Daria's experience

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Great international challenges, but please no Dutch food!

Daria knew from a very young age that she eventually wanted to study abroad when was not yet entirely clear. However, this soon came true when she found out that studying Dental Medicine in her native country was not her cup of tea. She started looking for something else and ended up with the bachelor's programme International Business Administration in Enschede, the Netherlands.

Why did you choose the Bachelor IBA @ UT? 

Daria: “While studying Dental Medicine, I found out that the education system in Romania did not suit me. After visiting the University of Twente, I noticed that the education system they offered attracted me more. UT appealed to me anyway because they had been elected as the most entrepreneurial university for several years in a row. During my visit to UT, I was very impressed and my choice was quickly made: I am going to study at the UT in Enschede!”

For me, IBA stands out due to the perfect mix of theoretical and practical activities that we have here.

Why International Business Administration (IBA)?

“For me, IBA stands out due to the perfect mix of theoretical and practical activities that we have here. We put everything we learned into practice immediately. Due to the diversity of the subjects I study and the educational model I can happily say that during our studies we have been trained to be able to deal with challenges and to tackle possible problems that we might encounter. Thanks to the Twente Education Model we are given the opportunity from the beginning to see if we identify ourselves with one of the main roles in a team (a researcher, a designer or an organiser). We study a wide range of subjects, from Accounting, Finance and Economics to HRM, Marketing, Business Law and Supply chain. This is why I can say that we as IBA students at UT are more than equipped to be able to come up with new and innovative solutions no matter the problem.” Daria explains.

You are a second-year bachelor now, so you have one more year, after this one, to go. Have you thought about what you will do after graduation? 

Daria: “Yes, I think I have 2 main options. I will do a Master most likely regarding Marketing because this was my favourite subject so far- but who knows? Maybe until I graduate I will find a subject that I like more. Otherwise, I would like to have a job in a big company that will allow me to travel a lot. Let’s see what the future will bring me after my third year at IBA.”

Your programme is called International Business Administration, but how international is your programme?

“From my experience so far, I can say that IBA is indeed international. For example, in the last module, I was part of a team consisting only of international students. Most of my friends are international students, and from what I know, we have people at UT from all over the world, which helps you to get to know other cultures without having to visit that specific country” Daria says.

How was your welcome at the UT? 

Daria: “The first week in The Netherlands was definitely one to remember because I took part in the Kick-In (this is the introduction period at UT), which represented my first interaction with the university atmosphere and the students. I could say that the first couple of weeks that represented the accommodation period were even better than I have imagined. Right now, I definitely feel at home. I like a lot this country, the people and what UT has to offer. One specific thing I truly love is the fact that you can cycle anywhere you want. Ok, I still hate cycling in the rain, but doesn’t everyone? I have many international friends and we do many activities together, right now due to the entire Corona situation we are even thinking about spending Christmas together in the Netherlands - taking into consideration the regulations, of course.”

What about your spare time?

“I am part of the Romanian student association at UT where I am the Chairwomen of the Networking Committee. Moreover last year I have joined the promotional team for the Open Days, and I can proudly say that this year I am also the Team Captain. So if you are curious about what IBA or UT can offer you, register for the Open Days on www.utwente.nl/opendays in March 2021” Daria smiles.

Do you think that UT offers sufficient challenges for international students to be socially active? 

Daria: “Hmm, I think that right now there are sufficient challenges for international students to be socially active. The main problem might be that they are not always visible or known to the students and they have to also manifest interest and look for some of the opportunities themselves. It is always good to talk to your fellow students about the activities they join or know about.”

What are your experiences with the differences between education in your country and the Netherlands, student life and Dutch food? 

“I like that we also do a lot of practical stuff, that we have interactions with companies and that we are “ forced “ to put in practice the things we learn. One really good thing for international students at UT is that everybody speaks English, no matter their age. Student life is quite interesting, even though right now there are not so many things to do due to the rules and regulations COVID19 brings us. About the food, I cannot say that I have got used to it, so most of the time I prefer to cook for myself at home.” Daria explains.

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