Boldizsár Halász
Having successfully taken on the challenge of studying in German, despite Hungarian being his first language, Boldizsár figured he could apply the same logic to complete the English-taught International Business degree at NHL Stenden. Combined with his curiosity to explore the world, Boldizsár was looking for more opportunities to go abroad – such as through the short programmes offered by RUN-EU.
“Since I knew I wanted to work in business, the International Business programme best matched my interests. I expected an international setting, but I didn’t quite realise just how global it would be. The experience has far surpassed my expectations because now I’m lucky enough to have friends not just from Europe but from all over the world. The programme is really action-packed (besides RUN-EU, which is awesome by the way), with an internship and a minor planned for the third year of the programme. I love that we’re not overloaded with just studying as it gives us time to invest in other interests alongside our studies.”
Always on the move
“So far, I’ve been on two short RUN-EU programmes – one in Athlone, Ireland, where I studied Sustainable Marketing for Global Goals, and another in Burgos, Spain, where I learned about Bee Analytics & Business. Both times, I worked alongside 30 students from five partner universities, which made it an amazing international experience. Since NHL Stenden helped coordinate both SAPs (Short Advanced Programmes), I was already familiar with the study approach. Each group had five students from different nationalities and fields of study, so everyone brought their own unique skill sets to the table, making us a really strong team.”
“In Ireland, our task for the week was to create a new marketing campaign for a real company that had lost its brand identity in a legal battle. We attended lectures on how to build an effective campaign and we got straight to work. At the end of the week, each team presented their ideas to the owner of the company – who actually implemented some of our ideas! In Spain, our challenge was to develop an MVP (a minimum viable product) to make beekeeping easier. Our team came up with an AI intruder detection system to protect bees from hornets and a weight detector to signal when to harvest honey. We programmed and trained the AI, planned the logistics, and even came up with a brand name and marketing strategy for the company.”
“But it wasn’t all work. RUN-EU also made sure there were plenty of ways to unwind. There was free time to explore the city, and enjoy the fun activities organised by the host universities – from game-show-style quizzes and communal dinners, to guided city tours and museum visits. It really felt like a complete experience.”
What’s next?
“After graduating, I want to do a master’s or start my own company, or maybe even both. I’ve always had an entrepreneurial mindset, and this study and the RUN-EU programmes have reinforced that in me. One thing I’ve also realised, is that the more I know about marketing, the less I actually like it. It’s just not my style of thinking. But that’s also good to know!”
Find out more about International Business on the course website and explore the opportunities RUN-EU offers.