Exploring new places

Dear reader,

While my last post was created in Vlissingen, this post is written from Belo Horizonte, Brazil! Last Monday I departed from Amsterdam, by Lisbon to Belo Horizonte. All in all a flight of 14 hours, but without any delays (fortunately!). At arrival in Belo Horizonte, I was picked up by two members of the Living Lab Student Team; Marijn Maas and Izabella Zschaber. They brought me to my hotel that I will call home for the coming three weeks. Because it was already 22:00 and my biological clock said 03:00, so I had to wait for the next day for my first Brazilian experience.

Beautiful sight over the Atlantic Ocean

The next day I waked up very early (due to biological clock) and I went outside and I was in luck, the traffic jam of that morning has just started! Loads of cars moving through the one way roads that formed a grid (just like Washington DC) and the pedestrian paths filled with people going to work or school. The atmosphere was just alive! Not in a strictly organized way (like we are used to in the Netherlands), but in a relaxed way.

You can find that relaxation everywhere. If you go for lunch here (the most important meal here), everybody is taking his/her time. Paying the bill? Why hurry? We just stand in line some longer (up to 10 min or longer). Because the Brazilians are the same way in planning meetings etc., it took some real adjustment for me. I’ve had to learn to go with the flow, not planning in a tight way (like I was used to) but more globally.

Even the Policia Federal Brasil looks relaxed sometimes

The second day I had an appointment with Nuffic NESO, NBSO and the LivingLab Biobased Brazil, before going together to the Kingsday Drink. Everyone who had a connection with The Netherlands was invited, so their where former exchange students, people who immigrated to Brazil and starting businesses from The Netherlands. All in all a great bunch of people, with created interesting conversations and new network connections.

Me and Marijn with some Brazilian exchange students, excuses for the bad quality…

Because of Labor Day (May 1^st) the weekend is already here! That means the accommodation and preparation days are over. Next week I will conduct my fist interviews with students and professors at PUC Minas and UFMG.

In the next post I will tell you about these interviews and my other Brazilian experiences.

Until then!

Thijs

Ready to go

Dear reader,

In the previous post I’ve told you about my research, what was still a bit theoretical... But in these weeks I’ll be conducting the practical part of my research; the actual interviews with students, lectures and businesses.

For the last couple of weeks I’ve interviewed several Dutch students who are following the Energy- and Process technology study program. The topics in these interviews were the way they saw their own study program and there view on international experiences within their study. The results were very promising; all the students saw the need for international experiences, but saw some obstacles in their way towards a research or minor abroad. In the following interviews, I’ll try to find a suited solution to these obstacles.

For the next couple of weeks I’ll be in Brazil for the Brazilian side of the story. What do Brazilian students want and what are the possibilities for an international exchange in Brazil?

With the help of the Living Lab Biobased Brazil and Nuffic I’ve made several appointments with the UFMG, PUC Minas and UFV. I’m also trying to visits some local businesses the the help of the NBSO office.

But before I could have booked my ticked for Belo Horizonte, I’ve had to do some preparations. Firstly a travel visa; The Brazilian Consulate in Rotterdam pointed out to me that as an Dutch Passport holder I don’t need a travel Visa, because my travel purpose is purely business related and under 90 days.

Secondly tickets and accommodation; It turned out that TAP has a daily connection from Lisbon (Portugal) to Belo Horizonte, so it wasn’t hard to find the right ticked. When the ticked was booked, I could make a hotel reservation at the Ibis hotel.

Lastly the incurrence; because I’m traveling for the HZ University, I’m covered by their incurrence. But normally you have to arrange this for yourself.

With all the preparations ready, I’m ready to go! But if you found something that I’ve might have missed, please let me know!

In the next post I will tell you about my first impressions of Brazil.

Until then,

Thijs

A time to plan

Dear reader,

Due to the celebration of Easter (and its aftermath), this post is a bit later than you normally would expect from me. But like I said in the first post, family is important! In the previous post I told you about the reason behind my research, in this post I will enlighten the method of research in more detail. As a summarily you can also view the general presentation about EPT goes abroad.

But first we have to look closely at the phenomenon of knowledge exchange between Brazil and the Netherlands. What types of knowledge exchange are there and what would be the most suited to the Energy- and Process technology study program?

In this research we specify three important questions;

·         What does the student want?

·         What are the connections between Brazil and the Netherlands?

·         What would be the best program for the Energy- and Process technology study program?

In the coming paragraphs I’ll explain each of them and what my method of answering them will be.

Firstly, it’s important to understand what the student wants, because they are the reason to participate in knowledge exchange. The literture review shows that students desire knowledge, unique skills and experience abroad. For that, students need ambitions, support and funding.

But these are quite abstract definitions, so I will conduct interviews with the three student populations (Dutch, Brazilian and current exchange students) to explore the exact definitions.

Secondly, the connection levels between Brazil and the Netherlands. Our opinion is that a multistage connection between countries is important for a good working exchange program. This means that there have to be connections between universities (Living Labs, combined research), business  (NBSO) and students (exchange programs). By interviewing steakholders I’ll try to make an estimation of the possibilities that these connections offer.

From the outcomes I’ll advise the study program in the best exchange program. This program needs to suit the student’s needs, fit in the current study program and be useful to the local business.

To explore the Brazilian side of this story, I’ll be in Belo Horizonte form April 28^th till May 18^th. If you are in the facility or have any useful connections for me; please let me know! Maybe I can make some space in my agenda to meet you.

In the following post, I’ll tell you about my travel preparations and agenda in Brazil.

Until then,

Thijs