A few hundred new-fangled students discovered the Asser location of the Thorbecke Academy and the associated city this afternoon. According to director Richard Delger of the academy, the number of new students is increasing every year.
“We have courses in the field of law, administration and security. Also European administration by the way. The theme that plays in the world news and also the Dutch news is very large and that attracts a lot of students,” says Delger.
The same goes for the Ukrainian Alise Boiko. She studies European Studies. “I learn how the European Union works, its institutions and the rules.” Ukraine has high hopes for full European membership and Boiko may be able to play a role in this with her studies. “I’ve only just started, so it’s hard to say. But I believe with this knowledge I can respond to the situation in my country.”
Alise is walking in a yellow shirt. The color of the shirts indicate which study the students are following. For example, red stands for HBO law, green for public administration and blue for Integral Safety Science. “That means that you are about the security of events,” explains Damiën in his blue shirt. “It’s not that you are really protecting a site, but more that you advise people how to do something as safely as possible.”
The Thorbecke Academy is part of NHL Stenden and has locations in Leeuwarden and Assen. According to director Delger, the location in Assen is important because there is a lot of collaboration here with local partners, where students can gain experience.
However, not every student has yet seen ‘Assen location’ on the schedule, such as Thijs (yellow shirt). “I am surprised that we all had to travel to Assen for an introduction day in a city where we are not. But it was nice to discover a new city again.”