This programme is designed for students with a strong international orientation. We typically welcome HU students from the following bachelor programmes:   

• International Business   
• Commercial Economics   
• Business Administration   
• Human Resource Management (HRM)   
• Small Business & Retail Management   
• Communication Management   
• Facility Management   
• Other courses, such as the Dutch 'Technische Bedrijfskunde'   

Since this minor attracts a lot of exchange students, it gives you the opportunity to work in a truly international environment. An inspiring programme for ambitious, commercially oriented students.   

Content

Students from our target studies (see the enumeration above) will generally be working in an International Business to Business environment in which resilience, intercultural cooperation and knowing the commercial aspects of doing international business are key factors for a successful career. Our deepest motivation is to boost your career by providing a programme in which you will be challenged to get the best out of yourself and your team by developing new business opportunities for a prominent multinational (in recent years: Royal Ahrend).   

Since its first edition in 2002, our IBS Minor has demonstrated that we are capable of getting people to remove barriers by unleashing their creativity, overcoming shyness and avoiding pitfalls in working successfully with team members from a different academic and cultural background. We are supported in this process by our partner companies and by seasoned experts in international business, who are also involved in assessing the work of our students in a conference.   

Our teaching takes place in an integrated programme focusing on the business challenge described above and has sub-programmes in:   

• International Branding & Sales (commercialisation);   
• Casework, also featuring Business model Canvas and the Value Proposition Canvas.  
• Social Business Skills.   

The Social Business Skills programme is designed to help get the best out of the students and enhance the team performance by coaching the group process, bridging the cultural gaps, working on resilience, perseverance and building good relationships, for example, on the golf course, in the wine class and by training Business Etiquette in supporting leadership. The extent of these courses gives students an insight into functional and dysfunctional behaviour in order to ensure that personal and collective goals are achieved. And on top of that, it helps students feel comfortable in formal and informal business situations.   

For an impression of the minor programme, you can watch the video below.

Courses

The programme trains you to operate confidently in an international B2B context. It takes place during one semester and contains the following courses:

Please note that the IBS Minor reflects a (logical) bundle of courses/subjects and should normally be followed as such. It is not possible to only follow one or two of the three courses.  

This minor addresses a large variety of learning objectives, mainly at level 2 and 3:  

• International business awareness (level 3)  
• Intercultural competency (level 3)  
• Business processes & change management (level 3)  
• International human resource management (level 3)  
• Leadership (level 3)  
• Co-operation (level 3)  
• Business communication (level 3)  
• Planning and organising (level 3)  
• Understanding of the ethical, normative and social issues related to the professional practice and accepting the responsibility for his actions (level 1)  

To enter this programme, you need a foundation of introductory course(s) in Marketing Management. Further, you need to have attained English language skills at CEFR level B2. In the first week, you will take a compulsory English proficiency test.  

You will receive all material during classes of the minor. 

This course is offered in terms A/B (fall semester) as well as C/D (spring semester), with kick-offs in September and February respectively. The timetable and the teaching days are not yet known. Ideally, lessons are scheduled on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays, room availability permitting, of course. Week 1of the first term has classes on all five workdays.  

With the exception of the first teaching period of the academic year (starting September), the lesson and test schedules are always posted on Mijn Rooster four weeks before the start of each teaching period. The schedule for the first teaching period of the academic year can be found on the site three weeks before the start. The most up-to-date schedule is always visible on Mijn Rooster. 
At HU, full-time education may be scheduled between 08:30 and 19:00.

Assessments vary from business proposals to sales pitches and negotiations, a written exam, team assessments and consultancy reports. During the entire minor, intensive team coaching is provided from the first week. You will take a compulsory English proficiency test.  

Signed learning agreements for minors in period AB or Lint period can be uploaded up to and including 28 June 2024 in Osiris Application, see the instructions on the learning agreement or check our site. Learning agreements that are received after 28 June will not be processed. 

Signed learning agreements for minors in the CD period can be uploaded up to and including 6 December 2024 in Osiris Application, see the instructions on the learning agreement or check our site.
Learning agreements that are received after 6 December will not be processed. 

Please note: Learning Agreements will be considered in order of entry in Osiris Application (first come, first serve). A submitted learning agreement will not entitle you to a spot within a minor unless the following is the case: 

* The minor is not yet full: each minor has a maximum number of places per period 

* The student has submitted the learning agreement in full (including his/her own details and signature and the stamp of the examination board). 

* HU has signed and stamped the learning agreement