Word from the Chair for students
Dear Students! It has been another crazy year, and I’d like to send you a message of hope and encouragement as you deal with your exams and turn your attention beyond the end of the semester.
I first want to send holiday greetings and wish you all the best wherever you may be, either staying in The Hague area or heading home within the Netherlands or (especially) abroad. It has been stressful for many of you in the past few weeks not knowing what to expect regarding public health controls and travel restrictions. Whether you stay put or go on the road, I trust you all are safe, in a comfortable place, and able to make the most of the situation despite the circumstances. And we of course look forward to seeing you all again in the New Year.
I am happy that we could hold on-campus education this past semester. It was particularly important to do so, both for those of you in your second or third year who had nearly all of 2020-2021 online, and for those of you beginning your first year with us, for whom it was important to settle in to student life after online education in your final years of high school.
Once again, as at the end of 2020, we don’t know what next year will bring. But what you can all rely on is that whatever happens, we will do our utmost best to ensure a quality set of courses and help you out with wherever it is you want to go, both during and after your studies. Since 2015 we have had pleasure guiding seven years of graduates through the International Studies door and on to a huge variety of important, exciting, and challenging new experiences afterwards. For some of you that moment is not far away at all, for others – you might think it’s a long way ahead, but it will come up very fast!
For the moment, once your exams this week are over, I wish you all the best for the holiday season and the important time to be spent with families and friends. We’ll see each other again in 2022 – take care, enjoy, and stay safe.
Giles Scott-Smith
Programme Chair, BA International Studies