Wittenborg Hosts Its Most Successful Summer School Yet

Students Explore Marketing and Culture at Wittenborg's 2025 Summer School

Wittenborg has just wrapped up its most vibrant Summer School to date, welcoming students from across the globe for a three-week programme on Marketing & Branding.

For the first time, Wittenborg hosted a large Erasmus+ mobility cohort, welcoming a significant group of incoming students under this framework. Students joined from partner institutions, including the European University in Georgia and the Guangzhou Institute of Science and Technology in China. From 28 July, they explored Dutch culture and history through museum visits and city tours, including Palace Het Loo, Apeldoorn, Amsterdam and The Hague, and enjoyed social activities such as group bowling and farewell dinners.

This year’s Summer School was organised in two parts: the first two weeks brought together students from Georgia, Ukraine and Pakistan, while an additional week welcomed students from Guangzhou, giving everyone a unique opportunity to connect with peers from different parts of the world.

“The Summer School was carefully designed to balance academic learning with cultural immersion and social engagement,” said Eunice Cheung, Regional Admissions Manager and one of the organisers. “With a focus on Marketing & Branding, the programme combined structured lessons with opportunities for intercultural exchange, encouraging participants to think creatively and critically.”

Learning by Doing

Under the guidance of Aydan Holtrigter, Jian Liu, Marlon Birdsall, Fahad Shakeel, Vanessa de Oliveira Menezes, Rauf Abdul and business trainer Marina Mchedlidze, students explored Marketing, Consumer Behaviour, Entrepreneurship, Sustainable Marketing & Ethics, Branding, Brand Strategy Development and more.

Michael Sheppard, Recruitment & Sales Representative, led sessions on English Language and Business Communication.

“My main aim was to give every student visible value – knowledge, ideas and concepts they can immediately apply in their lives,” he said. “As a university of applied sciences, Wittenborg focuses on practical learning, building confidence and learning through doing. Presentation skills were a key highlight; students learned to structure knowledge, practise English and overcome fears. Cultural considerations were equally important, including giving feedback and managing conflict in different contexts. And the fun trips, especially our canal-boat ride in Amsterdam, added a memorable dimension to learning.”

The programme was further coordinated by Allegra Zazzaro, Ava Mehrani, Aynur Deliveli, and student representatives Arshia Baharloueiyancheshme and Kejli Kadiu, ensuring every activity ran smoothly and participants had support throughout their stay.

“One of the highlights was the student presentations,” Cheung added. “They drew on their own cultural backgrounds to develop and share ideas, creating inspiring discussions that blended different perspectives. For many, this was their first extended stay abroad, giving them a meaningful step outside their comfort zones and sparking inspiration for their future paths.”

A Global Perspective  

Peter Birdsall, Wittenborg President, also delivered a lecture on Foundations of Entrepreneurship and reflected on the Summer School’s international dimension:

“This year’s Summer School was the most successful because it brought together students from different parts of the world. The students blended seamlessly, enjoying the academic sessions, communication workshops and social activities. By the final goodbyes, I was amazed at their outgoingness. They had visited many cities, enjoyed the programme fully, and made connections that will stay with them for years to come.”

Birdsall also praised the organisers:

“I would like to thank everyone who helped make this Summer School such a success, especially Michael, for bringing a unique teaching dynamic, and Eunice, who went above and beyond to ensure the Chinese group had a valuable experience.”

Wittenborg looks forward to welcoming the next cohort in 2026.

WUP 21/08/2025 
by Erene Roux 
©WUAS Press