Every year, many students from China come to the Netherlands and Dutch students go to study at a Chinese university. This cultural exchange brings many wonderful benefits. Because the students meet people from other countries in an international environment, they experience significant growth on a professional and personal level.
Yu Chen, PhD student at the University of Groningen, is chair of the association for Chinese students and academics in the Netherlands. The main aim of this association is to familiarise Chinese students in the Netherlands with their new surroundings and help them get the most out of their time as students. He says that studying abroad broadens your horizons and gives you the opportunity to make international friends. ‘I hope that more Chinese students will come to the Netherlands in the future.’
Another Chinese student agrees that the international and innovative climate attracted him to come to the Netherlands to study. ‘Dutch people also help me a lot with learning their language.’ According to him, being able to communicate well with people from different backgrounds is an essential skill in today’s world.
Zhongxuan Ma, a postdoctoral researcher at VU Amsterdam, has also noticed that at university you come into contact with people from all over the world. ‘Everyone speaks English well, so communication is easy.’
Then there are the Dutch students: Esmee was given the opportunity to study in Shanghai through her studies at the University of Groningen. As a third-generation Chinese-Dutch person, she was also able to learn more about her own background during her time in Shanghai. She was very impressed by China’s rich history and culture, as well as its highly developed technology and infrastructure. She also learned how important it is to be able to adapt to new situations and environments.
Timo moved to Shanghai three years ago to study and still lives there today. At the time, his interest in the Chinese economy led him to pursue a double degree master’s at both Fudan University and the University of Groningen. He looks back on his time studying in Shanghai very positively: ‘You are forced to get to know people who view certain things in a completely different way, and you learn a lot from that.’
Studying abroad is not just about obtaining a degree, but also about learning a lot about yourself, others and how you can work together and grow in a global world.
