Student testimonial

Arthur: "You learn to work together"

“During the study programme, you spend a lot of time outside right from the beginning. I think it is great that you have so many practical courses outdoors and it is useful for learning skills, such as Geographical Information Systems (GIS). Of course, you take soil and water courses in the first year. I really enjoyed delving deeper into those topics by learning about the various types of soil, the chemical reactions that take place within them, hydraulics, and all the formulas that go with it.”

Your time at university is about more than completing your study programme

“There is a relatively large amount of group work. That is not always easy, but the great thing about group work is that no matter what job you have later on, you will have to work with others. That is certainly true for our sector, because you are involved with various stakeholders who have very different opinions. By working in groups, you learn to handle that. That's definitely something that is strongly stressed in our study programme.”

Field trip abroad

“I thought the field trip at the beginning of the second year was great! Of course, it’s fun to go to Spain with a group of students and enjoy the warm weather, but it also gave my study programme a real boost. You see what you are studying for. You are taught about a wide range of issues in the first year, which you then get to see with your own eyes. You visit farmers and learn about their farms. However, I also thought it was particularly great to see the social aspects during our trip to Spain. We started in Barcelona and learned how they view the water issues there. Next, we headed south and got to hear another side of the story in order to come up with different solutions. I think it is interesting that we really got to talk to people and see techniques in practice rather than just book learning.”

Representing students

“Your time at university is about more than just completing your study programme, which is why I do more than just that. I am a member of a student association in which I do things such as act in theatre and enjoy nightlife. I am also a member of the Nitocra student association. At Nitocra, I am currently part of the education committee and I have been asked to join the programme committee, in which we discuss the courses of the degree programme with lecturers. We represent the opinions of the students, which we determine using surveys, interviews, and other techniques. We also organise prospective students’ days. Our student association organises fun activities as well, such as safari suppers or pub quizzes.” By students, for students “Wageningen is small, but personally I think it’s great, since everything is nearby and you get to know people quickly. There is plenty to do in Wageningen, provided you show interest and put in the effort.”

Arthur Bouma, Bachelor's student

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