Dutch Dream

Can’t help smiling as my heart swells with pride and a sense of achievement. The grin sticks with me on the next flight home, and grows wider while I’m emotionally reunited with my family. Before you know it – armed with my well-earned overseas education, brimming with self-confidence, a radiant smile and a perfect well-pressed dark suit . I’m off to my first job interview. The interviewer studies my resume carefully and breaks the silence with, “Ahem! So, this place where you did your masters degree… The Delft University of Technology… where is it?” A bit shaken but not stirred, I do a modest sales pitch: “It’s Delft! It’s one of the world’s best universities and I’m from the highly regarded microelectronics group!” The follow-up question I get is, “Is it near California?” Yikes! Disillusioned, my daydream bubble bursts and the montage reel gets cut!

The Dutch educational system has a long way to go if it should compete with the grandeur of the US. If Mark Rutte, Secretary of Education, wishes to picture international education as a business, he had better take a second look at the brand image and market awareness of his enterprise. Rather than making statements such as, ”if the situation is so bad, why are more and more foreigners enrolling in Dutch universities”, the attitude should be that of an organization competing for global market share. Out of the total percentage of students from China and India (two primary ‘exporters’ of international students) who apply for higher education studies, how many applications find their way to Dutch universities? What’s the use of the Dutch university system considering itself to be a quality service provider if it’s relatively so unknown among the primary sources of potential customers? As such, there’s significant, unfounded bias against the Netherlands on account of aspects such as legalized prostitution, drug usage, etc. When combined with the lack of even a basic scale of standardization . such as a comprehensive, standardized comparative ranking with other European and American universities . Mr. Rutte’s statement makes for a good conundrum rather than a defensive argument. An example to study would be the Australian university system, wherein the dominance of the business motive without promoting quality and other concerns have made Australian universities the destination of comparatively mediocre international applicants. Obviously, such a baneful system isn’t going to import the best talent. While people like Mr. Rutte may know the workings of educational policies at a macro level, we international students know why we picked our choice of university, and what aspects make a difference when we get back home. If it seems to a few like Mr. Rutte that all we international students do is complain, I ask that they understand our motive in being critical – we aren’t idiots! We are consumers here, and if we have a problem, so do you!

Ramesh Chidambaram uit India is MSc-student micro-elektronica.

Graduation day brings with it daydreaming on a massive scale. My very own montage: from slogging over my study table, to graduating in the sanctimonious ceremonial style. Can’t help smiling as my heart swells with pride and a sense of achievement. The grin sticks with me on the next flight home, and grows wider while I’m emotionally reunited with my family. Before you know it – armed with my well-earned overseas education, brimming with self-confidence, a radiant smile and a perfect well-pressed dark suit . I’m off to my first job interview. The interviewer studies my resume carefully and breaks the silence with, “Ahem! So, this place where you did your masters degree… The Delft University of Technology… where is it?” A bit shaken but not stirred, I do a modest sales pitch: “It’s Delft! It’s one of the world’s best universities and I’m from the highly regarded microelectronics group!” The follow-up question I get is, “Is it near California?” Yikes! Disillusioned, my daydream bubble bursts and the montage reel gets cut!

The Dutch educational system has a long way to go if it should compete with the grandeur of the US. If Mark Rutte, Secretary of Education, wishes to picture international education as a business, he had better take a second look at the brand image and market awareness of his enterprise. Rather than making statements such as, ”if the situation is so bad, why are more and more foreigners enrolling in Dutch universities”, the attitude should be that of an organization competing for global market share. Out of the total percentage of students from China and India (two primary ‘exporters’ of international students) who apply for higher education studies, how many applications find their way to Dutch universities? What’s the use of the Dutch university system considering itself to be a quality service provider if it’s relatively so unknown among the primary sources of potential customers? As such, there’s significant, unfounded bias against the Netherlands on account of aspects such as legalized prostitution, drug usage, etc. When combined with the lack of even a basic scale of standardization . such as a comprehensive, standardized comparative ranking with other European and American universities . Mr. Rutte’s statement makes for a good conundrum rather than a defensive argument. An example to study would be the Australian university system, wherein the dominance of the business motive without promoting quality and other concerns have made Australian universities the destination of comparatively mediocre international applicants. Obviously, such a baneful system isn’t going to import the best talent. While people like Mr. Rutte may know the workings of educational policies at a macro level, we international students know why we picked our choice of university, and what aspects make a difference when we get back home. If it seems to a few like Mr. Rutte that all we international students do is complain, I ask that they understand our motive in being critical – we aren’t idiots! We are consumers here, and if we have a problem, so do you!

Ramesh Chidambaram uit India is MSc-student micro-elektronica.