Contents: 1 And we‘re off... 2 From the dean‘s desk

4 Wellness, Wellbeing, Well done... 6 Real World Learning 7 SRU campus shines in new splendor

7 Berlin Calling 8 Events

9 Cherishing the past, bulding the future

9 Food & Hotel Thailand

9 SRU at the Bangkok Career Expo

10 Meet the Student

10 Meet the Staff

11 Travel report

By Peter de Boer On Wednesday 22 August the 2012-13 academic year officially kicked off for our new first-year students. It was the start of their Study Start Week. During this week students were introduced to the ins and outs of our International Hospitality Management program and they participated in many fun and social activities.

On the first day, students were welcomed warmly by Academic Dean Jaap Sanders and the entire SRU staff. After that, they received an ICT instruction from Ajarn Prantik. Luckily for the students, all ICT accounts had already been arranged, so they could immediately set up their student e-mail addresses, explore Blackboard and iStenden. This opened up a whole new world to them. They also received their schedule, the books they will be needing for their first module, Guest Experience, and a uniform fitting session took place, so that students could have their kitchen uniforms for their first practical Hospitality Manners class

In the afternoon, after a delicious Phad Thai lunch, it was time for some relaxation. Students explored nearby Future Park mall to do some school shopping and after that students’ competitive side came out at the bowling alley. It was truly a great way to get to know each other better and end the first day with.

On the second day students had their first Problem-Based Learning session to familiarize them with the concept of PBL. On the Friday students even worked on a sample problem and it turned out all them picked things up very quickly. Besides these sessions, students also received a study skills workshop and a session on how to give and receive feedback.

And we're off...Starting the new academic year at Stenden Rangsit

July - September 2012 3/2012

The week had a great finale because, under the supervision of our practical instructor and chef Nattanan Kanchanaratwaree, students and staff members had to cooperate and communicate well to prepare some typically Thai dishes. In a real “Masterchef” setting, each group was assigned one dish and a limited time period to prepare the food. The menu consisted of delicious spring rolls (Por Pia Savoey), the world-famous spicy Tom Yum Goong soup and a dish of chicken and cashew nuts (Gai Phad Med Mamuang). All teams performed amazingly well under pressure. No shouting was heard and, most importantly, the dishes looked very professional. Of course, the best part was the eating.

Grand Tour students had their official start on Monday 3 September. We were very pleased to welcome students from our main campus in the Netherlands for our minor programs in Spa and Health Management and International Protocol and Diplomatic Studies. We also welcomed students taking the third-year IHM Strategic Management semester. During the day students not only attended introduction lectures about their various study programs, but above all they immersed themselves in Thai culture. After a welcome message from the Dean, which also included information about living and studying in Thailand, the land of the smile, students were given a Thai language and culture workshop by Dr. Prinda Setabundhu. They also witnessed a Muay Thai, Thai boxing, demonstration. Of course, the day would not be complete without great Thai food. We look forward to another great year!

From the dean‘s deskJaap Sanders welcomes the SRU family to the new year

Page 2 3/2012

The 2012-2013 academic year started with a lot of energy. We welcomed five freshmen coming from different countries in South-East Asia and in November at least three more freshmen will join them starting for the Resources module. With these 8 students we

have a perfect base to educate these

students

according to our educational concept namely Problem Based Learning (PBL). This concept challenges students to solve (real-life) problems supported by tutors and teachers. Our current fourth year students doing their internship in the industry expressed the value of being educated based on this principle; in the daily operation they do experience the benefits of approaching challenges following the PBL method.

My colleagues Mr. Jorrit van der Woude and Ms. Phanit Kunsee of the marketing department are putting much effort into recruiting new students. They are in the process of visiting international schools and fairs in the South-East Asian region. The results of these efforts will be shown in February 2013 when we welcome new freshmen.

I am very glad to announce that we have appointed a new member to our academic staff, Mr Dennes Bergado Jr. He has already proven to be a driven PBL tutor in our International Protocol and Diplomacy Studies minor. Dennes replaces Ms. Suddhiborn

Page 3

Suriyawutthitham (Honey), who is continuing her professional career at the International Tourism and Hospitality programme of Rangsit University. I am grateful to Honey for her contribution to our programme and wish her on behalf of my colleagues and students all the best.

And then we have something to celebrate. This year the International Hotel Management programme celebrates its 25th anniversary. At our home campus, in Leeuwarden, our colleagues, alumni and representatives of the industry will gather to mark this special event. Of course, we congratulate our partner with this special occasion and are proud that we in Bangkok have also been able to contribute to the success of this worldwide-respected institute.

One of the pillars of our programme is intense real-life learning, meaning that a substantial part of the programme is done at the industry. For our home campus we have the availability of our own learning hotel, Stenden University Hotel. In Bangkok we lack this opportunity and consequently we have to find alternatives to offer our students a place to practice. I am very glad that Ms. Claudia Pronk, general manager of the Anantara Bangkok Riverside Hotel & Resort and her team are willing to team uo with us for a pilot that gives our students the chance to gain hands-on experience. Two second-year students have already started working on an assignment for

Anantara and in November the third year strategic students will also do their Hospitality Operational Management project for this rapidly growing hotel and resort group.

Overall I am very positive about how Stenden Rangsit is evolving; we have a well-balanced team, the number of (interested) students is increasing, the cooperation with the industry has been strengthened, our marketers are visiting lots of fairs and schools and students show their appreciation for our programme by being very positive in their evaluations. In my opinion, we have the right ingredients for another excellent and exciting academic year.

By Jens Dallmann

By Jens Dallmann

With the start of the new academic year, the popular Spa & Health Management minor

has once again set off. With approximately 50 Grand Tour students participating in the 2012-2013

academic year (periods 1 and 3), the unique minor (only offered in Thailand) has developed into a renowned

program involving leading experts, a well-balanced curriculum and various field trips to spas and wellness organizations in Bangkok.

With assistance of the Thai Spa Association, SRU is also able to invite some of Thailand’s leading industry professionals to participate in the program as lecturers. Stenden Rangsit can pride itself with the involvement of specialists such as the President of the Thai Spa Association, Mr Andrew Jacka, as well as the Vice President, Ajarn Phattiraporn Khiewsanun. Furthermore, the program includes the full range of facilities available in Thailand as the world’s centre of the Spa & Wellbeing industry. Besides involving the experience of Rangsit’s renowned Faculty of Oriental Medicine and its health experts, site inspections to hotel spas, day spas and educational institutes are main components of the 10-week minor.

To prepare for the Spa & Health 2 minor offered on Bali, the curriculum introduces all facets of this ever-growing industry and the weekly field

trips make Stenden’s ‘hands-on’ mentality as literal as it can get. Besides the weekly workshop in traditional Thai massage, students

actively learn various therapies and treatments: hydrotherapy, foot massage, yoga, oil massage, therapeutic massage, acupuncture to name just a few.

The program enables students to be able to distinguish different concepts and get

to know the complexity of the sector by visiting and experiencing the

different types of spas first hand. As an example, Health Land is the most successful Spa chain in Thailand with a concept to serve a mass market with very competitive prices. With around 1,200 masseuses in soon-to-be

9 branches, the field trip exposed students to the opportunities and

challenges of successfully running such a large Spa organization.

Visits to smaller

Wellness, Wellbeing, Well done!

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Spa & Health Management with old strength and new highlights

spas with different concepts and target audiences then support students in connecting the dots and learn the actual dimensions of Thailand’s Spa, Health and Wellbeing sector.

Yet another highlight awaited students in week 3. Students were very lucky to be invited by the Thai Spa Association to participate in the annual World Spa & Wellbeing Convention 2012. The internationally renowned speakers as well as the chance for students to network with industry representatives and collect important contacts made this event a great opportunity. Dr John Brazier, for instance, a specialist in performance enhancement working in the English Premier League and British Golf Open, enjoyed mingling with our students and shared some of his experience.

All in all, we can only congratulate students who follow this minor; a great learning opportunity that offers even more than a unique resume. Well done!

The Spa and Health Management minor is offered to 3rd year students of all Stenden University educational programs, but is most closely related to International Hospitality Management, Leisure Management, Tourism Management and Small Business and Retail Management. The minor rationale is based on the third year rationale and program of IHM. From September 2006 on, this minor has only been offered to students at Stenden Rangsit University in Thailand.

Wellness, Wellbeing, Well done!

“Spa & Health 1 is a minor which gives you the opportunity to discover the great Spa industry of Thailand during fieldtrips. The massage classes and Healthy Thai cooking classes provides you with information about the Thai culture, combinations of healthy food with spa, different types of massage and just a lot of fun, knowledge and enjoyment. I can recommend this minor to everybody who is interested in the health, wellness, exploring a new culture and traveling in Asia.“ Sophie Speelman, 3rd year IHM student

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By Prantik BordoloiStudents in SRU’s International Hospitality Management (IHM) program have to undergo internships/traineeships at various points of their study in all years, but the most important one takes place in the 4th year. In this final year of the program, all students are required to do an industrial placement that lasts a total of 42 weeks, excluding holidays. To enable flexible study, placements can start at any time. However, in practice, most students begin their placements in either March or September.

The 4th year internship placement is very important for the students because this is what finally prepares them for their career after graduation. In almost all cases, students do their industrial placement at hotels and, in most cases, the student intern at the level of management trainee. Generally, students will rotate between different departments during the 42 weeks. Within this period, the student needs

to spend approximately 240 hours working on a management project at the hotel that can either be a research or implementation project.

SRU supports the students by taking a very active role in helping them find internships and also helping in logistics, in case that is required. During the internship itself, the student is assigned an internship mentor, who visits the student during the early part of the internship to make sure that everything is going on smoothly. The internship mentor also guides the student in the management project.

Currently we have internship students in Germany (Berlin), China (Shanghai, Xiamen, Sanya) and Thailand (Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket). They are doing their internships at renowned international hotel chains such as St. Regis, Kempinski, Le Meridien, Shangri La and Radisson. Previously our students have done their internships across the globe in countries ranging from Malaysia to USA. For all students, the final year internship is an important first step into their hospitality careers.

Real World LearningHow Stenden prepares students for their future careers

Hi everybody!My name is Piyada Liebig and I am doing my internship in the Hotel Adlon Kempinski in Berlin at the moment. Picture Michael Jackson holding his child out of the window. Now it should be clear which hotel I am talking about. It is one of the most famous 5-star hotels in Germany. I have been working at the Front Office for 4 month now and I’m learning a lot about the procedures that a landmark hotel like Hotel Adlon Kempinski follows. It is very interesting to work here as there are different people staying there: families, business people, couples, elderly, youngsters, etc. also I get to see celebetries and top VIP very often. Thailand‘s Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, Prince Albert of Monaco or Hollywood stars such as Colin Farrell. The city of Berlin is fantastic and offers a large variety of activities to do on a day off. People from all over the world visit Berlin, some for sightseeing, shopping or something else. During the time I have spent in Berlin I experienced the Christopher Street Day which took place in front of the hotel, at the Brandenburger Gates. Also there was the Fashion week in the Hotel Adlon. The meeting rooms of the hotel were turned into catwalks. I‘m very excited to experience new things at work every day and I am very happy with my decision to work at the hotel Adlon.

Berlin Calling4th Year student Piyada writes about her internship in one of Germany‘s most prestigious hotels

As our Facebook followers will have noticed, during the summer break renovation, refurbishment and restyling of the SRU campus has taken place. This is aimed at providing our students with a comfortable learning atmosphere and of course to give SRU staff a comfortable work environment. Although the project is still in full swing we would already like to share some images of the progress so far, now that the building dust has cleared up. As you can see in the pictures, SRU has its own Marketing Office now and more windows have been added to the academic and administration office. The icing on the cake is that we now have our own professional Stenden Rangsit windows. Furthermore, our students can comfortably kick back and reflect on what they have been studying on our new comfy couch. Moreover, our new big study table with a magnificent view over the campus and with Bangkok at your feet provides for an inspiring place to study together. Of course we will keep you updated on the progress and finalisation of the refurbishment and restyling project!

The summer break was used for interior renovations resulting in a cosy and welcoming working environment

SRU campus shines in new splendor

The Office of the Civil Service Commission (OCSC) is organizing the “OCSC International Education Expo 2012, “Education makes you look good” on Saturday and Sunday October 27th – 28th, 2012 from 12.00 a.m. - 7.00 p.m. on the 5th floor of the Royal Paragon Hall at Siam Paragon Shopping Center. This expo is

to provide an opportunity to the general public, students and parents where they can receive information and guidance on continuing their international studies. Last year the Stenden Rangsit booth was a popular point of interest and this year, a representative from the Stenden campus in the Netherlands will join as well. If you want to meet our Stenden representatives, you can make an appointment or just drop by and visit us. To contact us, email sru@stenden.com. You can find us in the Dutch street in booth E5!

Meet us at the OCSC International Education Expo

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Thailand’s biggest sporting event of the year sees 24 nations participating in the FIFA Futsal World Cup taking place in Bangkok this November. Being almost as popular as the ‘real’ football, Thailand’s indoor futsal arenas will be worth a visit and a good opportunity to see a FIFA World Cup with 15,000 supporters cheering for the Thai team. Let’s see if Thailand can beat the reigning champions from Brazil.

FIFA Futsal World Cup 2012

The SRU orphanage project continues and 1st year students are currently planning the next visit to the closeby orphanage planned in the beginning of November. SRU will donate kitchen appliances, food, and of course toys for the kids. To contribute to the

charity, everybody is invited to donate. SRU will collect all donations starting now and deliver to the orphanage on the next visit.

Orphanage Visit

Event Calender

Royal Paragorn Hall, 27 - 28 October

Bangkok, 1-18 November

Bangkok, November

With four intake possibilities per year, Stenden Rangsit recruits those students still looking for a place to study. Although most students start their studies in the main intakes in September and February, more and more students make use of the possibility to flexibly start their future careers in the November and April intakes. Recruitment is still open and students can apply online at www.stenden-rangsit.com/apply.

November Intake for new studentsOpen now.

On 6 and 7 July Stenden Rangsit was one of the two main sponsors of the “Bangkok Career Expo 2012” at the Queen Sirikit Convention Centre in Bangkok. Our Stenden Rangsit University Promotion Team was present with three staff members and two students as SRU Ambassadors. Due to the large number of visitors to the fair that proved to be no luxury and much needed to be able to answer all queries and give information to the visitors at the fair. One of our current first year students Ms. Pook we got in contact with on this fair and we would like to say we are very happy indeed with having her here joining our Stenden Rangsit family. With participation on the “Bangkok Career Expo 2012” Stenden Rangsit also received a lot of exposure in the reputable newspaper “The Bangkok Post”. We would like to thank the staff and Khun Keaw very much for all their help.

To celebrate this occasion, a year-long schedule of events was designed to thank all stakeholders, and reflects on IHM’s past and promotes its future. But most importantly, by working with a charity partner, Mary‘s Meals, IHM aims to ensure that funds raised through the celebrations will support the lives and education of the less fortunate.Cherishing the past, Building the future is the slogan of our 25th year celebration day. The 29th of September was the

BIG DAY and Stenden staff in Thailand joined the celebrations with cake, champagne and a video message for the colleagues in the Netherlands. To learn more about the anniversary, visit the event website at www.ihmstenden25.com

Cherishing the past, Building the future

In 2012, Stenden‘s IHMprogramme celebrates its 25th anniversary.

SRU at Bangkok Career Expo

Food & Hotel Thailand 2012All Stenden Rangsit University students had the privilege of attending the Food and Hotel Thailand 2012 Exhibition held at the famous Bangkok International Trade and Exhibition Center (BITEC) on September 7th, 2012. The exhibition was organized by Bangkok Exhibition Services Ltd., which was also supported by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), the Food and Beverage Association of Thailand

(FBAT), Thai Hotels Association (THA) and the Thailand Convention

and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) to name a few. According their website (www.

foodhotelthailand.com), this was the 21st Exhibition to primarily focus on Food and Drink, Hotel, Bakery, Restaurant and Food Service Equipment and Supplies. For our students, it was a wonderful opportunity for our International Hotel Management students as well as for the Grand Tour students from the Spa and Health Minor to personally meet the actual industry players and experience the ever changing trends for themselves. At the same time, they were able to witness concurrent events such as an Ice Sculpting competition, a Bartending competition and Thailand’s 19th International Culinary Cup organized by the Thai Chefs Association (TCA).

Meet Jeong-woo Hyeon (Chris) from Korea. Enrolled at Stenden Rangsit University since Septem-ber 2012, Chris left Korea after quitting high school to decide to further his studies in Thailand. Happily living in Thailand for al-most 3 years now, Chris decided to study in Thailand because he wanted to have a new experience with different people and cultu-res. Moreover the fact that Thai-land is very famous for tourism and hospitality made Chris choo-se Stenden Rangsit as his choice of study.

Chris did not have a certain goal in his life until the day he met a very kind Chinese hotelier at a hotel he stayed in Beijing, China for his vacation. The services he experienced were amazing. She impressed and inspired him in a

way that made him want be of service to tourists to stay most comfortably in a foreign country and make their trip most memo-rable. Chris still cannot forget his trip to Beijing and the inspiratio-nal kind assistance.

Now, Chris’ goal is to be a general manager in one of the prestigious international hotels in the world. “Studying at Stenden Rangsit University gives me that great opportunity. When I graduate in 4 years time I will have a double degree which is internationally recognized and moreover will be quick of the mark in business with my PBL training. Stenden Univer-sity with campuses worldwide is known to many people around the world and I am happy to be part of that now.”

Chris was introduced to ‘Stenden Rangsit University’ by one of his mentors and after comparing se-veral options he knew that this is the best place for him to continue his education. He mostly enjoys the highly international setting with many students from diffe-rent countries and is already a big fan of PBL and Stenden’s Real World Learning principle.

Meet the Student

We have welcomed a new faculty member to Stenden Rangsit University (SRU). And rumor has it, he loves chocolate. Dennes Bergado Jr. started working for SRU back in early 2012 when he started part time work for the International Protocol and Diplomacy (IPAD) Minor to help check the accuracies and “suitability” of the blog articles.

Later, he went to assist as an internal client for the Events Management module and in additional IPAD PBL sessions. In September 2012, he joined the SRU family as a full-time module and 2nd year coordinator.Dennes spent most of his life in Asia especially in Thailand where he grew up with an international education and attended Ruamrudee International School. For his undergraduate education, he decided to pursue his coursework at Utah State University in the United States before returning to Thailand and graduating from Webster University in International Relations in 2006. He is currently balancing life between his work

at SRU, preparing for his wedding in November, and pursuing his Masters degree in International Relations at Webster University.

Why did you want to work at SRU?SRU presented a very different experience for me in my career in Education. I have had experience in Thai and American universities but never in a European university. In addition, I really enjoy the atmosphere at SRU and the faculty and staff members are very friendly. I also had previous part-time experience at SRU earlier in the year and it was very favorable. I knew I would be able to explore my potential and I am glad to be here.

Meet the Staff

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Travelling is the thing that we always do during the weekend to explore the fascinating Thai culture. In this weekend we were planning to visit Ko Samet, an island known for its white sandy beaches and its crystalline seawater. We had the choice to travel by bus, train or minivan. In this case, the bus was most convenient for us as we were only with 4 people. The buses are easy to travel with and you will even be provided with some drinks and snacks. We travelled from Bangkok bus station Ekkamai to the harbour in Ban Phe. There we took a speedboat which brought us to the island. Travelling like this was already an adventure in itself! It was dark (23:00) and there were high waves. We shared the boat with several people from different nationalities. There was an Australian man, Thai girls and a woman from India. We were dropped on the beach and we immediately got the holiday feeling. There were loads of beach bars and parties. All the twinkling lights and bouncing music gave us such a great tropical vibe. We met our friends, who were already there, and we had a couple of drinks. After that, we tried to explore the island. However, we found out that at night

there are not many transportation possibilities. We walked for a while and saw many different sides of the island. For example, the local Thais living on the island and but also the beautiful streets with stalls full of fresh food and drinks. The accommodation

for that night was on the beach. It was like a honeymoon suite, but much cheaper. The next morning we woke up early, so that we would not miss one second of the beautiful beach and the sunny weather. We had breakfast at another resort and after that went to the beach for the whole day. Swimming and enjoying the beach is

what we did until it got dark. We prepared ourselves for the evening and had dinner

at a nice restaurant on the beach. Later that evening we went out and enjoyed the beach

party. There were people decorating bodies with glow in the dark paint.

Sunday morning we went to the beach again and at around 15:00 we left the island. This time we took a normal ferry, which was cheaper but it also took longer to arrive on the mainland. Unfortunately, at the harbour two others and I had to wait a couple of hours because the bus was fully booked. There was no other possibility than to wait for the next bus. In Bangkok we took the taxi back home. It is the cheapest way when travelling long distances in Thailand. This weekend was in one word, fantastic!

3rd year student Sophie writes about a trip to the beachA weekend to remember

What are the things you enjoy?I really enjoy getting students to explore. To get out there and see things differently from what they have seen from before and then, most importantly, to appreciate the differences. That is why I enjoy watching the Grand Tour students experience Thailand for the first time. There are many things here that are special and unique and it is a privilege to be part of that experience.

What would you like to contribute to SRU?

(laughing) As much as I can, I guess. I like to look at it as me giving the same benefits and experience to SRU (as a place of education) as SRU gives to me. The more I learn about myself and my potential as a person, the more SRU can utilize that potential. It should always be a win-win situation.

Is there anything else you would like to add?I try to keep an open mind and perhaps, I am too talkative during lectures. Oh and also, I like chocolate.

Although warmly welcomed by the colleagues, Dennes is not yet used to the low temperatures

in the tutor‘s office (thanks to central airconditioning)

Stenden Rangsit University12th fl., Rattanakunakorn bldg.

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