ORGANISATION

Crossborder Sustainability

The main focus of this project is to acquire internship possibilities abroad. We would like to encourage our students to perform an internship or study abroad. On the other hand we would like to acquire foreign students to study at our University (http://www.international.hu.nl).

This is the idea behind the project, started at the Faculty of Life Sciences & Technology of the Utrecht University of Applied Sciences. Besides, the faculty focuses on sustainability in a Research Centre (http://www.research.hu.nl) involving several companies. Currently, six English programs are in development. Sustainability is important for the students of the Faculty of Life Sciences & Technology, just like studying abroad for a certain period.

Companies from the region and the province of Utrecht have approached us to give three presentations at the World Exhibition in Shanghai about this cooperation. We will visit China from 22nd to 30th of May. On May 28 and 29 students and lectures from our faculty will present three cases (Expo Presentations). Attention is given to a map table (a computer device mounted in a drawing table, with which people can communicate about planning), happy healthy school (a fictional Chinese green school designed by students), and wind energy and sustainability (explaining differences between wind energy projects in Netherlands and China).

Project leader Daan Kuipers emphasizes that Chinese companies are invited to join these presentations and hopefully this will lead to future contacts. In general, the goal is to obtain internships in China for our students. Currently, a couple of students performed already in a successful internship in China, hopefully more and more students will follow.

Not only companies are contacted to expand our network for internships. Besides, universities will be visited to build up and strengthen cooperation with Chinese universities. In Shanghai, Beijing and Hong Kong students and lecturers will visit companies and educational institutions to draw attention to the benefits which the faculty can bring for these companies and educational institutes. It is essential to build peaceful relations, so we will plan a follow-up visit next autumn.
The impressions and results will be presented during a “China day”, to be organized in November. Knowledge will be shared with other faculties, institutions and various companies.

Is your company interested in collaborating with our faculty? Please don’t hesitate and contact us about the possibilities what students and lecturers can contribute to your company. During our stay in China we would like to meet you and talk about opportunities and exchange some of our ideas.

Project: Crossborder Sustainability

Educational institution: Utrecht University, Faculty of Life Sciences & Technology
Contact: Daan Kuipers, e-mail: daan.kuipers@hu.nl
http://www.international.hu.nl