Students on the ‘International Business and Social Sciences’ programme at Rhein-Waal University of Applied Sciences explored business prospects in Germany and the Netherlands as part of a joint project with Dutch students from The Hague University of Applied Sciences.
Kleve/Kamp-Lintfort, 5 February 2015: Human resources as a business partner? Work-life balance? Diversity management? Remuneration systems? Job security or flexibility? – These were among the topics on which eleven students from the Faculty of Society and Economics at Rhein-Waal University of Applied Sciences worked in collaboration with 13 students from The Hague University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands. The highly topical challenges currently facing business were analysed and presented from both perspectives – from an HR perspective and from a business perspective – with the aim of advising an international company on the advantages of expanding into either the German or Dutch market. This project began last November with a three-day introductory event in Kleve, attended by the Dutch students and their colleagues from The Hague. Since then, the students have been working together in small groups, comprising both German and Dutch students, on their specific topics.
Right at the start of the new year, the students organised a two-day workshop in The Hague to finalise their projects. Alongside their work, the students and their supervisors had the opportunity to get to know the city of The Hague and its Dutch customs. A sightseeing tour of The Hague’s historic districts and a visit to the beach at Scheveningen were part of the programme.
However, this project is not merely aimed at improving management skills in the field of HR; it also develops the students’ intercultural skills. What impact do German-Dutch intercultural differences have on team management and work processes? Under the leadership of Prof. Dr Philipp Schorn, Professor of Business Administration specialising in Accounting and Auditing, and with the support of Fabian Dargel, programme manager for the English-language degree programme ‘International Business and Social Sciences’ at Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences, as well as their colleagues Michel Hermans and Manolis Mavromatis from The Hague University of Applied Sciences, all students performed very well and completed their tasks to everyone’s full satisfaction.
Caption:
Students from Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences and The Hague University of Applied Sciences on a city tour of The Hague.
