​​Nowadays we are facing many sustainability challenges that can only be tackled if we work together beyond borders. Therefore we are regularly in contact with people from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds, and many organisations deal with international clients, products or services on a daily basis. Therefore it is necessary to gain an international competence.​ 

​​Do you want to prepare yourself for working internationally? Do you want to learn about different cultures and about how to adjust to different cultural settings? Do you want to understand what is written in newspapers or magazines about economic topics? Do you want to learn about personal and organizational sustainable leadership? Do you want to put this knowledge into practice during an international internship, voluntary work or research? Then choose this programme! 
​The Working World Wide: The International Competence programme prepares you for an international career by providing a theoretical background and ways and means of applying this background in day-to-day reality. The theory which is acquired in the first part of the programme, will be put into practice in an international project during the second part of the programme: an international internship, voluntary work or research. International students can carry out their international project in The Netherlands.​ 

​​The minor consists of five modules:  
 
International context 
This module focuses on states and why and how they work together. In a globalising world this cooperation becomes even more important in order to combat cross border problems such as climate change, crime, drugs, human trafficking, conflict and migration, poverty, etc. However, depending on the form of cooperation (voluntary, mandatory, semi-voluntary) and level of integration of policies, this cooperation may also lead to (inter)dependency, decline of sovereignty and a loss of democratic control for citizens. International organisations such as the UN and the EU have played an important role after WWII in promoting and maintaining peace all over the world. However they are so powerful nowadays that their policies really put a stamp upon the consequences of devastating conflicts such as the civil war in Syria. The Green Deal of the European Union has great impact on companies and organisations and will receive extra attention in By means of research and critical analysis, you will build up a broad understanding of international cooperation, its strengths and its challenges. You will work individually but will also learn from the work of others. 
 
Culture  
Whether you approach the world from the perception of government, business or citizens, culture plays an important and often determining role in mutual relations. Culture is here not used in terms of the arts but rather in the patterns of behaviour and thinking of groups of people up to the level of states. For this reason this topic plays an important part in this programme. In order to be able to handle cultural differences, it is important to have a good insight in your own culture. Therefore, we will use different theories and modules to describe culture on a national level and explore your own individual culture. 
  
International economics  
This course will further raise your knowledge of international economics that will allow you to understand the global challenges facing the world’s society and business. You will also think about the responses to those challenges from both governmental and business perspective. This knowledge is indispensable for a person working in an international context, either in a company or NGO. The course will focus on topics such as economic growth, unemployment, protectionism, exchange rate systems, fiscal and monetary policies. We will focus on challenges such as power differences between countries, discrimination, climate change and position of technological giants within the world economy. 

​Leadership  
This module gives students an understanding as well as practical knowledge of both personal leadership and leadership within an organization. Every transition requires leadership: the will and ability to change, to see change as an opportunity, and to direct it from values and vision. Anticipating and responding to developments does not happen automatically, it requires choosing, innovating, experimenting, changing, investing, demonstrating, collaborating, and more. This requires leadership in all layers of the organization, from bottom to top. Leadership is not about everyone becoming a manager, or leading. It's about everyone knowing how to inspire change from their position. That they see change not as a threat, but as an opportunity. An opportunity to innovate and address new (international) markets. To face economic and social challenges. Students will have to do research, make choices and reflect on them. 
​To be a leader for other people you first need to understand what (type of) leader you are. During this course you will explore and define your own desired path of change and leadership. This requires that you take an interest in and stand on certain global challenging sustainability topics and link them to the values that are important to you. During your project abroad in the second half of the minor you will get the opportunity to be an agent of change. And this is when and where you get the opportunity to practice, improve and develop your leadership skills.  
​The theory and practical classes in this course will guide you in making a plan for what skills you would like to develop and put practice in order to reach certain goals of change that are in your circle of influence.  
​This is overall a practical course, we will focus on the heart and the hands. However we will discuss some theoretical concepts that will guide you in defining your objectives and plans of change.   
​  
International Project   
Students organise their own international project for at least 392 hours. The international project can have different forms, e.g.  doing research, voluntary work or an internship. You may choose yourself what you would like to do as long as it is linked to your personal goals for this programme and to those of your own university programme. The requirements for your intern company or organisation are that they are able to provide you with an appropriate assignment, that they have an international focus and that they will give you support and guidance. The research will be on the basis of a preapproved research plan.  

The international competence refers to three overarching learning outcomes that students can obtain through international activities: 

• ​Intercultural competence: Students have the knowledge, attitudes and skills that enable them to interact successfully with people from diverse (linguistic and cultural) backgrounds. 
• ​International orientation: Students are informed about and engaged with, international organisations, topics and perspectives on:
  • ​societal and global issues, such as inclusion, refugees, climate change and supranational institutions such as the European Union.
  • ​disciplines and professions, such as international knowledge, techniques and perspectives on how to perform one’s profession.
  • ​personal and organizational leadership.
  • ​international economics, such as economic growth, unemployment, protectionism, integration, exchange rate systems, fiscal and monetary policies, economics behind Brexit or trade conflicts between China and USA.
• ​Personal qualities: An international experience can contribute to personal development and growth, such as becoming more independent, self-aware, flexible and adaptable. These competences are not merely acquired through, or relevant to, international contexts. However, they can be vital to the success of an international experience, as well as enhanced through such an experience. 

​​The working world wide programme is open for students of all programmes whose English is B2 level or higher.  

​​No mandatory literature has to be bought. Literature will be handed out in class or will be digital​ 

Educational approach  

The overarching objective of the www programme is the development of an international competence. As mentioned, such a competence implies knowledge, skills and attitudes. The classes in which you will work on this knowledge, skills and attitudes, will be mostly physical. Classes will be as interactive as possible, with a variety of activities.  

This programme encompasses full time study for 5 months. This means you have to be available 40 hours a week. You will have approximately 16 hours of fysical classes per week. So, you need to work the major part outside class, either individually or in teams with students from different programmes and countries. It implies that you have to decide yourself when you work on your assignments and how you organise the process in your team. You may split up the work between you or do things collectively. However, if you split up, you will have to discuss the results of your research between you. If you do not do so, you will only be aware of your own contribution and waste the benefit of learning from others and in doing so, you will not obtain a picture as a whole. 

Examination
​Students will be assessed via portfolio’s with (reflection) reports, (in class) assignments, presentations and simulations. In addition, students will experience part of day-to-day reality through the international project. The form this project takes may vary considerably (traineeship, research, preparation of thesis, voluntary work, project) but in all cases the knowledge obtained during the first part of the minor has to be applied.​ 

​​No mandatory literature has to be bought. Literature will be handed out in class or will be digital​ 

Are you a student from another educational institution and you want to take a minor at Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences, you can apply in 2 steps as follows:

1) Register for the minor of your choice via the blue button Enroll. You can find this button at the top right of the minor's page.
Download and fill in the learning agreement
Submit this learning agreement to the Exam Board of your study programme.
Once the Board of Examiners has given its approval, please register for the minor in step 2 no later than 23-05-2025

2) After approval, register in OSIRIS Aanmelding of Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences via the link below (create an account first). https://osiris.hr.nl/osiris_aanmeld_hrprd/WelkomPagina.do?proces=KOM2509&opleiding=MINOR-RBS-VT+00

Part of the registration process is to upload the following documents:
- The learning agreement signed by you and by your institution;
- A scan or photo of your passport or ID card;
You will receive a message from Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences whether your application has been positively assessed or not.

In OSIRIS Aanmelding, you must also upload the Evidence Paid Tuition Fee (BBC) for the academic year in which you want to follow the minor. You can request the BBC from your institution after you have signed or issued an authorization for the payment of the tuition fees for the academic year in which you want to take the minor.

You will receive a message from Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences when your application has been approved.

online voorlichting 01-04 18:15 - 18:45