Be a pioneer
16 Jan 2012
Dutch people are entrepreneurs and discoverers. What’s more, they are true pioneers. The nation has brought forth Nobel Laureates and daring philosophers, artists and scientists.
The Netherlands wants to lead the pack. It was the first country on the European continent to offer study programmes taught in English. Students are continuously encouraged to come up with creative and innovative ideas, thus becoming a pioneer.
Erasmus
Did you know that the Erasmus Mundus scholarship takes its name from the best known Dutch philosopher and humanist, Desiderius Erasmus? After completing his studies in Holland Erasmus wandered all over Europe to debate with other famous scholars, among them Thomas More.
Erasmus has shown how a small country can play a major role, and for that reason he is a role model for the Dutch population.
Education
Pioneering benefits science and education - it is the only way to discover new things. Holland has brought forth many Nobel Laureates in the fields of physics, chemistry, economics and medicine.
But it is also a free port for international scientists. The famous Nobel Laureates Marie Curie and Andre Geim came here to conduct research.
Innovation and invention
Innovative ideas in education are applauded. As Mitzi Dominguez from Mexico explains: “The Dutch are always one step ahead. You only need to take a look at their bicycles! They can even cycle with several people and pets all at once!”
Making optimal use of the available resources are characteristics typical of the Dutch people.
Land from water
The country is enveloped by water and the Dutch people have clearly put this to good use, reclaiming land from water.
Cornelis Lely reclaimed a significant part of the Zuiderzee to create polders. The largest polder, Flevoland, is now home to around 400,000 people.
Today, the Dutch are deploying the same techniques in Abu Dhabi to create new artificial islands off the coast. They are also helping to construct robust dykes in New Orleans.
Room for ideas
If you have a good, innovative idea you’ll be given enough room to execute it.
This was the case with the team of Dutch students that took part in the World Solar Challenge in Australia. They applied the latest solar cell technology to create the fastest possible car and won the competition four times.
When you study in Holland you will soon find out what it’s like to be a pioneer.
