IBS students have visited the University of Dar Es Salaam Business School in Tanzania. In the summer of 2017 they traveled to Dar Es Salaam to meet an enthusiastic group of Tanzanian students and to participate in the Summer School together for 2 weeks. The Hanze University Foundation made a financial contribution to make activities possible for the Tanzanian students, which gave more students the opportunity to gain an international experience.
Alicia Reimink talks about the differences in culture and the intercultural experience with Tanzania and how important this experience is for Tanzanian students:
In Dar es Salaam, 8 Hanze students came together, each with 2 Tanzanian buddy students. This buddy program was a nice and good idea from the teachers to have contact with our buddies before the visit. They have helped us in many ways, before and after our visit to Africa.
Most Tanzanian students have never been outside Africa, which is why they learned a lot about Europe during our visit. For example, we had to explain that Spain and the Netherlands are not part of Germany and tribes are not part of European culture.
What they also found very hilarious was our sunburned skin. They had never tried a meal with a knife and fork, which resulted in us having to teach them. As Europeans we never thought we would ever have to teach this to anyone!
From a professional point of view, the Tanzanian students have learned from us how to refer and use programs such as Microsoft Word. Almost all students at UDBS have a Bachelor's degree with a major in Finance, Marketing or Tourism. The financial market is a fast growing market in Tanzania given the current developments in the country.
What I learned from Tanzanian culture is beyond words, but the most notable were: The Tanzanian take it easy mentality and the slow speed of… everything. We expected that this would be difficult to get used to, but in the end it turned out really well! “Polepole, hakuna matata” (calm, calm, no problems) was a phrase that everyone ended up repeating often with great pleasure. Everything in Tanzania is quieter than we are used to in Groningen. In the beginning we thought it was exciting whether we would finish everything in the end, but in the end everyone could accept that it just didn't go any faster. But everything turns out just fine in the end. Polepole, Hakuna Matata.
Another cultural difference was the warmth and openness of the people. The Dutch are known for their directness; which was not the case for the Tanzanians I met. Although some did not speak English, they were all very nice and tried to communicate with us. We had a lot of fun with a snack and a drink in local tents and there we came into contact with many different people.
What will always stick with me about Tanzania is that despite the country being poor and the people going through a lot, they all seem very content with what they did have. Being satisfied with the minimum rather than always wanting more is a valuable character trait. Some of us could learn from that!
Michel Hidding, Dutch student IBS also shares his experience:
It has been an honor for me from day one to be a part of the summer school in Tanzania, to work with one of the most prestigious universities in Africa, the university of Dar es Salaam, Business School.
The summer school contained various elements, with a focus on education and cultural awareness. In a nutshell, the students of UDBS, the Hanze students and I have had several lectures, focused on finance, the Tanzanian economy and culture. Together we were able to visit companies, including the insurance company Britam, and the largest fruit and dairy manufacturer in Tanzania, Azam.
During the two weeks I completed a project with four students from UDBS and another Hanze student tomorrow, aimed at the export of the Republic of Tanzania to the European Union. I am proud to say that our project has been assessed by an independent jury as the project with the most potential.
In addition to the lectures and the project, there have indeed been moments to discover the true Tanzanian culture. The students of UDBS proudly organized a Tanzanian cultural evening, with cultural elements such as dance, performances, music, food and clothing.
All in all, the summer school was a very unique experience, where text alone does not outweigh the actual experience.
For more photos, click here
For the report from UDBS, click here