Testimonials
One day we would be talking about a specific language community in Azerbaijan, while the following day we would dive into the use of emotion in marketing for example.
- Previous education
- VWO E&M - Merlet College Cuijk
- Programme
- International Business Communication
- Study start date
- Study end date
Why did you choose Radboud University?
Radboud University offered me a unique study programme nowhere else to be found in the Netherlands: a combination of learning a foreign language to (near) fluency, business, communication, and linguistics. This in combination with the focus on culture and varied choices in minors makes it possible for you to get into contact with various fields of work and research to explore your specific interests.
How did you experience the transition from high school to university?
During the introduction, you really get a university crash course, in which you explore the city, campus, and all facilities together with your peers and with second or third year students. Through fun social activities, you acquire all the necessary information to start your academic year smoothly and without stress. This was all a very pleasant experience for me, and this made the transition from high school to university easier than expected!
What do you like about the Bachelor's programme? And has the programme also challenged you?
The variation of topics within the study programme made sure that you never got bored. One day we would be talking about a specific language community in Azerbaijan, while the following day we would dive into the use of emotion in marketing for example. There will always be a subject that you find less interesting of course, but given the various research fields discussed each semester, you will never be bored. Because of this, the programme challenges you on the one hand to use your enthusiasm and motivation to create beautiful and in-depth essays for the topics that you really like, while it also challenges you to be open to explore and tackle topics that might be more difficult for you, and that might be out of your comfort zone.
What do you think about the atmosphere in class?
While there are quite a lot of new students each year, our studies assures that the main way of education is in smaller work groups. Normally these consist of 10 to 20 students, which leads to a 'class' feeling as you might know from high school. This really helps in socializing as you get to see the same people multiple times a week. Moreover, given that our programme asks for a lot of teamwork in group projects, the class automatically becomes more and more close to each other. You also get well acquainted with your professors, and build strong relationships with them. Especially in the language classes, professors often give classes in all Bachelor's years, and you therefore get to know each other better and better throughout the Bachelor's, which makes for a very pleasant atmosphere.
What are your plans once you have received your Bachelor’s degree?
Within our programme, and given the coverage of various work fields, students end up in all kinds of jobs/studies after the Bachelor's. In my last year, I personally became interested in climate change communication and the influence of language on that, and I even wrote my thesis about that. Given my enthusiasm in this process, I have decided to continue this path by studying Environment and Society next year, also at the Radboud University of course! We see students staying within our faculty, but also frequently going to the Management Faculty, or to Social Sciences. This dynamic atmosphere and varying interests of students make the Bachelor's such an interesting choice, and a great way to explore your wants and needs even more profoundly.
Are you involved with the study association of your programme?
The university offers a great range of associations or committees to join to socialize, but also participate in the organisation of our university. A lot of students choose to do so within their study association, as this is very useful for networking, but also for making new friends! I however decided to explore a different side of the university. I wanted to have a say in the organisation of my studies and of the faculty, so I have joined the programme committee and the Faculty Student Council of Arts to represent the needs of our students. Here I have been busy with the quality of our education, for example through evaluating courses regularly, but I also got to vote on new regulations for example. Other fun things I participated in were the sustainability committee, in which we organised clean-ups and lectures for example, being a student assistent that for example participated in the creation of an application for learning Spanish vocabulary, and being a mentor for new students! As you might hear, Radboud has dozens of options and associations to join to fully live the student experience, and there is something fun for everyone!
What do you like about Nijmegen?
Nijmegen is a city which has something to offer for everyone: perfect parks to have picnics in and relax, an active nightlife, but also great restaurants from Afghan food to vegan fast food: everything that you need is there! The city is also very close to the campus, which makes it very accessible either by bike, bus, or even by taking the train for a few minutes.
Did you visit any information meetings at the campus before you signed up for your studies?
Before starting my studies, I attended two open days, but was also a student for a day, in which I got to see a day in the life of a student of my studies. We went to lectures and classes together, and sat down and chatted about the studies. While open days are a great first step to get to know the studies, actually seeing the 'real deal' gives an even better image. This really helped me out in taking away my doubt and in making my final decision.
What would you advise students when choosing a study programme?
I would advise students to not pick a study programme based on what might lead to an amazing salary, or to easy job hunting, but rather pick something for which you actually have a passion. This makes studying way more fun and easier! Also make sure to compare similar programmes, such as the difference between Communication Sciences at the Social Faculty, and Communication and Information Studies at the Faculty of Arts! These sound very similar, but the differences might actually be bigger than expected.
Choose whatever interests you most and don't let other people's decisions influence you!
- Programme
- International Business Communication
- Study start date
Why did you choose Radboud University?
I chose Radboud University mainly for the fact that they offer the International Business Communication course with a specialization in a foreign language. I was very motivated to learn the French language, however, I was also interested in communication. This combination is only offered at Radboud University and is therefore a unique program in The Netherlands and the reason why I chose this study. When I visited the try-out day and the Open Day I really appreciated the atmosphere of the green campus and the people.
How did you experience the transition from high school to university?
For me, the transition went quite smoothly. During the first year a mentor was assigned to us; a professor (teacher) who also taught us several courses during the first year. This was really helpful because we could ask questions whenever we wanted and she asked about our experiences at the university, but also about our mental health. This made the transition from high school to university way smoother! Also, the change may seem very big at first but you get guided through it and you are not the only one going experiencing it.
What do you like about the Bachelor's programme and why?
In my opinion, the Bachelor's program is really great since it combines different fields such as business, linguistics, and communication. We learn to speak a foreign language fluently and it is an interdisciplinary program - which I appreciate a lot. Because I wasn't fluent in the foreign language that I chose, presenting or speaking in the beginning of the studies - when having to do it in that language - was sometimes a little harder. However, I found my interest in both linguistics and corporate communication through the studies.
What do you think about the atmosphere in class?
Because of the classes being smaller when taking the French courses, there was a lot of interaction with the professors and other students. Therefore, I have always felt comfortable to ask any questions that I had.
What are your plans once you have received your Bachelor’s degree?
Once I have received my Bachelor's degree I am planning on doing a Master's degree in Linguistics, and potentially work as a researcher in the future. However, I am very much in doubt because I am also interested in PR and like to organize events; still a big decision to make.
Are you involved with any study or student association?
I have done a board year at Integrand; a student association that aims to build the bridge between working life and student life by organizing events, trainings and mediating internships for other students. At Integrand I have fulfilled the functions of Events Manager and PR Manager. Moreover, I am a member at the study association Babylon.
What do you like about Nijmegen?
It is such a vibrant student city: there are tons of bars, restaurants and cafés. There is a beach at the river which is such a luxury during the warmer months. The atmosphere of the city is welcoming and lively!
Did you visit any information meetings at the campus before you signed up for your studies?
Yes, I visited the Open Day and did a Student for a Day. It was very useful, especially the Student for a Day because I got to experience a day in the life of an IBC-student myself and therefore knew exactly what I was signing up for.
What would you advise students when choosing a study programme?
Choose whatever interests you most and don't let other people's decisions influence you :).
It may sound a bit cheesy, but my dream came kind of true!
- Programme
- International Business Communication
- Study end date
What did you like about the Master’s programme and why?
Growing up as a bilingual, I have a fascination for languages from an early age on. Studying International Business Communication (IBC) for my Bachelor's has provided me with invaluable insights into the complexity of communication. Through the study I learned to view communicative interactions from different angles, gained a deeper understanding of cultural nuances & language variations, and effective strategies for engaging with diverse audiences. Further, the degree opened the Hispanic market for me, in which I am still active today.
Where do you work now and what does your job entail?
After finishing a Master's degree where I further focused on navigating cross-cultural interactions with confidence and proficiency, I found a job where almost all study aspects are intertwined. Nowadays working in the International Office at a university in Germany, I am in close contact with partner universities worldwide.
The university I work for has a different concept than most universities. We have over 50.000 students all over Germany, because we teach in 32 different cities. Most of our students study part-time because they have a full time job, so a "classic" semester abroad is not possible for them. We offer short-term stay abroad (between one week - three months) to still give the students an opportunity to realise a stay abroad.
I am responsible for the cooperation with the UCAM in Murcia, Spain; the University of Sopron in Hungary; the University of San Diego in the USA and the phd programme in Sopron. In detail, I take care of the marketing of the programmes (for example, giving info sessions to the students, explain the options of module crediting), I need to make the financial calculations, update the contracts with the partner universities, in some cases plan the housing and group activities, exchange information with the partners, sometimes coordinating the teaching staff, communicating grades to the students and making sure the crediting goes right and so on. Basically, I am a coordinator of the programmes; I am the first person to contact for the students, teachers and of course the partners of the above-mentioned programmes.
This also means I visit the partners when a new group of students start their stay abroad to ensure everything goes well during the first days. Further, it is meant to exchange with the partners directly for a long-lasting cooperation.
Next to this, I am also taking care of the general marketing of the International Office by preparing content for social media, organising the bi-monthly mailing for the students, attending & organising events for new students to inform about the stay abroad options, introducing the International Office to new employees and updating all colleagues in Germany regularly (e.g. new destinations we offer).
I am really happy that this job has crossed my path, when I did my Erasmus at Radboud short after Covid I became aware of the job as such in general - but I never thought that I would be able to start in this position. It may sound a bit cheesy, but my dream came kind of true!
What did you learn during your studies that you now use in your work?
The comprehensive and enriching education at Radboud University has given me sufficient knowledge and confidence to enjoy working with partners, students, and teachers. Especially with my Spanish colleagues we have created stay abroad programmes where I indirectly can pass on some communication knowledge to the students.