Apeldoorn invests in International Students
Apeldoorn aims to become an even more attractive destination for International Students
The city of Apeldoorn welcomes international students, and is planning to work with Wittenborg to make the city an excellent place for this important group of knowledge migrants to live, study, work and spend their leisure time. This was a clear message given during a debate between local politicians, civil servants, the Apeldoorn housing corporations and other representative groups of young people in the city.
The Higher Education organisations represented were WUAS Business School and the Theological University. The Wittenborg Student Union was also represented, and made it clear that student’s main priority is to feel welcomed in the city and to be assisted with the process of integration and life in the town – by means of facilities and decent student housing.
Wittenborg Chairman Peter Birdsall made it clear that the “Space Boxes” that the school had realized in the centre of the town, were only an example of the excellent stimulus that an international student could bring to the town. Research has shown that each international student brings at least 25,000- euro per year to the city in which they study and live. International students and fully international schools such as Wittenborg, with its 46 nationality mix in a population of 200 students will be an essential asset in the coming years, with graduates, as skilled knowledge workers contributing to a ever increasing aging workforce.
During the debate, Saxion, the regions large general University of Applied Sciences was encouraged to consider housing its international students in the city, something that the school has resisted until now. The debate concluded with a call for closer cooperation between the institutions and organisations, and a commitment from the City of Apeldoorn to support and facilitate the expansion of quality student housing, and higher education for international students in the town.
This news in the Dutch press:
Thu, 2011-10-27 05:11