NEWSLETTER 1/2012

Past and upcoming events, highlights

NSE began in 30th of January and will end on 7th of April 2012. Welcome February starters took place in study week 3. As already presented in the new curriculum, the modules 3 and 4 in the first year of study are renewed and are more balanced. 6th of February - Symposium organized by the Frisian Export club in Heerenveen, location Abe Lenstra Stadium. 6th of February Start specialization Innovation and Leadership 15th of February Info day Wegwijsdag 16th of February presentation upon the outcomes of the International Student Barometer 24th of February meeting with the Executive board representatives of NHL, Van Hall Larenstein and Stenden, agenda including the new accreditation round. 12th 16th of March intro lectures specializations van Hall Larenstein, NHL and Stenden for 2nd year students 17th of March Open Dag 26th of March - Meeting Frisian Export club (see BB)(in Dutch) 29th of March Proefstuderen trial Study

NEWSLETTER 1/2012
Specializations offered by IBMS in the academic year 2011/2012
By Andreea Kovacs Starting with the academic year 2011-2012 IBMS has expanded its specialization choices. Besides the three well known specializations: Business to Business, Small Retail Business and Food and AgriBusiness; Innovation and leadership was added to the curriculum. From the academic year 2012-2013, the specialization Retail Business Management is subject to changes. On BB (IBMS Info/Important documents/specializations) you can find a brochure with detailed info on the specializations.

Stenden University

Small Retail Business

Stenden University

Retail Business School (RBS) offers IBMS students in the 3rd and 4th year a specialisation
programme which has been chosen in accordance with the IBMS competence profile. During this course graduates will have developed core competencies with regard to the following disciplines: retail marketing & management, economics, law, information technology, research,

Small Retail Business

entrepreneurship (private sector development), and business communication. The specialisation programme covers a number of modules, dealing with a specific theme. Students are confronted with real life problems and challenges related to the module theme. The module theme is most visible in the modules main assignment(s).

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The Retail Business Schools offers its students a specific minor on European Retailing, Store branding, and other minors accessible for IBMS students also. You may also choose between general minors offered by either the Retail Business School or other educational institutes at STENDEN. Graduates of RBS pursue marketing and management careers in the field of retailing or commerce (for example: product manager, marketing manager, supply chain manager, export manager, visual merchandiser or consultant) or develop their own businesses. From the academic year 2012-2013 the specialization Retail Business management is subject to changes. The students choosing the specialization Retail Business management in the academic year 2012-2013 should study at least one semester of the specialization course at the Retail Business School. The module themes will differ in the academic year 2012-2013 from this present academic year. As so, the specialization will include disciplines like branding, retail concept development, e-business, marketing communication and performance management.

NEWSLETTER 1/2012
As so, the students will have the role of a consultant for a real company in order to solve the firms problems and advice the company with developing an international strategy. By the end of the specialization, students will be able to recognize the needs of a company when doing business internationally. As well the job opportunities will be in the area of marketing, consultancy, export and logistics, etc. By the end of the fourth year, students will have to develop their final assignment in an international business to business company. This report should include research and advice for the international company in order to be internationally successful.

NHL university

Innovation and Leadership

Innovation and leadership is a minor which is considered as being a new
business model, either for an existing company or for you. The model and all your leadership experiences are part of your professional portfolio. This portfolio is the starting point of you individual assessment. In the last year of the programme you can realize the competencies that you still have to work on at an individual basis. You have several possibilities to do so in the first semester of the last year to study abroad or to do internship in an international company all over the world. Innovation of business is per definition an international activity; the world has become one marketplace. In an international company you have to do research and you have to advise the company about how to solve the problem they have.

NHL university

Business To Business
Business to Business specialization is provided by the NHL University of Applied Science
located in Leeuwarden, Rengerslaan 10. During the B2B specializations students will be trained and will be provided with knowledge regarding doing business internationally and will have to adapt their skills and knowledge in the real business environment.

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NEWSLETTER 1/2012
Personal Development Program And its implication in the future Of IBMS students
By Max Flinker When first I started PDP, two years ago, I was dazzled. There I was sitting in a class that seemed to serve no particular purpose. I did not like the fact that I was bound to attend PDP sessions, and thought that no good could ever come from such meetings, which actually reminded me of behavioral

Van Hall Larenstein

therapy more than a business course class. The discussions we had to me seemed to be leading nowhere. I had to admit that the exercises we did were interesting, but I could not discover their direct purpose. So I spent my first modules PDP classes busy, but unaware of the fact that PDP would at some point become a most enjoyable, if not the most fun part of my IBMS experience. That module, during my PDP interview, I handed in my first logbook. It consisted of two handwritten pages. During the interview we discussed Music and Culture. I left the building in high spirits; my first PDP tutor seemed rather lenient. First year PDP helped me a lot accepting certain tutors as mentors, and generally exploring the educational system I had signed up for.

International Food and Agri Business

International Sustainability Management in Food & Agribusiness specialization
enables the student to understand how Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) fits into a programme of Sustainable Development for an organization. You will deal with the tensions and trade-offs involved in the adoption of CSR by a firm in a competitive economy. You will learn to understand the problems involved in implementing a CSR programme and the culture change necessary to achieve a successful CSR firm strategy for companies previously concerned only with shareholder value. It is the future of business - your future.

So what is PDP about? With time I found out that PDP is much about managing your
Graduates find employment in import and export firm, the food industry, retail and wholesale organisations, government bodies, non-governmental organisations. In these firms you can perform classic functions like food marketing manager, purchasing manager, commercial food technologist; quality manager, production manager and human resource manager, but also new functions like chain manager and international sustainability manager. competencies, which is also the title of a booklet used during the first year of the program. Whenever I go to PDP sessions prepared, it is a breeze. When I am not prepared, I start yawning after a while and wish the session to be over. Developing competencies is a serious matter. When you leave Stenden to go on internship, or after that, at some point you may want to do some meaningful work. In order to do so, you will simply have to have reached some level of the PDP competencies.

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That also is quite nice about the PDP concept; you have to develop all necessary competences, but there are different levels to them, and if you do not reach your desired level when first developing the competency, you can do so later. One can say that PDP is not about competencies alone. It is just as much about yourself.I personally developed deep spirituality during my years at IBMS Top of Holland, and looking back at my logbooks, I can reflect on this development. The logbooks also show my progression in interpersonal skills. Whilst my first attempts at leadership were rather clumsy, I believe to have bettered my understanding of that competency, thanks to PDP. In my second year I started enjoying the PDP assignments more then all others. My first SWOT analysis for PDP included quite a few weaknesses and threats; virtually all of them were eliminated by the beginning of the second term of my fourth semester. At that point I directed my efforts at learning as much about the generic competency the term focused on. Full of enthusiasm I formulated two goals to achieve; I did not, as they were somewhat far-fetched. I will still need to research that topic further, and am planning to do so in the near future. No harm done. The third years topic of PDP is called looking ahead. As a third year student you will be thinking of your soon departure from Stenden or the school you do your specialization at. You will be meditating your soon to come internship and the future following that. You will go through the professional and generic competences again, reflect and finally sit down to write a CV and application letter. The portfolio will again help you to overcome difficulties with the competencies that you might still be experiencing. By now you will be used to meditating on your development. By the end of year three you will be done with PDP, and hopefully your portfolio will pass your coachs critical examination. Some of you will try to never think of PDP again, others will recall positive memories of their Personal Development Program. IBMS top of Holland and I wish for you to find yourself in the latter group. Completing IBMS you will be - competent. Dear Mr., Ms.,

NEWSLETTER 1/2012
What is Toastmaster and how you can join the program?
By Loi Nguyen

If that is not only your goal after graduation, but also among the time of being student at Stenden, sign up for TOASTMASTER now. As a member of TOASTMASTER, you are trained to be more confident in giving presentation and speech with persuaded leadership competency. In one hand, the goal of presentation is to persuade, attract audiences as much as the speaker can. In order to do this, the host needs to have persuaded performance. Meanwhile, communication skill which includes pronunciation, tone of voice, eye contact, posture, body language and so on, plays an very important role. On the other hand, leading the presentation and controlling meeting are also indispensable skills for a speaker. To do this, leadership style needs to be applied in a proper way. Hence, the presentation needs to be well-prepared and well-organized PowerPoint, for example, in a coherent way. Here, information needs to be easily transferred into the ears of audiences. Thus, together those two specific skills, you will be more confident when giving a speech.

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Pursuing the development of oral communication and leadership skill, together with personal growth in each speaker, TOASTMASTER is a practical playground but carry professional skills for students. Joining one of clubs meetings on every second Wednesdays of month, observer can enjoy friendly environment but full of competitive and controversial discussions or debates. Members are not afraid or not insecure within the time of meetings because they come from same rank, from board members to speakers and audiences, all are students of Stenden. Thus, you are getting more and more confident in the role of speaker no matter who the audience is.

NEWSLETTER 1/2012
So, what are you still waiting for??
Joining the TOASTMASTER Stenden club is to learn more skills in giving presentation and earn more experience in leadership competency. This is not only important for your current student status, but also indispensable for your future careers. For more information and any further questions which related to registration or contend of meeting, you can always send an e-mail to stela.raykova@hotmail.com or go to clubs page on Facebook Stenden Toastmaster.

Do you want to STUDY ABROAD? This is your chance!!!

By Andreea Kovacs

Stenden offers you the possibility of discovering the world while you are studying. Being enrolled in the Grand Tour program you will develop your intercultural and interpersonal skills. Going on Grand Tour Together, we help each other to grow through learning strengths and limiting weaknesses, said Stela Raykova, one of board members. Then, how can you called this is professional? you might be asked this. TOASTMASTER is not only for students at Stenden, actually it is an global organization which is United Stated-based head quarter. Its members come from different fields of business; they are free to join the club with only one goal, becoming a good speaker. With this purpose, four clubs in Netherlands has been run for several years. Here, business people join and giving speech with free subjects, board members of TOASTMASTER Stenden are being trained through those meetings. In fact, this is a practical communication skill meeting within business professional level. with IBMS means that you will follow a part of your study at a different location such as:

South

Africa, Quatar, Indonesia or Thailand.

The advantage of Grand Tour is that you will discover personal and management skills in an international environment, you experience will be enriched, you will be more cultural aware. Moreover you will meet the culture of a different country and you will develop your language skills. As an IBMS student, you can use the Grand Tour for your study abroad. You can choose several options from the multitude of programs offered by the Stenden Campus around the world such as entrepreneurship and financial retail.

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NEWSLETTER 1/2012
A general overview of the IBMS students over the years, starting 2006
By Mokom Kevin Fokum I must first mention that looking at the increase in numbers of IBMS students as the years go by, Stenden university is gradually becoming a re-known International Business and Management institution as it continues to form and export qualified managers. This increase in number of students willing to study this program also comes with increase in nationalities and thus the International aspect of the study is portrayed more.

Another opportunity for you as an IBMS student is to choose for an exchange program. By doing so, you will have to choose between the partner universities of Stenden, NHL or Van Hall Larenstein. Doing the exchange program you will have the chance to follow courses which are not offered by your home campus. The exchange program will give you the chance to meet new people, getting to know new places and it is a great way to involve your study with travelling. You will enhance your interpersonal skills, you will learn new cultures and you will have more sense of independency and responsibility. Stenden is collaborating with more than 100 universities all around the world so you should be able to find the most appropriate university which will suit your personal and academic needs. Do not hesitate to check the partner list www.stenden.com/exchange to see which university offers the courses which match your interest. If you choose to go on exchange through NHL University of Applied Science you will have the possibility to apply for an exchange programme in many European countries but also outside Europe. The list of the exchange partner universities of NHL include: Austria, Finland, Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Slovenia, Portugal, UK, Sweden and Switzerland inside Europe,. The Non European partner universities of NHL University of Applied Science are: USA, India, Taiwan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Japan, Mexico, India, Indonesia and Canada. For more information regarding the exchange programs offered by the NHL University of Applied Science check the website www.nhl.nl , section exchange students. On Blackboard (IBMS Information/important documents/study abroad) you can find a leaflet that outlines the options for study abroad in your IBMS programme, and the relevant criteria and procedures.

In the 2006 cohort, the first years intake was about 30 to 40 students. In the 2007 cohort 60 to 70 students enrolled. The last September intake (2011) was 120 and the February intake (2012) brought 34 new students. Over all years, approximately 340 students are currently studying IBMS. As already known, IBMS is an international bachelor programme. Thus, being enrolled in IBMS gives you the opportunity to meet students from all over the world. As well, working with people with different nationalities and cultural backgrounds makes you aware of the cultural differences and improves your interpersonal and communication skills.

So, how international is IBMS currently?? Lets take a look at the students who are currently
enrolled in IBMS. From the 2006/2007 intake, 13 are still enrolled, and we find 6 different nationalities here. Of these, 6 are from Holland and 3 from Aruba. Now in the first year (sept. 2011 and feb. 2012 intake) there are about 140 students enrolled from 16 different backgrounds. This improvement over the years cannot be under looked and this has come because of hard work and commitment from the entire IBMS crew, staff and the Stenden administration in promoting this program.

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The academic year 2007/2008 is not quite different in terms of the number of students who are currently enrolled in IBMS. The cultural backgrounds are more spread, with 3 Dutch and 3 German students, and students from Canada, Burundi, Rwanda, Russia, Thailand, Austria, Nepal, Italy and Pakistan. As in the first years, also the year 2007/2008 has about an equal number of males and females. Of the year 2008/2009, 34 students are presently enrolled in IBMS. Of this batch, 4 have already graduated, thus, within 4 years. Holland and Germany again carry the highest number of students, but students also come from the Netherlands Antilles, Zambia, Colombia, Aruba and Norway 67 students from the academic year 2009/2010 are currently following the IBMS courses. There are now 21 German students enrolled against only 19 Dutch students. Furthermore, there are 6 students from China, 2 from Cameroon and Honduras, and students from Afghanistan, Romania, Bulgaria, Italy and Dominicans Republic. So, this year shows an increase in the number of German and Chinese students. The male number dominates here, with 36 males and 31 females. Almost the same number of students is in the following batch (2010/2011), with a total number of 64 students, 40 males and only 24 females. Again, Dutch and German students are predominant. As already mentioned above, and as has been the trend, 2011/2012 comes with an increase in the total number of IBMS students and nationalities. A total of 137 students are enrolled in this batch and are at present busy with their study at IBMS. Of this, 81 are males and 49 females. The students represent 16 different nationalities. 55 of these students are from Holland, 31 from Germany, 12 from China and the rest from Armenia, Portugal, Cameroon, Angola, Lithuania, Russia, Bulgaria, Sierra Leone and Spain. As there has been an increase in the number of students over the years, so has been an increase in the number of new nationalities that join this program. As can be seen from the analysis the number of students applying and willing to study this program is constantly increasing and the IBMS population in Leeuwarden is rising over the years. If it continues in this manner, Stenden University stands to be an international and well recognized institution for the study of Business and management.

NEWSLETTER 1/2012

Keep yourself updated !!!! Discover the IBMS FB page!!!

By the IBMS newsletter committee The official FB page of the IBMS Bachelor programme in Leeuwarden. IBMS Top of Holland aims to educate its students into responsible, entrepreneurial and authentic international business managers that are able to contribute to todays business challenges anywhere in the world as starting professionals.

News tips

& more!!! !!

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What is the IBMS newsletter?
The IBMS newsletter has the purpose of giving updated information about the IBMS course and events. As well, the IBMS newsletter presents the insights of the IBMS course offered by Stenden University. The purpose of the IBMS newsletter is to also cover the multitude of subjects which may be important and interesting for the actual students and for the freshmen. .

NEWSLETTER 1/2012

Feel free to express your opinion, give recommendation for future articles and share your ideas with us!
The IBMS committee: Andreea Kovacs, Max Flinker, Kevin Mokom Fokum, Loi Nguyen E-mail: ibmsnewsletter2012@gmail.com

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Do not hesitate in contacting us and we will do our best to fulfill your requirements! e-mail: ibmsnewsletter2012@gmail.com