International Business School students help companies strengthen their international position

Paulien is associated with the International Business School (IBS) and coordinates the semester in which companies and students find each other around the various business cases. "For Saxion, I look for an ideal and qualitative match: between companies, their issues and our students who will work with them." Because of the international character of the IBS, it is important, for example, that companies can communicate well in English and are open to cooperating with students who study at the IBS from all over the world at Saxion, Paulien explains.

Project groups work on a business case for a company

What does the collaboration look like for companies? "Our classes of thirty students are divided into project groups, and work on a business case for a company. This, therefore, provides the company with a broad view of new opportunities. For example, we can have the project groups investigate different sub-aspects, countries or markets for one company. If you want to get a foothold in Asia, you may have to apply a different strategy to China in comparison with Japan," says Paulien.

Freedom of choice and customization for participating companies

In this way, a pathway with Saxion offers companies freedom of choice and customization. One class of first- and second-year IBS students deliver various advisory reports to the company. The company in turn chooses what is desirable: "Some companies ask us for the best two reports. Other boards want to know everything the students have researched and set aside a day to listen to the project groups' presentations. This flexibility is for companies a nice aspect of the collaboration."

Shielded online platform

Monique Oosterveld, director of operations and projects at World Trade Center Twente, already has a second batch of Saxion students on the (digital) workfloor. She is so pleased with the concept that she is continuing with it. "Because different project groups work on one assignment, we get surprising and creative insights from the students. Our business club has 160 internationally active companies as members. We heard from our members that they needed a protected online platform to exchange information and network. That's what the student groups looked into and made recommendations on."

Market exploration for Indonesia

The two new groups will now work for WTC Twente on a market reconnaissance for Indonesia and the analysis of issues on reshoring and nearshoring. A theme that has become more relevant to a growing group of companies since Covid-19, Oosterveld explains. She does stress that it is important that participating companies have the space to pay attention to the project. "As a client, take the students well into your wishes and frameworks. Input is output: if you put energy into it, it will also deliver great results for your business."

The region, but also South Africa, Korea and California

The semester with business cases has gained wings in times of Covid-19, says Paulien Olde Bijvank. It has also changed it. "Most of our international students follow the education online, from their country of origin. In this way, they also work in their project groups worldwide on the business cases for companies that engage with Saxion." Although the focus of the program was already broad and international, Olde Bijvank sees that working online has given a huge boost to the opportunities for companies to participate in the program. "Of course we continue to cooperate fully with the region, but because everyone is now experiencing what online collaboration can bring, students are additionally going to work for clients from other parts of the world. For the next semester, companies from South Africa, Korea, and California are also joining."

It makes the IBS program more of a global hub than ever, where the students and the industry can benefit enormously from each other. "From surveys and conversations with our students, we find that they greatly appreciate these kinds of challenging projects already in the first phase of their studies. Just like the introduction to different branches and industries. The students can rely on our team of lecturers to guide them."

Compostable socks

Pascal Betten is managing director of the company Euro Sox Plus BV and also made use of the IBS program for the first time in the past six months: "We asked the students to investigate whether it was possible to get our new 100% compostable socks back from consumers. The socks thus become circular. We created the assignment and received several elaborate proposals from the students. We are building on that." Betten warmly recommends other companies to join the project, partly because of the good supervision from Saxion: "I experienced that as very positive. The students have to carry out the assignments, of course, but they are guided well by their teachers."

Sustainability and conscious business

In the assignment for Euro Sox Plus BV the emphasis was very much on sustainability. According to Paulien Olde Bijvank, that theme runs like a thread through many of the assignments. "The study programme has a strong focus on conscious business. As future business professionals, students must be aware that their advice and decisions not only affect 'profit' but also 'planet'. They learn to weigh interests and see through the consequences of certain choices. Of course they all want to advise as green, sustainable and inclusive as possible, but it is good that they experience that the world does not always work like that. We teach our students about this field of tension. Also to make them aware of what they themselves can contribute to this."

Get in touch

Can our IBS students work for your company for six months? Would you first like to know more about this cooperation with Saxion? Please contact Paulien Olde Bijvank from Saxion International Business School by sending an e-mail to [email protected] or a call via +31 (0)6 - 3043 8839.