Gaining experience on internationalization at Fontys ICT gets easier: 'A different student returns'

Internationalization and ICT? According to Luciënne Wijgergangs, coordinator of internationalization, is a logical combination. 'We think it is important to constantly keep in tune with the business world with our education. We want our students to be up to date with the latest developments.'

Fontys ICT works with some 150 partner companies. And there, the working environment is often international. Not surprisingly, because the Brainport region is also rapidly becoming more international. 'As many as 80 percent of our students end up in an international environment after graduation.'

International Weeks

There is a lot of focus on international projects at Fontys ICT and at partner universities abroad. In addition, students can gain experience abroad by taking a semester at a partner university, for example. For their 'International Weeks', Fontys ICT works together in a network of fourteen partner schools abroad. During these project weeks, international students come to Eindhoven one time and Dutch students go abroad the next.

Marilyn Bailey, advisor Study Abroad Fontys ICT: 'By nature, ict students do tend to be rather shy and tend to stay in their comfort zone. But three-quarters of the registered students do indicate that they want to become more independent with an experience abroad. Through such a week or semester they quickly learn more about themselves, collaborations and other cultures.'

Self-confidence and independence

According to Luciënne, the professional field is also happy with these steps: 'We hear from the industry that these students can distinguish themselves by showing other competencies on top of their ict diploma. Think of soft skills like being independent and taking initiative.'

After an experience abroad, a different, more independent person often returns. 'We hear from alumni that these abroad experiences always stay with them. And with their enthusiasm they ignite other students.' By the way, going abroad is not mandatory, so not an aim in itself. 'For some students it is too big a step and then we work on these skills in other ways.'

Minor Global Acting in IT

One of those enthusiastic students is Antonia Dineva, who participated in the minor Global Acting in IT last fall. She was introduced to different areas of ICT expertise in different countries. From Belgium to Austria and from Spain to South Africa. And she was recently in Turkey for an international week.

'I believe travel broadens your horizon in terms of people and culture. It helps you to navigate multicultural school and working environments because you learn from each other. For example, through this experience abroad, I found out that culture determines how you treat each other. Being aware of that is a good skill to develop. Because it allows you to talk and cooperate with everyone. I have made friends all over the world and would absolutely recommend this to anyone.'

Student growth

Such success also creates a challenge. Marilyn: “We now have four thousand students. And we want to grow to meet the fast-growing needs of the high-tech industry in Brainport. The question is how we are going to facilitate that, also in cooperation with the partner schools abroad.'

It doesn't stop the two from continuing to do this with great enthusiasm. 'You really contribute to a student's life experience. Students return from the coolest period in their lives, during which they learned and experienced so much. To be able to contribute or encourage anything in that, that just makes you happy, doesn't it?'