International Office Leiden University

De Wilde works as a Senior International Relations Officer at Leiden University and encounters students daily who are pursuing their dreams of going abroad. "In my role, I am responsible for partner agreements and enabling mobility for our Leiden students. Additionally, I focus on identifying trends in internationalization, such as sustainability and inclusivity. How do you reach those who normally wouldn't have these opportunities? And how can we find solutions for that?"

International conferences

She primarily identifies these trends during major global conferences in North America, Asia-Pacific, and Europe, such as the EAIE. "This really feels like an incubator where higher education institutions share what they are working on," says De Wilde. Here, she explores the possibilities and limitations through discussions and sessions with various partners. Conversations and collaborations also emerge between competitors, partners, and schools, which elevate internationalization to a higher level.

In her search for partners, she looks for institutions that are a good match, sometimes based on rankings but certainly on an academic level. "You assess whether students from here are interested in the offerings there and vice versa."

The Go-Abroad Fair

The Go-Abroad Fair is a great complement to this. “I have met various partners here, but I also see many new opportunities." While the offerings of an International Office are primarily focused on exchanges and scholarships, The Go-Abroad Fair also provides full studies, internships, and job opportunities abroad. “This way, you can better serve your students and give them more options. The fair provides me with new insights, more knowledge, and even more variety in what I already have and can offer."

Like most universities, Leiden University also has its own internal international fair: the ‘International Experience Week’. During this week, Leiden students can explore the options for studying abroad. “It’s very beneficial for our students to actively engage with these opportunities, but here I only see my Leiden students. What’s great about The Go-Abroad Fair is the mix of visitors. I think it’s very important to collaborate. This can act as a catalyst to enhance internationalization and create more suitable offerings.”

According to De Wilde, such collaboration also impacts the overall quality of education. She cites student wellbeing as an example. At some foreign universities, much more attention is given to this than in the Netherlands. “Because we participate in many exchanges, we are more or less convinced to address this as well. These are lessons that, for instance, a vocational education institution (MBO) can also benefit from and should be working on.”

Life changing experience

De Wilde sees great potential and a societal purpose in The Go-Abroad Fair. “You can sense that changes are coming in the current political landscape. As International Officers, we strive to ensure that internationalization can continue to grow and that we can still offer this opportunity to all young people. An experience abroad is such an important learning opportunity. You really acquire life-changing skills.”

According to De Wilde, the impact of an international experience often becomes apparent later in the students' lives. Sometimes it takes a while for students to fully appreciate its value. Usually, they are already finished with their studies and have started their first career steps by then, but it always comes, sooner or later! “Sometimes I receive emails years later from students thanking me for this opportunity.”

Broad audience

According to De Wilde, the broad target audience of The Go-Abroad Fair is a significant advantage. It keeps the idea of studying abroad in the spotlight for many people and exposes more students to these opportunities. Additionally, The Go-Abroad Fair takes place simultaneously and in the same exhibition hall as the largest study choice event in the Netherlands, the Studiekeuzebeurs Midden. At this fair, young people explore study and career opportunities within the country's borders. De Wilde connects to this:

“What’s great about the fair is that there’s also a section focused on recruiting for Dutch educational institutions. I even saw our own university there! These two parts ensure that even the other group, who may not be actively considering studying abroad yet, start thinking about it at an earlier stage.”

De Wilde attended the fair with three of her colleagues and plans to be there more frequently. “I had a very pleasant day at the fair. The atmosphere was great; it was really lively. I believe that as International Offices, we can focus more on collaborations here in the Netherlands, and The Go-Abroad Fair is a great place for that.”