{"id":724878,"date":"2026-06-09T09:40:10","date_gmt":"2026-06-09T09:40:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/724878\/"},"modified":"2026-06-09T09:40:10","modified_gmt":"2026-06-09T09:40:10","slug":"nhl-stenden-global-learning-through-real-experience","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/724878\/","title":{"rendered":"NHL Stenden: Global learning through real experience"},"content":{"rendered":"

Leonie Neitzel<\/a> didn\u2019t know what she wanted after finishing high school in Germany. She signed up for a programme in Hamburg, but soon realised it wasn\u2019t right. Then she came across NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences\u2019s<\/a> Leisure & Events Management<\/a> programme.<\/p>\n

That changed everything. Neitzel would end up travelling to as far as South Africa and Indonesia. More importantly, her NHL Stenden degree took her into a truly international community.<\/p>\n

\u201cLooking back, I can confidently say that choosing NHL Stenden was one of the best decisions I\u2019ve ever made,\u201d she says. \u201cIt\u2019s not just about the degree \u2013 it\u2019s also about the people and the experiences you make along the way.\u201d<\/p>\n

NHL Stenden\u2019s community defines it. Based in the north of the Netherlands, it has campuses in Leeuwarden, Emmen, Meppel, and Terschelling. These are homes to students from more than 80 nationalities, places where you meet people from all over the world and exchange ideas every day.<\/p>\n

From day one, you\u2019re learning alongside classmates and lecturers with different backgrounds and opinions. It\u2019s a mix that lets everyone see and pursue new ways of thinking \u2013 exactly what university should be all about.<\/p>\n

Studying at NHL Stenden means learning through Design-Based Education, a hands-on approach across your programme in an inspiring, modern environment. Source: NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences<\/p>\n

The world is built into your curriculum<\/p>\n

While it may feel like the world is in NHL Stenden\u2019s campuses, the university is just as committed to ensuring its students see the world. The Grand Tour<\/a> sends you abroad for a semester at one of the university\u2019s partner campuses \u2013 in South Africa, Indonesia, Thailand, Italy, or Aruba \u2014 where you take specialised minors while living somewhere new.<\/p>\n

Then there\u2019s the Regional University Network-European University (RUN-EU)<\/a>, a network of nine European universities that lets you join short, intensive programmes \u2014 usually two to eight weeks \u2014 working with students from different countries on real problems. International internships are also on the table, and you can mix and match these options across your degree.<\/p>\n

Neitzel chose to go to South Africa and Indonesia for her Grand Tour because she\u2019d never been to either country. All she had to do was sign up, and her programme handled everything. She didn\u2019t have to worry about finding a school or accommodation. She could fully focus on exploring the world and herself.<\/p>\n

In South Africa, Neitzel took a \u201cChange and Innovation\u201d minor, working alongside local students and businesses. In Bali, she explored \u201cInspirational Coaching and Leadership,\u201d and each location pushed her thinking in a different direction. \u201cIt taught me that our Western European way is only one of many,\u201d she says. \u201cUnderstanding other cultures is key to understanding yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n

Go further than your limits<\/p>\n

Karolina Uleckait\u00e9<\/a>, a Creative Business<\/a> student from Lithuania, stumbled across RUN-EU during NHL Stenden\u2019s minors week. A friend\u2019s enthusiasm for it pushed her to sign up too. Not long after, she found herself doing something she\u2019d never imagined she would do: a landscape design programme in Portugal.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy RUN-EU journey was quite unexpected, and my decision to do the programme was made really fast,\u201d she says. \u201cI opted for a project that covered a new area for me, something I don\u2019t do here at university but that I thought could be an interesting path to go down.\u201d<\/p>\n

That instinct paid off. The programme \u2013 a project called \u201cLiving Playground Portugal\u201d \u2013 took her to Lisbon, where she met students from across Europe, and it ended up being one of the standout moments of her degree. RUN-EU programmes are short, advanced experiences built on top of regular studies, covering topics outside a student\u2019s main field.<\/p>\n

Travel, accommodation, and food were all covered through a grant, so Uleckait\u00e9 could fully enjoy her time there. Though a seemingly small feature, this financial support had an outsized impact on her. It freed Uleckait\u00e9 up to make new connections and build the confidence to travel alone for the first time. \u201cI learned new things about myself, and it inspired me to do more solo travel,\u201d Uleckait\u00e9 says.<\/p>\n

\"NHL<\/p>\n

NHL Stenden gets students ready for the world, and everything that comes with it. Source: NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences<\/p>\n

Get a taste of the real world<\/p>\n

For Adam \u017dovinec<\/a>, a Slovak student in International Business<\/a>, combining a Grand Tour in South Africa with an internship in Dubai gave him something coursework alone could never deliver: a clear picture of the career he wants, and what to leave behind.<\/p>\n

\u201cInternships are a great way to bridge the gap between academic learning and real-world applications,\u201d he says. \u201cThey can also teach you what you don\u2019t like, which is equally valuable. For me, I realised I didn\u2019t want to work in the service industry. Instead, I want to work with people from different countries, as they bring new perspectives and therefore amazing opportunities to learn.\u201d<\/p>\n

His placement at Jumeirah in Dubai \u2013 a company with employees from 87 nationalities \u2013 showed him what a genuinely global workplace actually feels like. He left knowing exactly where he belongs. \u201cFor anyone considering an internship, I\u2019d highly recommend embracing the challenge \u2013 you never know what you might learn about yourself,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

Learn more about NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences.<\/a><\/p>\n

Follow NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences on Facebook<\/a>, Instagram<\/a>, LinkedIn<\/a>, TikTok<\/a>, and YouTube<\/a><\/p>\n

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