in many aspects of life and learning.
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My experience at Hanze University raised my level of awareness in many aspects of life and learning.
As an Architecture and Facility Management student, my appreciation for the functionality and physical characteristics of the built environment has never been so inspired by the life and culture that I observed at Hanze University and the City of Groningen.
The city’s age also comes with the wisdom that many can learn from. Whether it’s a city, a school or a person, there is no denying of how admirable this city is. In some ways, I personally acknowledge how well advanced Hanze University`s approach is in the delivery of the Facility Management curriculum. With its ability to reach out, the International Facility Management program allows a concentration of diversity that takes the case of leadership to a global level. My perception of the International Facility Management program at Hanze University is not only as a port of international exchange, but as well as a place that exchanges ideas, from the diverse talents that come to the school from all over the world. Through this experience, my understanding of the realm of Facility Management as a business discipline widened as my perspectives on the potential opportunities that lie ahead, not only in my career, but as well as in the future growth of FM.
The architecture of the City of Groningen is very rich in diversity. It includes the preservation and continued use of its heritage cityscape along with the very beautiful waterscapes that run across the city with contemporary architecture that is not afraid to explore funky edges. This seems to reflect the city`s youthful demographics. These characteristics are also evident across the campus of Hanze University reflecting an environment that induces creativity and versatility, which are values that are vital in the profession of FM.
Overall, this experience brought to me valuable life lessons and professional development. This experience gave me insights in to how much the environment can reflect and influence the functionality and effectiveness of a space, which I also believe are helping me understand aspects of the competencies of FM.
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Lindsay Stead
Nothern Arizona University
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This experience has changed my life forever
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My home school is Northern Arizona University, and I decided to come to Groningen to study for one semester at the IFM school. I had no real reason to choose Groningen as the place for my semester abroad, but after researching the vibrant student city and the appeal of the IFM school, I was very excited to go there. I think it was the best decision I have ever made!
International Facility Management is a great program that has greatly broadened my knowledge of how buildings and businesses are established and kept alive. My major at home is Hotel and Restaurant Management, and I think with the new information from IFM I will be a much more successful and understanding manager. I felt so welcomed by all the teachers and students in my class. The IFM class is very small, it is offers students a chance to become very good friends with one another. The good times and great moments I had with my fellow IFM classmates will live in my memories forever. I learned a lot from them and their different cultures, and I think they learned a lot from me as well.
The city of Groningen completely blew me away. I can’t think of a more perfect place to go to school. The city center always has something new and exciting going on every day and night. The market days were fantastic because I have nothing like that in Arizona. The people of Groningen are all so friendly and were always willing to help me out in English in any way they can. I felt completely safe and welcome every single day I was there. I love the Dutch culture and more importantly all of the Dutch people. The city is located in a great place and I was able to travel all over Europe with very little expense. I saw the world and experienced everything I never knew was there. I will forever recommend Holland as the best place to study, more importantly in IFM in Groningen. This experience has changed my life forever, and I will live everyday with my fantastic memories, and always think about all my friends across the world. Thank you for everything, IFM!
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Stephanie McConnel
Architecture Project and Facility Management, Conestoga College
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I felt at home staying in Groningen.
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My trip to Groningen was an experience of a life time. I was expecting it to be memorable, educational and entertaining, however in the end it was much more than I could have ever asked for. After arriving in Groningen off of the train, the first thing I noticed was the museum and the canal, very eye catching. The architecture is absolutely mesmerizing with the canals that run through the city and parks; it gave me a very relaxed and content feeling. Another thing I noticed was that the primary way of travelling was by bicycle which is very rare to see in Canada, so it was surprising. Personally I had not been on a bicycle since a very young age, after renting bicycles and exploring the city I was able to regain a favourite childhood pastime. I felt at home staying in Groningen and I felt as though I fit right in, it was very sad to leave and we have been talking about it since we left.
The first time seeing the Hanze University Campus I was in awe. The architecture and materials used for the campus buildings is nothing like I have ever seen before in person. After exploring inside the buildings there is a very distinctive difference between our campus at Conestoga College and your campus at Hanze University. One of the differences is the abundance of lounge and public meeting spaces which create great interaction with all of the students in a comfortable setting creating a memorable experience, which we thoroughly enjoyed.
The faculty and students at Hanze were more than welcoming and eager to learn more about our program, our school and our culture. The hospitality was impeccable at Hanze University and it has made me consider completing a master’s program at your fine school. Our program Architecture Project and Facility Management at Conestoga College and your International Facility Management Program will complement each other nicely for students that consider an exchange because it will give them different ways of looking at a building, in terms of architecture, business, services and facility management aspects.
I can only hope that we have interested more students to consider Canada for their study abroad, and give us a chance to repay the kindness and welcoming that we were given at Hanze. I believe students from both Canada and the Netherlands will get a unique learning experience from the two programs which are both similar and different, giving them a broader understanding of facility management. I can’t thank you enough for giving us this opportunity and allowing us to sit in on your classes.
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Travis Hageman
Architecture Project and Facility Management, Conestoga College
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It was great to have the opportunity to come to Groningen and Hanze University for a week.
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This wasn’t a trip, it was an experience. From the layout of the city, to the modes of transportation, to the design of the school, to the new friends each new turn provided a memory not to be forgotten. It was great to have the opportunity to come to Groningen and Hanze University for a week. It was an excellent way to spend my time between terms at Conestoga College. This trip gave me the possibility to view school life from a different point of view and experience a new culture. The people that I met on the trip have been great to me and I have enjoyed my time getting to know the teachers and students. I couldn’t have asked for a better trip with the weather being absolutely amazing. I had the privilege to stay in the city center and enjoy the atmosphere and the daily events going on in the square. Along with seeing the city I had the opportunity to see extended family and tour the amazing country side around Groningen.
In Canada, bikes are not used as primary transportation so it was a great method to tour the cities we visited. This way of traveling gave me the opportunity sight see in a completely different view point then I was used to. Even the experience at the university was significantly different then my studies and time at Conestoga College. I enjoyed seeing the different architectural styles around the campus which was easy to navigate. The courses that we attended in the international facility management program opened my mind to different aspects of facility management. I was able to look at facility management in a different point of view and see aspects that I was not aware of before. The teachers made me feel like I was a part of the class. I was able to sit in the class and feel like I had been there the entire semester. I think it is great that Conestoga College and Hanze University are working together to set up an exchange program for students from Canada and the Netherlands to have a unique learning experience in a different country. Overall it was a fantastic trip that allowed me to come to a different country and experience a new culture and university life. Thank you to everyone in the international facility management program for making this an enjoyable trip.
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