• EN
  • NL
Spotlight

Masterstudent Behnaz Afshani: ‘Ik tel in Nederland meer mee’

UT-masterstudent Behnaz Afshani (25) kwam begin 2023, tijdens de volksopstanden in Iran, naar Twente. De eerste zes maanden worstelde ze met een depressie, aangejaagd door de strenge regels voor internationals en de hoge eisen van haar vader. Nu werkt ze aan haar masterscriptie, gesteund door de warme sfeer op de campus. ‘Laatst blikte ik terug en dacht: wow, wat ben ik ver gekomen.’
  • EN
  • NL
Spotlight

Master's student Behnaz Afshani: 'I matter more in the Netherlands'

UT master's student Behnaz Afshani (25) came to Twente at the beginning of 2023, during the uprisings in Iran. For the first six months, she struggled with depression, driven by the strict rules for internationals and her father's high standards. Now she is working on her master's thesis, supported by the warm atmosphere on campus. 'The other day I looked back and thought: wow, I've come so far.'
  • EN
  • NL
Spotlight

‘Nederland heeft mij alles gegeven – mijn vrijheid, mijn geluk, mijn werk, mijn familie’

UT-docent Arturo Susarrey Arce (43) stond op zijn vijftiende noodgedwongen op eigen benen en besloot hij dat hij wilde ‘ontsnappen’ uit het conservatieve Mexico. In 2010 kwam hij naar Twente om te promoveren. Toch duurde het jaren voordat hij zich hier thuis voelde. ‘Afstand is het sleutelwoord voor Nederlanders.’
  • EN
  • NL
Spotlight

'The Netherlands has given me everything – my freedom, my happiness, my job, my family'

UT teacher Arturo Susarrey Arce (43) was forced to stand on his own two feet at the age of fifteen and decided that he wanted to 'escape' from conservative Mexico. In 2010 he came to Twente to do his PhD. Yet it took years before he felt at home here. 'Distance is the key word for the Dutch.'
  • EN
  • NL
Spotlight
Internationals in Twente

Promovendus Xin Ming: ‘Ik was kapotgegaan als ik thuis was gebleven’

UT-promovendus Xin Ming (33) groeide op in een dorpse gemeenschap binnen de Chinese metropool Harbin, in wat hij omschrijft als ‘een hut, zonder koelkast, telefoon of televisie’ en maakte mee hoe de levensstandaard in China verbeterde. Op zijn 24ste verhuisde hij naar Enschede. Het campusleven was een cultuurschok. ‘Ik dacht: er is zoveel wat ik niet weet, hoe kan ik hier ooit functioneren?’
  • EN
  • NL
Spotlight
Internationals in Twente

PhD candidate Xin Ming: 'I would have broken down if I had stayed at home'

UT PhD candidate Xin Ming (33) grew up in a village community within the Chinese metropolis of Harbin, in what he describes as 'a hut, without a fridge, telephone or television' and witnessed how the standard of living in China improved. At the age of 24, he moved to Enschede. Campus life was a culture shock. 'I thought: there's so much I don't know, how can I ever function here?'
News

‘We have the ambition and the obligation to welcome new people in Twente’

International UT employees often experience (work) stress because their partners struggle to find their way in Twente. ‘We recognize this challenge and we think there is room for improvement’, says Machteld Roos, Vice-President of the UT Executive Board, in reaction to an article published last week.
Spotlight

‘The struggles of our partners also affect our performance at work’

Many internationals at the UT have the same stressor: their spouse is very unhappy in Twente. Two couples share how much the situation of their partners leads to (work) stress – and how the university could help solve the issue. ‘It’s of course not the UT’s responsibility to make the spouse happy, but in the end it does impact the UT.'
News
Research into diversity and inclusivity in the workplace in Twente

‘We want to make it easier for people who come after us’

Three international UT students have conducted research into diversity and inclusivity in the workplace in Twente. ‘We wanted to put in the effort, so that people like us have more opportunities in the region.’
Opinion

Internationalisation: Diversity is growth

Internationalization is one of the focus points of the Vision 2020 of the University. As a result, we have seen a strong increment of international staff and students. This change poses some challenges but also brings opportunities. A lot of things have been said regarding the challenges a more diverse campus brings us. We feel the community could focus on ways to smoothen out the bumps in the road, and should embrace diversity on campus.
  • EN
  • NL
The International

‘Het pesten ging door tot aan de universiteit’

In de rubriek The International vertellen UT-studenten vanuit de hele wereld over hun leven, studie, keuzes en passies. In de eerste aflevering: Viktorija Jankūnaitė, eerstejaars Technical Computer Science. ‘Ik denk dat ik in Enschede voor het eerst op m’n plek ben.’
  • EN
  • NL
The International

‘Bullying continued up to university’

In the series The International, UT students from all over the world talk about their lives, studies, choices and passions. In the first episode: Viktorija Jankūnaitė, first-year Technical Computer Science. ‘I think I'm in my place for the first time here in Enschede.’
News

New service for international employees

To better help international employees start their life in Twente, the UT is organizing a special program for them on the 3rd of September. For the first time, new foreign employees will be able to arrange all required formalities in one day and on one spot - directly on campus.
News

Enschede wants apartments for internationals in Kennispark

The Municipality of Enschede wants to make Kennispark more dynamic and attractive for international talent. To accomplish this, the city would like to build an apartment building directly in Kennispark, which could primarily be used by expats and internationals, including UT students and employees.
International in Twente

International in Twente - ISA

In this seventh episode, we tell the story of ISA: the Indian Student Association. Their Holi and Diwali festivals have become increasingly popular over the last couple of years, also among Dutch students. But, of course, they organize more activities!
International in Twente

International in Twente - ISA

Het is te merken in de collegezalen en de supermarkt, maar misschien ook bij je sportvereniging of zelfs in je studentenhuis: steeds meer internationale studenten kleuren onze universiteit. Maar wie zijn die studenten? En waarom zijn ze hier? Wahbe Rezek, masterstudent industrial design engineering en studentmedewerker van UT Nieuws, duikt in het leven van deze studenten. In de serie International in Twente vertelt UT Nieuws in iedere aflevering het verhaal van een internationale student op de Universiteit Twente. In deze zevende aflevering vertellen we het verhaal van ISA: de Indian Student Association. Hun holi en diwali festivals zijn de afgelopen jaren razend populair geworden, ook onder de Nederlandse studenten. Maar ze organiseren natuurlijk meer activiteiten!
International in Twente

International in Twente - LA VOZ

In this sixth episode, you’ll get an inside look in the Latin-American student association LA VOZ (translated: the voice). The association was founded about six years ago, with the idea of sharing the Latin-American culture with people from other parts of the world. Also to make people from Latin-America feel more at home in Enschede. How they do that? With music, dance and – of course – good food!
International in Twente

International in Twente - LA VOZ

In deze zesde aflevering krijg je een kijkje in de Latijns-Amerikaanse studentenvereniging: LA VOZ (vertaald: de stem). De vereniging is zo’n zes jaar geleden opgericht, met het idee om de Latijns-Amerikaanse cultuur te delen met mensen uit andere werelddelen en om mensen uit Latijns-Amerika zich thuis te laten voelen in Enschede. Dat doen ze onder andere met muziek, dans en natuurlijk lekker eten!
Read more articles

Stay tuned

Sign up for our weekly newsletter.