Stenden South Africa students in Thailand. From left: Miane Toth, Magdelie Venter, Casey van Dyk, Lindy Hulley, Tia Keating, Daniel Koumoutsaris
This year, Stenden South Africa has seen 80% of its Disaster Management students choose to complete one or two of their minor modules at overseas campus sites of NHL Stenden University. Also the hospitality management students are keen with half of the 3rd students opting for a specialisation in Bankok, Bali, and The Netherlands.
Students studying at Stenden South Africa can choose from over 100 different specialisations while they study towards their degrees, most of which are offered at affiliated Stenden campus sites around the world. This exciting milestone ushers in a new era of international learning opportunities.
The opportunity to study one or two minor modules is known as The Grand Tour and the affiliated Stenden campuses include exotic locations such as Thailand, Indonesia, Italy, Aruba and The Netherlands. The range of specialisations offered are diverse and give Stenden students the advantage of being able to experience a different country and culture while still studying their degree in a similar structure to what is offered at Stenden South Africa.
Lindy Hulley, Grand Tour Coordinator at Stenden South Africa, has recently accompanied six of the students to Thailand and has this to say about the experience: “It was a wonderful time to support the students as they settled into their term at the Bangkok campus. The students dived into the Asian culture by signing up for temple tours and were welcomed into the culture of the campus by the local students.”
Gaia Smit, one of the Disaster Relief Management students in Thailand, has found the International Relations minor very useful for future diplomatic studies. “It lays a strong foundation for the theory of international relations”. Tia Keating has appreciated the Thailand culture and unique way of life. “We have been having discussions about how countries work together, global politics and the conflicts that shape the world today” Keating reveals. Smit and Keating also appreciate that the minor includes different field trips in Bangkok to leading diplomatic institutions.
The Hospitality Management students prefer completing minors such as the Outdoor Leadership and Adventure Tourism minor offered in Bali. One of the students, Jess Bodenstein, reflects: “I learnt so many new concepts that I’ve even managed to implement in my personal life. Classes went from meditation, yoga, and sound healing, to understanding the brain, empathy, and so much more. The lecturers were amazing and by the end of the module, our class felt like a happy family!”
Three of the Disaster Relief Management students opted to spend a semester in The Netherlands. Josh Whittuhn is enjoying the opportunity to experience the much larger university. He commented that “The minor I am doing has expanded my mind on how I think and go about problem solving in the disaster management field.”
In a first for Stenden South Africa, this year three local students have chosen to travel off the coast of northern Netherlands to the Terschelling island and attend classes at NHL Stenden’s Maritime Institute. Gregor Bonner has been ecstatic since he was accepted, as the entry requirements are stringent. “I am more motivated than ever as this is a great opportunity for me to learn the fundamentals behind how the offshore industry operates, how the oil rigs and offshore energy plants are run, and how all the vessels that operate offshore work. The new knowledge I gained from this course combined with my Disaster Management knowledge, will help me work offshore under many potential roles such as offshore recovery and mitigation.”
These international opportunities allow the students to gain the experiences of different cultures and explore internship opportunities abroad. Dr. Hensens, Executive Dean, reflects: “Although our campus is a bit quiet with so many of our 3rd year students abroad, we are really excited for them to have these life changing experiences. As many of our students aspire to global careers, it is fantastic that we can give them the first opportunities whilst they are studying.”
