A new University campus offering innovative and flexible study opportunities in the
Netherlands has just seen its first cohort of students graduate with internationally
recognised degrees.
In ceremonial
robes, around 50 students from Northumbria University’s Amsterdam campus were awarded
masters’ degrees in International Business and Project Management. They were
joined by family members, academics and distinguished guests from Northumbria’s
partner institution The Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences (AUAS).
UK-based Northumbria
opened its Amsterdam campus in 2018 following a strategic partnership with AUAS.
The move has created new education pathways for students, including the ability
to achieve a master’s degree in just one year.
Lucy
Winskell OBE, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Employability and Partnerships, at
Northumbria said: “Witnessing and celebrating the graduation of our first
students here has been a huge privilege, and I congratulate them all on their
success and achievements. They are trailblazers and pathfinders for future
generations of students as we continue to grow and develop our campus.”
“Initial
talks with AUAS about opening a campus in Amsterdam started as recently as 2017.
The progress we have made in such a short period of time is extraordinary, and
a measure of the hard work and dedication of our staff, the support we have
received from colleagues at HvA and the quality of students we are attracting.
Our one-year masters’ do not require a foundation course and are proving extremely
popular with students who have performed well at HvA or other hogescholen at
undergraduate level. I believe they offer new and innovative learning
opportunities within the Netherlands higher education system.”
Northumbria’s
Amsterdam masters’ programmes are research-informed, but also heavily focused
on the competencies required by industry and the public services. Lucy Winskell
believes this approach benefits wider society in the Netherlands. “Studying at
our Amsterdam campus equips graduates
with skills that will both enhance their own career prospects and serve the
needs of employers,” she added.
John
Sterk, Dean of AUAS’s business school AMSIB said: “The partnership with
Northumbria has been very successful and is opening up new overseas study
options for students from both universities. Our academics are also able to
collaborate in areas of research, teaching, conferences and seminars.”
After
its first year, Northumbria has seen bachelor graduates from the Dutch hogescholen performing extremely well in its
programmes.
Graduating student Saba Gebreyohannes commented: “We all took our
chance to get an education. We chose to continue our education; nobody forced
us, but today we made history as the first year of Master students to receive a
degree while attending the Amsterdam campus. For anyone familiar with the Dutch
education system it is hard to receive your Master’s degree in the Netherlands.
Especially, if you come from the applied universities of sciences. For many of
us if Northumbria did not offer this study, they might have not pursued their
Master’s degree.”
For more
information on Northumbria’s Amsterdam campus and details on how to apply please
visit www.northumbria.ac.uk/amsterdam
