With the exchange destination announcement taking place yesterday, IBCoMagazine decided to give you an insight of what it is like to be an exchange student, from our very own (temporary) human of IBCoM.
Mayowa was born in the UK, raised in Ireland and with Nigerian roots, she seems to be the perfect match to our international environment – which she finds fascinating.
When asked why she chose to study here, at Erasmus University, Mayowa said: “I’ve always heard about the great quality of education in the Netherlands and I chose Erasmus University particularly because of the diversity of students and nationalities it was representing, which was very attractive to me.”
Unlike many of the exchange students following the IBCoM programme, Mayowa has a background in Information to Social Computing & Economics. “I’ve always had an underlying passion for media and communications” says Mayowa “and have always thought how I could also apply my economics skills to it.”
When it comes to the difference between the Dutch and Irish education systems, Mayowa says the Dutch one is definitely stricter. “The lectures and tutorials are way shorter in Ireland and usually take only around fifty minutes. The workload is also something I had to adjust to in the first term.”
What she likes about the difference between the systems however, is that tutorials here require student participation and engagement, which allows you to get a greater insight into someone else’s perspective. All in all, Mayowa says she does feel more at ease with the Irish system, but would prefer the Dutch one. “The workload and ongoing revision of study materials here really help me better prepare for exams. My time-management skills have also improved, which I am really happy about.”
When leaving for exchange, without any doubt, on has their own concerns and worries about how they are going to integrate in the chosen destination. On that note, I asked Mayowa what was her experience with regards to inclusivity in the Dutch society. “All in all, I believe the Dutch society can be defined as inclusive. However, sometimes I find myself receiving e-mails and announcements from the university in Dutch, which makes me feel like there’s still a division between the Dutch and International students.” Mayowa also finds it odd that certain associations and fraternities are welcoming only for Dutch students.
However, she says she is almost 80% sure she wants to do her Master’s programme in the Netherlands. “I believe I’ve achieved more during my time her in terms of education and career wise, which is why I would like to come back.”
I was curious about what Mayowa thinks could be improved when it comes to welcoming exchange students at Erasmus University: “The thing which I liked less was that exchange students were in the same group with the first years IBCoM, which I find a bit odd. In terms of advice on how university functions, I think first years needed it more than exchange students, and such advice was a bit irrelevant to us.”
Overall, Mayowa seems very much enthusiastic about coming back to the Netherlands in the future, and is always glad to answer your questions if your exchange destination will end up to be Ireland.
Thank you Mayowa!
Author: Nicoleta Editor: Ayesha