Global Acting

Development Theme

ICT is an international field. In the Brainport region alone we already work with talents from all over the world on all the challenges facing the ‘smartest region’. It is very likely that a starting ICT professional will arrive in a multi-cultural environment.

More and more employers are expressly demanding international experience. Thanks to globalisation, our graduates are also coming into contact with intercultural collaboration on the Dutch job market.

Intercultural Awareness
The development of intercultural awareness is essential for functioning in a future job and is enriching for students and colleagues. They can learn so much from another culture’s perspective. Experiencing diversity is a part of modern citizenship and corresponds with the worldwide Sustainable Development Goals. Research has shown that acquiring international experience makes people better problem solvers, that they become more creative and entrepreneurial and have a bigger chance of finding a job and being promoted.

What next?
Fontys ICT has for some time now been active in the area of Internationalisation. We have our successful English Stream, among others and increasingly more students are going abroad for a shorter or longer period during their study. We have also focused on internationalisation@home: bringing Dutch students in contact with foreign students via various projects.

We still want to add a number of elements to the international activities.

More international research
More collaboration with programmes and knowledge institutes worldwide
More international internships
A greater participation in international activities for staff members
Actively connecting students from divergent nationalities and cultures

Expanding our international position is key in this. We want to be seen, recognised and acknowledged by universities, high schools, knowledge institutes and professionals abroad. It is also important to have a good mix of countries and cultures to work with.

Project Manager