Are you planning to study Civil Engineering or Water Management at the HZ? As a Dutch student, one of the choices you have to make is if you will be part of the international group (English-taught) or the Dutch group. If you are a student from outside the Netherlands, it can also be helpful for you to know the benefits of the international class. Scroll down to read about my positive experiences as a Dutch second year Water Management student in an international class.
Field study week 2016
Improving your English
One of the major upsides of following the programme in the international class is that your English will improve rapidly in the course of the years. This is not only because all the lessons and textbooks are in English. But also because you are forced to speak in English not only with your classmates, but also your teachers (of which some are also from outside the Netherlands). This improves your ability to speak English, the pronunciation of the words and your vocabulary.
When I started I already had a solid base in English, but I was not particularly good in speaking English. I would struggle a lot with having a Dutch accent while speaking English, which, all though you can still hear I am Dutch, has decreased. Don’t worry if you are not that good in English, almost no one is amazing in English when they start and the teachers don’t mind explaining things twice.
Differences in cultures
In the international class you will not only find Dutch students, but also students from all over the world who came to study in the Netherlands. In my class the division between international students and Dutch students is 50/50. This is also the reason that in this class there is a large variety in heritage. We have people from Thailand, Brazil, Germany, France and more.
Being part of the international class allows you to make contact with people from a different background. Through this process you can find out a lot about the different countries and cultures. At first the differences might be hard to deal with and find solutions to, but as you get further in the course, you’ll find out that you’ll start to really understand each other and also be more accepting of other people and their preferences in the work field.
Propedose ceremony 2016 - receving out first year certificate
Learning from different experiences
Because of the high diversity of heritage, you also have a high diversity of experiences with water. In every country water is dealt with in a different way because of differences in culture or surroundings. Being part of the international class makes you aware of these differences and gives you an entirely new view on Water Management. It makes you more able to step out of your comfort zone and place yourself in someone else’s position. This prepares you on an international work environment in the future and (in my opinion) makes you more desirable for companies abroad or companies that are internationally focused.
Fun in the field
Moving to Vlissingen
When you decide to study at the HZ, moving to Vlissingen is probably part of the deal. Unless you live close-by to travel back and forth every day. Moving from your home town to Vlissingen is a big step and this can be pretty nerve racking. Not only do you have to take care of yourself, but you’re also new to the area and have no one to fall back on. It could be difficult to make contact with your fellow students, but as soon as you’ll meet your class the fear of not being able to make contact is over.
Most students in the international class have to move to Vlissingen in order to follow their study programme. Everyone has to make new friends and contacts, so once the ice has been broken making contact with your fellow students will become easy. Besides that it is also easy to make plans as a group, since everyone lives in the area. This will create a very strong bond between the students in the class which will make you feel at home in Vlissingen very fast.
Enjoying sunshine in Vlissingen with the whole class
Choosing for the international class was one of the best decisions I ever made. Because of the differences in cultures everyone is really accepting and just generally happy to be able to be a part of this experience. I would highly recommend choosing for the international class, because it offers and challenges you so much more than the comfort of the Dutch-taught education.
Want to know more about the international aspects of the Delta Academy? Check out my interview with Anneke van den Brink, our Biology teacher from New Zealand.
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