‘Love it, leave it or change it’

The second-year MSc student from India is the first international student ever elected to the council, which now also conducts its meetings in English.

All too often the talk about ‘internationalisation’ seems like one-way traffic: Dutch sacrificed for English; Dutch students must integrate with international students; and this country and the TU must better accommodate international students because, you know, they might be Holland’s future ‘knowledge workers’. Yet somehow lost in this translation is the here and now; specifically, how international students enrich this university in ways other than tuition fee euros and cents.
The fact of the matter is that international MSc students are usually older and more mature than home-grown Dutch MSc students following the Bama track. Moreover, many international MSc students already have professional – often international – work experience, and hence arrive at TU Delft ready-equipped with the kind of vital interpersonal and intercultural skills that Dutch TU students need to learn.
A perfect case in point is 30-year-old Harish (Hari) Karakat, a second-year MSC student studying integrated product design and the first-ever international member of IDE’s Faculty Student Council (FSC). Karakat received his BSc degree in Industrial Production Engineering from India’s Gogte Institute of Technology in 1999. A year later he embarked on his professional career, working first as a mechanical design engineer for the Indo-Woosung Vacuum Company, and then as a software engineer for Geometric Software Solutions. In 2004, Karakat left India for Germany and a job as a Product Lifecycle Management software consultant at Prion GmbH, where he worked for three years before enrolling at TU Delft in 2007. While at Geometric and Prion, Karakat also worked abroad on assignments in Spain and the USA. Today, Karakat is not only the first international member of the IDE’s faculty student council but surely also its most professionally experienced member. 

Why did you decide to give up a successful professional career and return to university?
“Although I was working in IT, subjects like art, architecture and design fascinated me much more. Over the last few years of my job, I was simultaneously exploring options and experimenting with my abilities. Design was falling in line – it was time to quit my job and make the switch. Initially, I was reluctant to pursue a formal study program, but now I see that it does make a difference.”

Why TU Delft and not a university in Germany, where you’ve lived and worked?
“I applied to two universities in Germany and one back home in India, but I preferred TU Delft because the design faculty here is based on engineering and suits my background. And also of course because the IDE faculty is renowned throughout the world.”  

As an older, more mature student, is it a challenge for you having to deal with young BSc or MSc students?
“Well, it’s manageable, at least with FSC students. Last year I took a BSc first-year course and there I could clearly feel the difference in maturity levels. On the other hand, some fellow MSc students surprise me with their immaturity.”

Having already worked extensively in private industry, what skills do you possess that your younger Dutch faculty student council members could learn from?
“I think my professional communication skills, especially in a multi-cultural environment, are definitely something they can learn from.”

What does the Faculty Student Council actually do?
“The seven-member FSC is elected annually by the IDE faculty’s students. The FSC meets every other week to discuss matters of education and facilities, and how problems can be tackled through cooperation with faculty staff. We also have weekly meetings with the i.d. student association educational board. And during our monthly meetings with the dean we present our agenda and action plan, and seek his support.”

FSC meetings are now held in English. How is the English of the Dutch FSC members?
“Most members speak English that I can understand, and some speak quite well. Quite often they falter, switch to Dutch for a while, get their message across and then summarise in English. But I appreciate that they make an effort.”

What about IDE’s dean, Professor Cees de Bont. Is he comfortable working in English?
Oh yes, he’s fluent in English and so far seems absolutely comfortable conducting the meetings in English.”

Do you sense that having FSC meetings in English is something the other members are enthusiastic about, or is it more that they must, so therefore do so grudgingly?
“I see that a couple members are very enthusiastic. Most of them don’t mind using English, even if they face a little difficulty. One or two seem to be reluctant. I hope they can get over it.”

What made you decide to get involved in faculty politics? “It was probably a result of my frustrating experiences during my first year. I often had difficulties finding a computer in the computer rooms, because they were – and still are – almost always fully occupied. Also the Wi-Fi connectivity at IDE is pathetic. I had to love it, leave it or change it. So I decided to change it. I thought active involvement in the FSC might help.”

And what about from an international student perspective?
“I felt there was a real need for international representation within the faculty. Firstly, because the concerns of international students often go unnoticed, and secondly because the integration process between international and Dutch students starts with participation.”

Based on your FSC experiences thus far, would you encourage other international students to get involved with their faculty student councils?
“The glitch is that almost every international student is doing an MSc program, which makes it difficult to participate in such extracurricular activities. But let me tell you: it’s manageable. The good news is that I’ve already walked this path, so many obstacles will be gone. I’d really urge first-year international MSc’s to consider it, because only then can change happen and the TU become truly ‘international’.” 

Any tips for international students who want to follow in your footsteps?
“Make sure you’ll be doing your graduation project in the Netherlands, because council members must come to the faculty often. Also, take the basic Dutch language course in your first year, as integration happens both ways. Feel confident here and try to get involved beyond study assignments, beer and ‘The Ruif’. I’m already looking forward to a couple more internationals in next year’s FSC!”