International Alumni Ambassadors 2013-2014

Studying in Groningen is an experience that will change your life. It is challenging, especially for people from a totally different culture, but it is definitely worth it. The University of Groningen is among the top hundred universities of the world. It offers you a high quality education. Professors combine theory and practice, which gives you the knowledge and skills to start your professional career.

Work was hard and demanding, but professors were really knowledgeable and committed, and attention truly personalized. Chilly rain and awkward parts of culture shock were counterposed with the building of strong lifetime friendships, together with the wonders of getting to know a whole new country from the start; interacting everyday with people from a myriad of backgrounds and nationalities made every day interesting in a different way than the last one. In my opinion, Groningen is the ideal student city: it is small, and as such, peaceful and relaxed, but it has all the services you need, and a number of bars and nightlife venues in general that you can’t fully explore in one-year time.

High quality education abroad usually comes at a high cost. This often becomes an obstacle to many students to study abroad. Similarly, I thought I will never be able to study somewhere outside Bulgaria. Well, the University of Groningen and the city itself allowed me to follow a complete 3 year BA program.

Groningen is a special place: It is small and big at the same time. It is buzzing and yet relaxed. It is international but also very local. In short, for me Groningen is the prototype of a student city.

There is a myriad of reasons why studying in Groningen is so enjoyable. It is evident in many ranking lists that the University of Groningen is one of the best universities in the world. This 400-years-old university has, among others, cutting-edge facilities, prominent professors and a great number of international programs that lure many international students to study there. Additionally, the city is famous as it is the world’s best cycling city claimed by many experts. For all of these reasons, people flock to Groningen every year to study and live.

Originally from Germany, Julia Gerken studied International Business and Management in Groningen and specialized in Financial Management during her study period abroad at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

The University of Groningen is famous for its top-quality education and top-notch research making the pursuit of academic achievements at this university challenging. On the other hand, studying here enabled me to grow and develop myself.

Groningen consists of surprising elements, at least in my opinion. When I first set foot in Groningen, after a 16 hour long flight plus a train ride of 2-and-a-half hours, I was wondering if I would be studying in a remote village. But the opposite turned out to be true.

Studying in abroad isn’t one of the most common choices made by UK students. I mean we’re often regarded as being that Eurosceptic bunch just off the coast of France right? However, does a little bit of water really make that much of a difference? I thought not and decided to leave my beloved island and hop over the channel to come and study in the Netherlands. Why the Netherlands? Well, apart from many courses being taught in English (lazy I hear you say!), Dutch universities are highly ranked across the world and offer good quality education for a much more reasonable price compared to the UK. Furthermore, master’s degrees in science are typically two years long compared to the one year in the UK, providing me with more laboratory experience and the chance to truly become an ‘international scientist’.

Groningen is definitely the city you want to study in! Studying here is one of the most wonderful experiences I’ve ever had in my life. The university itself has a high reputation for its academic and it’s internationally oriented. As proof of its quality, the University of Groningen is listed among the top 100 in international ranking lists of world universities! The city offers a bike friendly environment, English speaking citizens and not to mention its electrifying student life.

Maximilian Justus Heintzen is originally from Muenster, Germany and graduated in 2013 with a Bachelor´s degree in Medicine, Global Health profile. During his Bachelor study, he got the opportunity to conduct a joined research at the University of Yale, Connecticut.
Besides his studies, he has actively been involved in the IBR, the international bachelor representatives and is now member of the Coraad, the Dutch representatives of his study. Furthermore he took part in organizing the annual medical symposium. During his Master´s study, he will continue his interest in research in the form of an internship at the department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.

Studying in Groningen is a life-broadening experience in so many aspects; from offering a high-quality education and being the cradle of some ground-breaking research, up to giving students the chance to enjoy real student life, finding out more about the culture and history of the Netherlands, going all the way to giving people the chance to do what they love in their free time, from sports to developing their talents.

Nutifafa holds a Bachelor of Science in Physics and a Master of Science in Theoretical Physics. Urged on by the desire to move into experimental science and to contribute to the worldwide alarming energy situation and especially in his home country, he postulated to study in RUG in 2010 which saw him move to Groningen with a Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials (ZIAM)’s scholarship for 2 years.

After finishing his Bachelors in Biophysics from Panjab University, India , Pranav came to Groningen in 2007 to start his Top Masters degree program in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology. It took him some time to adjust to the Dutch teaching style, but he admits that it has been a great learning experience.

Studying in Groningen is the best thing that ever happened to me, I have had the time of my life here!! Groningen has the best international student experience and a great atmosphere for studying.

Studying in the Netherlands is one of my dreams when I was in high school. I am very grateful that this dream has been realized in Groningen. Before I came to Groningen, I had already worked as a junior legal adviser at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the Republic of Indonesia, where I still work even today. I am fortunate to have obtained a scholarship from the Kingdom of the Netherlands to study at Groningen.

Studying in Groningen is a delightful experience: prestigious academic life, international atmosphere and the chance to experience an authentic student life. Although getting accustomed to ‘local tradition’ (good old bike for getting around, shops closed on Monday and Dutch weather) might prove difficult for some, after some time you learn that ‘er gaat niets boven Groningen!’ (there is nothing better than Groningen).

Originally from Australia, I was very lucky to have been given the opportunity to study medicine abroad at the University of Groningen. Even though I did not know what to expect, I must say that my experience living in Groningen up until now has been nothing short of amazing.The faculty of medical sciences is a highly resourceful department and full of endless possibilities to broaden your horizons. A major difference between the University of Groningen and other universities is that the gap between students and teachers/professors is smaller, allowing you to contact them more freely if ever you have questions. Due to this, it was easy for me to visit a number of medical departments to follow doctors around or to witness interesting surgical procedures.

I chose Groningen due to several reasons, but the number one reason was the university’s good reputation. The medical program in Groningen is different from most other countries in the sense that it focuses on problem-based learning, and it also provides you with numerous extracurricular activities, for example, the research programs and Honours College.

Figuring out what one wants to do in life is a phase that practically everybody goes through at one point or another. While I was in high school, about two years before I graduated, I knew I wanted to study business. Having decided what I wanted to study, I still needed to decide where I wanted to do so. I ended up in Groningen due to a chain of events that was set in motion at a study fair that my high school hosted. There, studying in the Netherlands was being advertised and I became fascinated by this option. After the fair the following things happened: I started researching, eventually stumbled upon the University of Groningen, attended an open day, fell immediately in love with the city, applied and eventually enrolled in the BSc International Business; a program which perfectly matched my interests.

I was sincerely surprised by the exceptional quality of education at the Faculty of Economics and Business and its cutting-edge Master programme in Marketing Research. This programme is one of the best marketing research programmes in Europe and is taught by world-famous professors in this field.

Before moving to Groningen, my friends had sung the praises of the RUG. For instance, a student city with highly educated people. After I arrived, I found it was not an exaggeration. People here are nice and friendly. You are able to enjoy an independent research environment. Almost every citizen can speak fluent English.

Graduated in International Business with cum laude, Zhou is currently reading Economic History (MSc) at London School of Economics and Political Science. She developed a comprehensive view in business, humanity, and law thanks to her unforgettable undergraduate study in Groningen. The curriculum of her study is not only aimed to cultivate business leaders, but also aimed at enriching students’ outlook in a smartly organized way.