Campus Life, Culture, and Connections
Nam’s experience at Nyenrode
Nam Anh Lu, a BBA student from Hanoi, Vietnam, is currently spending a semester as an exchange student at Nyenrode.
Attracted by the country’s beautiful scenery and focus on work-life balance, Nam Anh shares how his time at Nyenrode has exceeded expectations. From engaging classes to making friends from around the world, his experience has been truly rewarding.
In this article, he reflects on the value of international connections and his entrepreneurial aspirations for the future.
Could you please introduce yourself briefly?
My name is Nam Anh Lu, and I come from Hanoi, the Capital of Vietnam. I am currently a BBA Junior, specializing in Entrepreneurship, at VinUniversity – Vietnam.
What attracts you to the Netherlands?
Well, I have always wanted to see for myself the beautiful sceneries of the Netherlands – from the beautiful canals to the endless fields of tulips and windmills, there are just so many picturesque wonders all-round the country. However, what attracted me the most is the Dutch way of living, with a lot of emphasis on work-life balance, highlighting the quality of life a top priority.
From what I have been told, Dutch people are very welcoming and open-minded, and so far, the experience has been on point – I got to hang out and made friends with so many of my Dutch colleagues, not just on campus but in various extracurricular activities as well!
"I have made many new friends during my time here in Nyenrode. Not just Dutch, I also have new friends from all around the world, from the Americas, Africa, to Asia – they are all exchange students from around the world, all coming to Nyenrode for their exchange.
I never would have thought that doing my exchange here at Nyenrode could enable me to extend my network worldwide like this."
Nam Anh Lu, BScBA Exchange Student
How would you describe your experience in the classrooms and on the campus at Nyenrode Breukelen?
I would say it is very active in Nyenrode’s classrooms, as many courses require you to participate actively in order to achieve great results. Groupwork plays a big part in the courses, which really showcase our leadership potentials while working with our peers.
Outside the classroom, we are never bored because there is always new activities initiated by the Student Association (NCV) that really bring exchange students together with Nyenrodians. Besides all the fun, the Breukelen campus is also perfect if you want to spend some alone time, with beautiful sceneries and amazing wildlifes on site for you to explore!
Do you believe having international students is valuable at a Dutch university?
I believe that in every university, especially Dutch ones, it is very important to maintain a diversified and internationalized body of students. Not only positively impacting the institution’s international reputation, having international students also bring with them novel insights and perspectives, unique to their own experiences, and enable other students to learn from new cultures and explore different opportunities.
In the globalized world, these connections is more important than ever, and every higher education institution should embrace having an internationalized student body.
What are your goals or plans for the future?
After doing my exchange, I will come back and continue pursuing my studies in Entrepreneurship, and will continue working on my start-up projects while trying to secure an internship this summer. In the future, I would hope to have the chance to come back to Europe, either to work and to study, and to travel around the world to visit all of the friends I made here in Nyenrode as well!