Afbeelding
Practical application
“I'm really enjoying my studies. It's a nice class and we work together a lot. I'd always dreamt of running my own business so the programme really appealed to me and yet I still struggled to make the decision. As Terschelling isn't very big or densely populated, I was used to small classes so that was a big plus for this programme at NHL Stenden. And you work in small groups on practical assignments and I liked that practical approach too. My problem was having to choose between a research university and a university of applied sciences like NHL Stenden. In the end, I decided the research university was too theoretical. Right from the start of this programme, we've been working with businesses on projects set by them.”
“It took me a little while to get used to the way of learning. At secondary school I was used to having a lot of subjects, getting homework per subject and having a lot to learn for each test. It's now completely different. We have a kick-off each week that looks at what will be covered that week and then the rest of the week is spent working in groups on assignments from industry. You learn to communicate and coordinate clearly within the group. The freedom you get can be quite challenging and you learn how to take responsibility very quickly. You also learn a lot from each other and the constructive feedback we share. It's all very interactive! This really is the right programme for me!”
Customer journey and experience
“One of the projects we did in the first year was mapping out the customer journey for Papa Baklava, a patisserie in Leeuwarden. The company was just starting up at the time and we quickly found out that essential information, like pricing, was missing. We then developed a plan for improvement bearing in mind the customer journey, the path describing each moment and experience a customer has from first hearing about a brand to being convinced to buy. We even suggested a design for the price stickers to match the house style. It was really good fun to do.”
You also develop your own business plan in the first year. I used my idea for a sustainable coffee house on Terschelling because that's what I actually want to set up later. I'm working with an architecture student on the design of the house, from the foundation supports to the production, and everything will be fully sustainable. For me, it's about the experience. You can get a cup of coffee anywhere on the island but I don't think Terschelling really has somewhere that reflects the setting, the smells and the characteristics of the island yet. I'm looking forward to creating it.”
Find out more about Entrepreneurship and Retail Management on the programme page.