Student Stories

Using her skills and knowledge to support communities worldwide; that’s what drove student Apostolia to give up her career in software engineering to study Humanitarian Engineering at the University of Twente. Moving from Greece to Enschede, she packed her bags, and that wouldn’t be the last time. Desk research only won’t get you far in Humanitarian Engineering, after all. Her studies brought her to France, and more recently to Kenya, for research on water, sanitation and hygiene. But why exactly is fieldwork so important in this field?

As students, we tend to keep ourselves busy: lectures, self-study, exams, deadlines… and of course you also want to exercise, meet up with friends, go out, or just spend an evening watching Netflix. Especially as a first-year student, it can feel almost impossible to get everything done while also maintaining a social life. Fortunately, by managing your time wisely, you can study much more efficiently and still have plenty of time left for fun things. Whether you’re a first-year student who can use a bit of help, or you’ve been at uni for a while and want to organise your time more efficiently, here are my tips for staying focused and productive!

Laurine is a scientist at TNO, one of the largest applied research organisations in the Netherlands. She completed the Master’s in Nanotechnology at the University of Twente.

Whatever your goals are at the University of Twente, one thing is for sure: to achieve them, you’ll need to know your way around the campus. As someone who’s spent a good amount of his formative years here, I know a thing or two about finding your way around the UT’s many buildings. Read on for a list of (perhaps unhinged) tips you can use to make sure you remember your room numbers.

My hobbies don’t always get the love they deserve. Sometimes, I forget about them, or other, newer hobbies take their place for a while, or life simply gets in the way. And when it does, I find myself sneaking glances at my guitar and my amplifier, strings waiting to be tuned, my fingers itching to bust out a solo.

Satellites are often associated with space agencies, GPS tracking, weather forecasting or climate research. But the applications of satellite data reach far beyond what most people expect. For Nikhil Sakpal, satellite imagery became the foundation of his career, in which he focuses on monitoring and protecting vital infrastructure – from railway corridors to oil and gas pipelines. Find out how his path led him from India to the University of Twente in the Netherlands and ultimately to his career at ROSEN, a global technology company focused on infrastructure safety.

Food is an extraordinary thing. My family is big on it, you see, from eating heaps of it to cooking more of it. I learned early on to appreciate any cuisine – it is one of the strongest expressions of culture that exists so readily. Sitting down at a table, passing salt, and breaking bread – here, a melting pot of friendship and sustenance can be found.

In the Netherlands, cycling is not just a mode of transport – for a lot of people, it’s a way of life! I know, I know, you’ve probably already read that same sentence a billion times in other guides, but the importance of owning a bicycle in the Netherlands can’t be stressed enough. They’re cheap, they’re efficient (one of the most efficient machines ever invented, in fact!) and they’re reliable.

There are many useful apps that will make your student time in the Netherlands a lot easier. If you’re an international student, it’s reassuring to have something just in reach (like your phone) to make your daily life easier to navigate. Whether you’re a foodie, love to travel, or want to save money, these apps have you covered!

As a Dutch girl who has lived in the Netherlands her entire life, I find our culture and habits nothing special. However, while studying at the University of Twente and meeting people from all over the world, I soon realised how Dutch culture sometimes differs from other cultures. From our daily routines to our deeply rooted traits, here’s a guide to navigating life in the Netherlands!