Introduction and information guide for ITC students

Transcription

Introduction and information guide for ITC students
Introd&inform guide students'09:Brochures
11-08-2009
10:43
Pagina 1
International Institute for Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation
P.O. Box 6
7500 AA Enschede
The Netherlands
Introduction and
information guide for
ITC students
P: +31 (0)53 4874 444
F: +31 (0)53 4874 400
E: pr@itc.nl
I:
www.itc.nl
September 2009
INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR GEO-INFORMATION SCIENCE AND EARTH OBSERVATION
ITC 600 - 01092009
ITC
Internation
In
ntern tion
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Hotel
Hotel
Table of contents
INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR GEO-INFORMATION SCIENCE AND EARTH
OBSERVATION ITC........................................................................................................................1
What’s ITC all about? .......................................................................................1
Organisation ...................................................................................................1
Education at ITC..............................................................................................2
Research at ITC...............................................................................................2
ITC BUILDING .................................................................................................................................3
Opening hours ................................................................................................3
How to find your way around the building...........................................................3
Car park and bicycle shed.................................................................................4
Emergencies ...................................................................................................4
STUDENT REGISTRATION ..........................................................................................................5
Studying longer than three months in the Netherlands (MVV visa).........................5
Studying less than three months in the Netherlands (short stay visa) ....................6
STUDENT AFFAIRS ........................................................................................................................7
Student Affairs officers .....................................................................................7
Residence permits ...........................................................................................7
Citizen Service Number (BSN)...........................................................................8
Insurances .....................................................................................................8
International Student Identity Card ...................................................................9
Confidential advisor ....................................................................................... 10
Leaving ITC and the Netherlands ..................................................................... 10
STUDENT FACILITIES ................................................................................................................11
ITC smart card .............................................................................................. 11
Locker and mailbox........................................................................................ 11
Photocopy machines and public telephones....................................................... 11
Restaurant.................................................................................................... 12
Library ......................................................................................................... 12
Technical Support Services ............................................................................. 13
Computer facilities......................................................................................... 13
Alumni ......................................................................................................... 13
ITC INTERNATIONAL HOTEL (IIH)........................................................................................14
Rent ............................................................................................................ 14
Services and facilities..................................................................................... 14
FINANCIAL MATTERS ................................................................................................................16
Student Finance Administration ....................................................................... 16
Students in education programmes.................................................................. 16
Graduate students ......................................................................................... 17
Student Assistance Fund ................................................................................ 17
SETTLING IN AND SOCIALISING............................................................................................18
New environment .......................................................................................... 18
Association of ITC Students (SAB) ................................................................... 19
Social and sports activities.............................................................................. 19
Sports facilities and timetables........................................................................ 20
Cultural courses, seminars and workshops........................................................ 21
HEALTH CARE ..............................................................................................................................22
Health care in the Netherlands ........................................................................ 22
Medication .................................................................................................... 23
Dentist ......................................................................................................... 23
Psychologist.................................................................................................. 23
X-ray for Tuberculosis check ........................................................................... 24
Pregnancy .................................................................................................... 24
Vaccination ................................................................................................... 24
SHOPPING INFORMATION........................................................................................................27
Opening hours .............................................................................................. 27
Supermarkets ............................................................................................... 27
Market ......................................................................................................... 27
Department stores......................................................................................... 27
Specialty shops ............................................................................................. 27
Sales and discount......................................................................................... 28
Shopping bags and trolley .............................................................................. 28
Tax-free ....................................................................................................... 28
Forwarding freight and parcels home ............................................................... 28
FOOD ................................................................................................................................................29
Dutch food for daily cooking ........................................................................... 29
Restaurants and takeaways ............................................................................ 29
TRAVEL AND TRANSPORT .......................................................................................................30
The bicycle ................................................................................................... 30
Public transport ............................................................................................. 30
Car .............................................................................................................. 32
THE NETHERLANDS....................................................................................................................33
A small flat country........................................................................................ 33
Gateway to Europe ........................................................................................ 33
People.......................................................................................................... 34
Climate ........................................................................................................ 34
Summer and winter time ................................................................................ 34
Tourist information ........................................................................................ 34
ENSCHEDE......................................................................................................................................38
The history, the city and the people ................................................................. 38
Schools ........................................................................................................ 38
City Office .................................................................................................... 39
Leisure facilities ............................................................................................ 39
Tourist information ........................................................................................ 39
SOME HELPFUL DUTCH WORDS............................................................................................41
Introduction
Welcome to the Netherlands, to Enschede, and in particular to the International Institute
for Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation (ITC). We’re happy to have you here
with us in our international community ‒ a community made up of approximately 80
nationalities.
The purpose of this guide is to provide you with information that we hope will help you to
become acquainted with ITC and its facilities as quickly as possible. At the same time we’d
like to give you information about the Netherlands in general, and the city of Enschede and
its surroundings in particular.
The subjects touched on in this guide may answer some questions you had before you
arrived, or perhaps some questions that may arise while you’re settling down at the
Institute and into the student accommodation. We hope that your studies will be
challenging and rewarding, and we trust that the content of this Introduction Guide will
contribute to making your stay as pleasant and as exciting as possible. If you have any
further questions, please do not hesitate to ask.
Ir. Fred Paats
Head Education
INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR GEO-INFORMATION SCIENCE AND EARTH OBSERVATION ITC
International Institute for
Geo-Information Science and
Earth Observation ITC
99 Hengelosestraat, 7514 AE Enschede,
The Netherlands.
Mailing address:
P.O. Box 6,
7500 AA Enschede, The Netherlands.
Phone ITC Reception
General Fax
Education Affairs Fax
Internet
:+31 53 487 44 44
:+31 53 487 44 00
:+31 53 487 42 38
:www.itc.nl
©
Scientific departments
What’s ITC all about?
•
The International Institute for GeoInformation Science and Earth Observation
was established in 1950 and is usually
referred to as ITC because of its original
name, the International Training Centre for
Aerial Survey. Based in Enschede, in the
east of the Netherlands, it is the largest
institute of international higher education
in the country.
•
•
•
•
•
The aim of ITC's activities is the
international exchange of knowledge,
focusing on capacity building and
institutional development in developing
countries and emerging economies.
Department of Earth Observation
Science (EOS)
Department of Geo-Information
Processing (GIP)
Department of Urban and Regional
Planning and Geo-Information
Management (PGM)
Department of Natural Resources
(NRS)
Department of Water Resources (WRS)
Department of Earth Systems Analysis
(ESA)
The Institute fulfils its mission through
deploying its staff in three core processes:
research, education and project services.
As of 1 January 2010, ITC will be a faculty
(with special status) of the University of
Twente (UT). The merger will be
implemented in a way that preserves the
distinctive character and mission of ITC.
Knowledge field
Geo-information science and earth
observation consists of a combination of
tools and methods for the collection,
storage and processing of geospatial data,
and for the dissemination and use of these
data and of services based on these data.
Supervisory Board
The Supervisory Board is composed of
representatives from the four Dutch
partner universities (Delft University of
Technology, the Wageningen University
and Research Centre, the University of
Utrecht and the University of Twente) and
public and private professional
organisations.
Organisation
The Institute, headed by its rector, has
some 160 scientific staff of more than 25
nationalities in six scientific departments
that cover its knowledge field.
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INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR GEO-INFORMATION SCIENCE AND EARTH OBSERVATION ITC
Education at ITC
Accreditation Organization (NVAO).
Since its foundation, more than 19,000
students from over 170 countries have
completed courses at the Institute.
ITC offers a wide selection of degree,
diploma and certificate courses in the field
of Geo-information Science and Earth
Observation:
• AES: Applied Earth Sciences (MSc,
PGD)
• GEM: Environmental Modelling and
Management (MSc)
• GFM: Geoinformatics (MSc, Master,
PGD, Undergraduate diploma)
• GSIM: Governance and Spatial
Information Management (MSc)
• LA: Land Administration (MSc, PGD)
• NRM: Natural Resources Management
(MSc, Master, PGD)
• UPM: Urban Planning and Management
(MSc, PGD)
• WREM: Water Resources and Environmental Management (MSc, PGD).
Course director
ITC short and degree courses are
implemented under the guidance of a
course director, assisted by a course
secretary. An ITC study guide is available
for each course, describing course content,
objectives, procedures and regulations. A
weekly schedule of classes and practicals is
issued to you separately. If you have any
questions, please contact your course
director and/or course secretary
(coursesecretariat@itc.nl).
Research at ITC
Research leading to the award of the
degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) is
pursued through registration in the ITC
Graduate Programme. The research topic
of each PhD student constitutes a project
in one of the 15 research themes of the
ITC Research Programme. In this way the
PhD student benefits from membership of
a research team, as well as from receiving
expert supervision and attending researchsupporting advanced courses.
Duration of the courses
•
Master of Science(MSc) degree:
18 months
• Master degree: 12 months
• Postgraduate diploma(PGD): 9 months
• Undergraduate diploma: 9 months
• Certificate: 1 week to 3 months.
All courses are taught in English, and the
diplomas received are at least comparable
to the diplomas and courses with which
students are familiar in their home
countries. ITC’s degree programmes are
legally recognised in the Netherlands and
are accredited by the Netherlands Flemish
Course
AES
GEM
GFM
Course
Director
Drs. Tom Loran
Andre Kooiman
Gerrit Huurneman, MSc
GSIM
LA
NRM
UPM
WREM
Ir. Kees Bronsveld
Ir. Kees Bronsveld
Dr. Michael Weir
Monika Kuffer, MSc
Ir. Arno van Lieshout
Research leading to a PhD thesis at ITC
normally takes about 3½ years. The
doctoral degree is granted by the
University of Twente, or by one of the
other affiliated Dutch Universities (Utrecht,
Wageningen or Delft). The ITC Graduate
Programme also offers a limited possibility
of internships for PhD students registered
and graduating in an overseas university.
Secretary Graduate Programme:
Ms. Loes Colenbrander.
Course
Secretary
Ms. Anneke Nikijuluw
Ms. Monique Romarck
Ms. Donny Scholtenor for the Master degree
Ms. Laura Windig
Ms. Laura Windig
Ms. Jacqueline Mol
Ms. Ceciel Wolters
Ms. Laura Windig
Ms. Ceciel Wolters
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ITC BUILDING
ITC Building
Opening hours
The building is open:
Monday to Thursday : 7.30 - 22.30 hrs
Friday
: 7.30 - 21.00 hrs
Saturday
: 9.00 - 17.00 hrs
Important dates / public holidays
You can find the exact dates on the intranet pages; use the link 'Course calendar'.
1st January (building closed)
- New Year (Nieuwjaar)
- Good Friday and Easter Monday
(Goede Vrijdag en 2de Paasdag)
March/April (building closed)
- Queen's Birthday (Koninginnedag)
30th April (building closed)
- Liberation Day (Bevrijdingsdag)
5th May (building closed)
- Ascension Day (Hemelvaartsdag)
April/May (building closed)
- Friday after Ascension Day
April/May (building closed)
- Whit Monday (2de Pinksterdag)
May/June (building closed)
- St. Nicholas party (Sinterklaasfeest)
5th December
- ITC Dies
17th December (not a public holiday but the
birthday of Prof. Dr. Ir. Willem Schermerhorn,
founder of ITC)
25th and 26th December (building closed)
- Christmas Day and Boxing Day
(1ste Kerstdag en 2de Kerstdag)
How to find your way around the building
The lecture rooms, practical rooms, and offices have
an 'address' composed of floor number and room
number. For example, room 1-126 is on the first floor
and room 4-104 is on the fourth floor.
Use the Who is Who on the Internet for email addresses and
room numbers of ITC staff:
www.itc.nl/about_itc/whoiswho/default.asp
Student support services
Student registration officers
1-126, 1-128, 1-129
Student Affairs officers
1-120, 1-122, 1-124
Student financial administration officers
1-130
Educational support services (Technical)
4-126
Course secretariat UPM, LA, GSIM, GFM
2-105
3
ITC BUILDING
Course secretariat NRM, WREM, AES
4-105
Bookshop and Facility Management
service desk 0-006
Information Technology Department (IT)
helpdesk 1-004
Library
3-038
Other facilities
Restaurant and annex
ground floor
Meeting rooms
0-142, 0-146
Photocopy machines
ground floor and 3rd floor
Coffee and tea dispensers
ground floor, 2nd floor and 4th floor
Soft drinks and candy vending machines
ground floor and 3rd floor
Smoking room
ground floor
In the case of fire, you should act as
follows:
• smash the window of the fire alarm
• call the alarm number (ext. 260)
• use one of the emergency exits to
move to safety, helping the people
nearby to do the same.
Car park and bicycle shed
Location: behind the ITC building. Please
note that bicycles should be left in the
shed. Access to the car park and the
bicycle shed is via your smart card.
Emergencies
In some emergencies, it is necessary to
evacuate the whole or part of the building.
After the evacuation alarm goes off, the
Evacuation Service (identifiable by the
yellow jackets) gives instructions, which
everyone must follow in order to guarantee
a safe evacuation. In the event of
evacuation, do not use the elevator under
any circumstances!
In the case of emergency (e.g. leakage,
fire, accident, disturbance of the peace,
suspicious circumstances inside or around
the building), please dial the internal alarm
number (ext. 260) immediately. The
central reporting station will react to your
call and summon internal and/or external
assistance.
©
4
STUDENT REGISTRATION
Student Registration
Registration of newly arrived students will
take place in the auditorium on the official
registration mornings in the opening week
of the Academic Year.
international sponsor organisation, or when
the course fees have been fully paid in
advance by the candidate or his/her
employer.
When authorised by the Visa Department
in the Netherlands, the Dutch embassy
concerned will be instructed to issue the
MVV sticker for the passport. Please note
that a multiple-entry Schengen visa is
preferred, and you may have to remind the
issuing embassy officer of this
requirement.
The Dutch embassy will instruct you to
report within eight days of arrival in the
Netherlands to the GBA at the City Office
in Enschede. This will be arranged by ITC
Student Affairs. GBA stands for the
Gemeentelijke Basisadministratie
persoonsgegevens (GBA), or the Personal
Records Database of the municipality. The
GBA is a Dutch government administration
office in every city in the Netherlands
where all inhabitants of that city must be
registered. All students who are staying at
ITC for longer than three months must
register at GBA.
©
Students arriving after the official
registration mornings are requested to
apply to one of the student registration
officers on the first floor for assistance:
•
Ms. Adrie Scheggetman,
room 1-129
• Mr. André Klijnstra,
room 1-128
• Ms. Tina Tian (for short courses),
room 1-126.
There are no registration dates for
graduate students; on arrival graduate
students should report to Ms. Loes
Colenbrander, room 1-106.
Studying longer than three months
in the Netherlands (MVV visa)
Students studying for longer than three
months must have on arrival an MVV
(Machtiging tot Voorlopig Verblijf), which is
a temporary authorisation to stay in the
Netherlands and the document necessary
to apply for a residence permit.
The student registration officers apply for
the MVV at the Visa Department of the
Ministry of Justice in the Netherlands as
soon as the candidate has been awarded a
fellowship from the Netherlands Fellowship
Programmes (NFP) or from any other
©
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STUDENT REGISTRATION
Studying less than three months in
the Netherlands (short stay visa)
The Schengen countries are Austria,
Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece,
Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania,
Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia,
Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.
For those students studying less than three
months in the Netherlands, the registration
officer will apply for a multiple-entry
Schengen short stay visa via the Ministry
of Justice in the Netherlands.
Students or family members arriving in the
Netherlands with a short stay visa must
leave the Netherlands within the period of
90 days from the day of arrival for which
the visa is valid. It is impossible to extend
the validation period of a short stay visa,
and the Dutch government makes no
exceptions to this rule.
On receiving an ITC letter of admission,
the student will be instructed to go to the
Dutch embassy concerned to collect the
visa, as the application procedure will have
been set in motion by ITC.
Please note that a multiple-entry Schengen
visa is preferred, and you may have to
remind the issuing embassy officer of this
requirement. This type of visa is preferred
because it allows students to participate in
possible study excursions and personal
travel inside and outside the Schengen
territory.
©
6
STUDENT AFFAIRS
Student Affairs
Immigration and Naturalisation
Department (IND). This code of conduct
gives ITC a ‘short track’ in the visa
procedures to get her international
students to Enschede and provide them
with a Residence Permit for the
Netherlands within 3 months of arrival.
Student Affairs are the link between the
student/graduate and IND monitoring
procedures.
Student Affairs officers
Student Affairs provides ITC students with
information and advice on f.e.:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
settling in and studying at ITC and
living in Enschede and in the
Netherlands
general student administration,
including social and cultural issues,
consular affairs and emergencies at
home
residence procedures & issues
visa applications for fieldwork/or study
excursions, including emergency info
Dutch health care & specifically
healthcare information for ITC students
in Enschede
insurance policies and claim procedures
out-of-office-hours emergency/calamity
service.
Occasionally, a student may have a
particularly serious problem. Student
Affairs officers can help by listening and
advice you on where best to seek
assistance. Anything you tell them is
treated in the strictest confidence.
©
Students arriving with an MVV visa will
need to apply for a residence permit.
During the registration session, Student
Affairs officers will help students to
complete their application for their
residence permit. Passports will be
collected for registration purposes and will
be returned within a week. Student Affairs
monitor the further processing of their
application with IND.
This residence permit is valid for one year
only and for all Schengen countries (see
p. 6).
The Student Affairs officers are:
• Ms. Theresa van den Boogaard,
room 1-122 (tboogaard@itc.nl)
• Ms. Bettine Geerdink,
room 1-124 (bgeerdink@itc.nl)
• Ms. Marie-Chantal Metz,
room 1-120 (metz@itc.nl)
Students are welcome to visit their offices
between 10.00 and 13.00 hrs Monday to
Friday. A general email address to contact:
studentaffairs@itc.nl. Students can always
make an appointment with the officers
when opening-hours conflict with their
class schedule.
Extension of a residence permit is
necessary for students studying at ITC
longer than one year (e.g. 18-month MSc
courses). The extension of residence
permits will be handled and monitored
again by Student Affairs. Graduate
students are usually granted a residence
permit for the full duration of their studies.
Residence permits
ITC has signed an agreement/code of
conduct with the Ministry of Justice,
7
STUDENT AFFAIRS
Insurances
Do not travel without your passport and
residence permit. As a resident of the
Netherlands, you are obliged to carry a
form of identification at all times; your
passport or residence permit is sufficient
for this purpose.
Insurance while studying
All residents of the Netherlands, so this
includes ITC students, are obliged by
Dutch law to have a health insurance. An
Insurance to cover the costs of repatriation
and personal liability is strongly
recommended. For students receiving a
fellowship from the Netherlands
Government (NFP), the ITC fellowship
programme or international organisations
(except the European Union), a full
comprehensive insurance (ICS) is
arranged. This insurance includes in
general costs of health, personal liability,
luggage, household contents, emergency
assistance, accidental death and
dismemberment. The Insurance Certificate
will be sent to you by one of the
Registration Officers through email whilst
still in your home country, because you
need proof of insurance in the process of
getting a visa or MVV.
ITC uses the services of the insurance
company AON. For more information
please see: www.aonstudentinsurance.com.
When direct contact is necessary you can
send an email to students@aon.nl.
The insurance package is effective from
the day of departure until the day of arrival
in your home country. Therefore ITC
Registration Officers need to know your
exact travel dates.
The endorsement fee for the residence
permit (€ 188) will be charged to the
student via the Student Finance
Administration officers. Likewise, if an
extension is applicable, the fee for
extending the residence permit (€ 52) will
be charged to the student.
Please note that all correspondence with
the GBA and IND is via the Student Affairs
officers.
You will be informed when and where you
can collect your passport and residence
permit.
Citizen Service Number (BSN)
Students with sponsors like the EU, Alban
etc. have their own insurance organised by
their sponsor. Student Affairs would
appreciate a copy of the insurance policy to
be able to help students when necessary.
As part of your registration process within
6 weeks of arriving in the Netherlands
Student Affairs will arrange an
appointment at the City Office in Enschede
(Gemeente Enschede) to register you as a
citizen of Enschede. Once registered, you
will receive a citizen service number (BSN),
a unique personal ID number. Your BSN is
required if you wish to open a bank
account and will often be requested at the
hospital, schools etc. It is important to
make a note of your BSN as it will only be
issued once.
All other financed course participants are
strongly recommended to use the
insurance of AON Consulting: ICS
Complete.
Course participants from one of the
countries of the European Union should be
aware of the limitations of their own
insurance in combination with the
8
STUDENT AFFAIRS
European Health Card. They are strongly
recommended to use the insurance for
personal liability, luggage, household
contents, emergency assistance, accidental
death and dismemberment, which can be
arranged by ITC Student Affairs, and when
indicated, in combination with the health
insurance. For more information:
original papers like bills and medical
certificates, need to be send to the
insurance company. At
www.myaon.nl/students/en/html/3027aa.pdf
you can find the AON declaration form,
alternatively check the ITC intranet student
pages. Always make copies for your own
administration.
www.ec.europa.eu/social
Some organisations like health centres, the
pharmacy 'Centrum Apotheek' and the
hospital 'Medisch Spectrum Twente', have
made arrangements with the insurance
company AON and will send the bill directly
to AON Consulting, but only when you
inform these organisations about your
insurance policy. You will need to pay the
pharmacist in cash for non-reimbursable
(over-the-counter) medicine. Other
organisations like the Travel Health Clinic,
will send the bill to ITC, in case you consult
them as part of your educational
programme (fieldwork etc.).
For those ITC students staying longer than
three years in the Netherlands (PhD or
unpaid international researcher): please
check with Student Affairs or the NUFFIC
site www.nuffic.nl to be sure your current
insurance is still the right one.
Relatives and guests of course participants
are also obliged to have a health insurance
during their stay in the Netherlands. Extra
insurances are strongly recommended,
especially the personal liability and the
emergency assistance insurance (flight to
home-country in case of a life threatening
situation or death of a family member). A
deposit should be paid in advance, based
on the duration the family/guest plans to
stay. Check with ITC Student Affairs to
arrange this insurance for your guests.
For questions concerning insurance
policies, declarations, completing of claim
forms, Student Affairs can be contacted.
Please note that ITC is not responsible for
any costs that fall outside your insurance
policy.
What exactly is covered?
Most insurance companies have their own
conditions and limitations. Please, check
the eligibility requirements, terms and
conditions carefully. The insurance
companies are very strict in the
implementation of their policy.
Be aware: the regulations of the Insurance
companies are strict, see, for example, the
AON policy, chapter 4 'Extra cost
insurance' –always inform the insurance
company in case of admittance to a
hospital. In case of an emergency, and if
informing in advance is not possible,
inform the insurance company as soon as
possible.
©
International Student Identity Card
The International Student Identity Card
(ISIC) is an international accepted prove of
the status of being a student. It can give
you all kinds of discounts (restaurants,
accommodation, museums, transport,
Claims
A fully completed claim form, together with
9
STUDENT AFFAIRS
IND (one week before your departure
date) and to hand in your residence
permit.
international telephone-calls) in 106
countries, all over the world.
For more information: www.isic.org
It may be a requirement of your country to
have your ITC diploma or degree officially
legalised. Student Affairs can inform you of
the correct procedure via the Dutch
Ministries of Education and Foreign Affairs
and your embassy.
Confidential advisor
ITC is a unique community with people
from all over the world: many different
nationalities, many cultural backgrounds
and many traditions. At ITC we hope and
expect all members of this community to
respect each other individually and respect
the generally accepted code of conduct in
the Netherlands, particularly regarding
male-female relations.
A confidential advisor can assist students
who have experienced undesirable
behaviour (sexual harassment, aggression,
violence and discrimination) and nonacademic conflicts. The confidential advisor
is indepentent and will only act with the
student's permission.
There is the possibility ‒ only with the
student’s full agreement ‒ to lodge a
complaint about undesirable behaviour
with the ITC commission that deals with
such matters.
©
You may require an official letter of 'good
conduct' (verklaring omtrent goed gedrag)
before leaving the Netherlands. Again,
Student Affairs can inform you of the
procedure to obtain 'A Certificate of Good
Conduct' via the City Office or Ministry of
Justice. For more information:
Students can contact:
Mr. Rens Brinkman, room 1-139,
brinkman@itc.nl
or
Ms. Marion van Rinsum, room: 2-114,
rinsum@itc.nl.
http://english.justitie.nl
Leaving ITC and the Netherlands
Approximately six weeks before your
anticipated departure date, you will receive
information from Student Affairs
regarding:
•
•
•
where and when you can make a
reservation for your return flight
forwarding your excess luggage and
personal belongings via Worldwide
Baggage Services (WBS)
a clearance form that includes alumni
registration, and notification of
departure at the City Office and the
10
STUDENT FACILITIES
Student Facilities
will be given a private mailbox located on
the ground floor. Your mailbox number
should be added to any mail addressed to
you.
ITC smart card
On arrival you will receive an ITC smart
card. The initial 'upgrading' is € 25. The
card can be used in the ITC building for the
following:
•
•
•
•
•
Photocopy machines and public
telephones
entrance to the parking area and
bicycle shed
payment for copies on the photocopy
machines
registration in the library and the
bookshop
payment at the cash desk of the
restaurant
the coffee dispensers in the restaurant
and on the second and fourth floors,
and the candy and soft drinks vending
machines in the restaurant and on the
third floor.
Photocopy machines for student use are
located on the ground floor and on the
third floor. The smart card can be used to
make photocopies. For special printing
requirements, please contact the service
desk.
The building has one public telephone for
students and employees. You can pay with
a prepaid phone card (sold at the
reception). Bear in mind that the rates
charged for external phone calls made
from rooms at the ITC International Hotel
are higher than those charged at phone
booths. It is cheaper to use a telephone
card to call from a green KPN Telecom
phone booth or from the reception hall at
ITC (ground floor).
Revaluation of the card
Revaluation of the card can be done in the
so-called revaluation machine. This
machine, located near the restaurant,
allows you to credit the smart card with a
minimum amount of € 1. You can also use
your bank card to load your smart card.
Access codes
•
Loss or theft
•
Please note: If you lose your card, you lose
your money! On payment of € 10, you can
order a new card at the service desk in the
bookshop on the ground floor. We advise
you not to credit the card with more
money than you need for a few days in
case you lose it.
•
Locker and mailbox
The international access code in the
Netherlands is 00.
To call a country outside the
Netherlands, dial the access code 00,
then the country code, and then the
rest of the number, perhaps omitting
the first digit of the area code.
The country code for the Netherlands is
31, and the local code for Enschede is
053 (omit the 0 and dial 31 53, when
calling from a foreign country).
Telephone inquiries
A locker for the storage of personal items
during breaks, etc., is made available to all
students who do not have their own office
space. The lockers are located on the
various floors. Keys will be handed out at
the reception at the start of the course.
Students staying longer than one month
•
•
11
For telephone inquiries dial 1888 or
1850 (national); dial 09 00 8418
(international).
Internet address: www.detelefoongids.nl
(choose Internationaal to find country
codes).
STUDENT FACILITIES
Restaurant
bibliographical data on books, periodicals,
congress proceedings, reports, reference
books, theses, maps and audiovisual
materials (AVM), as well as full text
sources. The catalogue is accessible via
Internet: www.itc.nl/library.
On the ground floor at ITC, there is a
central restaurant where coffee, tea, milk
products, soft drinks, bread and fillings,
snacks, fruit, cakes and sweets, hot meals
and suchlike can be obtained. These meals
are to be consumed in the restaurant and
may not be taken to your own room.
The ITC library collects the complete
scientific output of the Institute and makes
this visible to the outside world. The library
also provides full access to many other
specialised data sources.
All ITC students are given a training on
information skills, while a training on
research skills is offered to MSc students.
Staff and students are supported in their
personal information management by the
software EndNote.
The web page 'Services to Alumni' gives an
overview of the possibilities for ITC alumni.
Distant students also receive support from
the library.
©
Monday to Friday:
10.15 - 10.45
coffee/tea break*
12.15 - 13.30
lunchtime: self-service
counter in the restaurant
is open
15.15 - 15.45
coffee/tea break.*
*Free coffee and tea in the restaurant and on
The ITC smart card is needed for
registering as a library user, as well as for
borrowing books and extending loan
periods.
the 2nd and 4th floors.
Library
The ITC library is a scientific library
specialising in remote sensing and GIS
(geographical information sciences). The
library is open to all students and staff and
supports the education and research at
ITC. Location: third floor, room 3-038
Opening hours:
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
8.30 - 17.00 hrs
8.30 - 21.00 hrs
8.30 - 21.00 hrs
Thursday
Friday
8.30 - 17.00 hrs
8.30 - 17.00 hrs.
Information about the collection can be
found in the ITC Library Catalogue: Adlib.
This automated catalogue contains
©
12
STUDENT FACILITIES
For information and help on using the
different information sources and taking
advantage of their possibilities, please
contact the library staff members at the
library information desk.
site is open to various institutional,
departmental, educational and student
information.
ITC Network
Regardless of where you are at ITC you
will have access to the Internet, data and
applications on the ITC computer servers.
The whole ITC building is equipped with a
wireless network.
University of Twente library
ITC students are welcome to use the
University of Twente library free of charge.
A free library card will be issued by the
University’s central library on presentation
of your ITC smart card. When registering,
you will receive a copy of the rules and
regulations with which you must comply.
ITC notebook programme
ITC course participants have the
opportunity to buy a state-of-the-art
notebook computer at a very competitive
price. The notebook comes with a threeyear international warranty plus accidental
damage insurance. If any software or
hardware problems are experienced during
the stay at ITC Enschede, the ITC
Notebook Service Centre will provide
assistance. More information about the
notebook programme is available on
Technical Support Services
Technical Support Services, staffed by the
technical assistants, Mr. Job Duim and
Mr. Benno Masselink, can be found in room
4-126. They offer technical services to staff
and students, for example:
•
•
•
•
providing fieldwork equipment
assistance with scanning
designing and producing posters
archives of aerial photographs and
maps.
http://intranet.itc.nl/support/it/nsc/default.aspx
Alumni
Over the course of time, ITC has built up
an extensive network of international
contacts, in which former students take a
prominent position. ITC assigns great
importance to updating the knowledge and
skills of its alumni and therefore regularly
organises refresher courses and special
short training programmes both in the
Netherlands and abroad. ITC also supports
its former students by providing access to
library services, the ITC newsletter, an
email address an ITC alumni LinkedIn
community and a range of other facilities.
©
Computer facilities
To stimulate and maintain contacts
between alumni, ITC assists in establishing
ITC alumni associations and organises
alumni gatherings in the various regions. If
you want to know more about the ITC
alumni associations, please contact the ITC
Alumni Office (alumni@itc.nl) or have a
look at the alumni website
www.itc.nl/alumni.
All students have full access to Internet,
including a personal lifelong email account.
Computers play an essential role in all ITC
education and research, and basic modules
are offered on computer skills. Computer
rooms are open to students during the
regular ITC opening times. ITC offers you
an intranet site on http://intranet.itc.nl; this
13
ITC INTERNATIONAL HOTEL (IIH)
ITC International Hotel (IIH)
The ITC International Hotel provides
accommodation facilities to ITC students.
It is located at Boulevard 1945-4, a
distance of 1 km from ITC.
113 single apartment units and is located
close to ITC. During your period of study,
you are obliged to stay at the ITC
International Hotel.
Postal address:
ITC International Hotel
Boulevard 1945-4
On checking in at the ITC International
Hotel, you will receive a card that opens
the entrance door to the building, the door
to your corridor, and the door to your own
room.
7511 AE Enschede
The Netherlands
Phone: 31 53 4803999
Fax: 31 53 4803997
Email address: hotel@itc.nl
Rent
The actual rent for a single room in the ITC
International Hotel for ITC students is
€ 13.25 a night. The rent has to be paid
one month in advance, with the first
payment being made on arrival. For
graduate students, co-funded by the ITC
Research Fund, this rent is paid direct to
IIH. Any other costs, such as telephone
charges and laundry expenses, are extra
costs to be settled directly at the hotel
reception.
Services and facilities
©
The 'ITC International Hotel ABC Guide'
familiarises you with the house rules,
services, facilities and safety instructions.
If this guide is not in your room or
apartment on arrival, you can get a copy
at the reception or you can check the
intranet pages of the Hotel were you can
find the latest version of the guide.
Cleaning services
All rooms and apartments are cleaned once
a week by the housekeeping staff. All
common kitchens are cleaned daily.
©
The ITC International Hotel has 302 single
rooms and 13 apartments. There are 22
communal kitchens (two on each floor)
that can be used by all residents. Another
55 two-room and three-room apartments
are available in the 'Stadsweide' apartment
building, but at times there is a waiting list
for these apartments. The apartment
building 'Plein van Arke' provides another
Linen services
Linen and towels are supplied to every
occupant once a week.
Reception
The reception is the central point of
contact between the student occupant and
14
ITC INTERNATIONAL HOTEL (IIH)
the hotel organisation. It operates like a
hotel reception desk and can be contacted
24 hours a day.
They take care of such things as:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
reservations and room changes
maintenance reports
complaints and requests
billing and collecting accommodation
invoices
connecting outside telephone calls
messages and information
sale of coins for operating the washing
and drying machines
sale of postage stamps and telephone
cards.
Launderette
You can use the laundry facilities on the
ground floor. At the reception you can buy
coins for the washing and drying
machines; detergent is included.
Telephones, fax and internet
The telephone in your room can be used
for internal calls. For local and international
calls a line can be opened after paying a
deposit. Fax facilities are available via the
hotel reception. Internet connection is
available in each room.
Guests
All guests and visitors of residents should
report to, or be announced at, the
reception on arrival. In accordance with
police instructions, guests and visitors
staying in the residential areas from 22.00
to 08.00 hrs must complete a registration
form at the reception.
Kitchens
There are two communal kitchens on each
floor (one in each wing). These kitchens
offer freezer facilities (one compartment
per room) and induction-cooking
equipment. Cutlery, crockery and cooking
utensils are not provided. Each room is
equipped with its own refrigerator.
Central alarm and fire safety
In Europe, in the case of emergency, dial
the central alarm number 112 to call for
first aid, the ambulance, the fire brigade or
the police. Lives can be saved!
Please read the safety leaflet in your room
and the information in the 'ABC Guide' to
familiarise yourself with the hotel fire
regulations.
15
FINANCIAL MATTERS
Financial Matters
€ 310. This amount will be deducted for
the obligatory lecture notes, handouts,
etc. that are to be obtained from the
bookshop (room 0-006).
Student Finance Administration
The desk (room 1-130) is open daily from
10.30 to 13.30 hrs.
Periodical allowances
Students in education programmes
•
Students sponsored by the
Netherlands Fellowship Programmes
The Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs
awards a number of fellowships annually
under the Netherlands Fellowship
Programmes (NFP), with the specific
intention of assisting students from
developing countries. You can find detailed
information on NFP fellowships at
www.nuffic.nl/nfp.
•
Students sponsored by NFP should refer to
the rules and regulations governing
fellowships in the Netherlands Fellowship
Programmes (edition September 2008).
Payment of lump sum allowances*
•
•
•
A personal allowance of € 275 is to
cover unexpected expenses on arriving
in the Netherlands: € 170 is paid
together with the first monthly
subsistence allowance, and € 105 with
the last subsistence allowance.
A travel allowance of € 68 is paid as a
lump sum together with the first
monthly subsistence allowance. The
travel allowance is based on the cost of
train travel (2nd class) from the NS
(Dutch Railways) railway station at
Amsterdam airport to the NS railway
station at Enschede, and the cost of a
train-taxi from Enschede station to the
ITC International Hotel, as well as the
return trip to the airport at the end of
the course. The travel allowance is a
contribution towards the costs
involved; it does not cover the costs in
full.
For degree course participants (12 and
18 months) the book allowance is
The monthly subsistence allowance is
€ 970 per full month and will be paid to
the student concerned in advance. The
monthly subsistence allowance is a
contribution towards the cost of living,
including accommodation. Costs that
are automatically deducted from the
monthly subsistence allowance, or are
invoiced, cover lodging expenses,
service expenses and private expenses.
For short course participants (up to 9
months), the personal allowance is € 17
a month, paid as a lump sum together
with the first subsistence allowance.
The book allowance is also € 17 a
month. This amount will be charged for
handouts and books, as well as € 34 for
service expenses.
A travel allowance of the real expenses
will be paid upon receipt.
The monthly subsistence allowance is
based on the real number of days the
course is lasting, including 3 days
before arrival and departure.
Students sponsored by organisations
other than the Netherlands Fellowship
Programmes
Students sponsored by other organisations
may receive their monthly allowances
directly, or through ITC if the sponsor has
made the transfer to ITC. If the sum has
been transferred to ITC, the initial
deductions applicable to NFP students
likewise apply and are automatically
deducted from the first payment. If extra
allowances (e.g. for fieldwork or study
excursions) are paid to ITC, Student
Finance Administration officers will ensure
that these amounts are credited
16
FINANCIAL MATTERS
accordingly.
If you receive monthly allowances directly
from the sponsor, you will be invoiced for
costs covering the service expenses, fee
for residence permit, travel insurance
certificate, fieldwork excursions.
•
•
•
Graduate students
Graduate students (excluding Aio's, who
have an employment contract, and coregistered PhD students based at a
Netherlands university) receive a minimum
monthly allowance whilst based in
Enschede of € 1,190 per month made up
as follows:
• cash allowance € 790 per month, paid
in advance
• rent allowance € 400 per month.
If the fellowship provider of the graduate
student award less than this minimum, the
graduate student (as part of the condition
of admission) will have been awarded cofunding by the ITC Research Fund, which is
applied first as rent allowance (part direct
to IIH, not transferable) then as health
insurance premium and finally as partial)
cash allowance.
Student Assistance Fund
It may happen that ITC course participants
run into financial problems for reasons
beyond their control (think of serious
illnesses, deaths or thefts). In case
insurances or the student’s employer do
not cover the costs of the claim(s), course
participants with serious financial problems
may apply for a financial contribution from
the ITC Student Assistance Fund. This
Fund operates completely independent of
ITC and financial problems should first be
discussed with an ITC Student Affairs and
Support officer. The board of the Fund
decides whether financial assistance will be
provided or not and, if so, in what way.
The decision will be based on the
regulations and statutes of the Fund.
Bank statements
The details of your debit/credit transfers,
as well as other transactions, are listed on
a bank statement, which is sent to you by
mail. Save the bank statements in a
portfolio so that you can use them as proof
of payment in the case of any argument.
For any questions about your bank account
and/or finances, please contact Student
Finance Administration (room 1-130; by
email: pierik@itc.nl or spaan@itc.nl or
sherpa@itc.nl).
Please note that the financial resources of
the Fund are rather limited. Usually, when
it has been decided to provide financial
assistance, it can only be to cover part of
the costs. Written applications for financial
support (with motivation and cost
specification) should be submitted to the
secretary of the Student Assistance Fund
(Corné van Elzakker, email:
elzakker@itc.nl). For more information:
Mastering euros
•
Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy,
Luxembourg, Portugal, Slovenia and
Spain).
One Euro is made up of 100 cents
(sometimes referred to as eurocents).
The most common paper bank notes
are €50, €20, €10 and €5.
The Euro coins are €2, €1, 50c, 20c,
10c, 5c, 2c and 1c.
The Euro (currency sign: €; banking
code: EUR) is the official currency of
the Netherlands together with other
European Union member states
(Austria, Belgium, Finland, France,
http://intranet.itc.nl/education/student%20infor
mation/StudentAssistanceFund.aspx
17
SETTLING IN AND SOCIALISING
Settling in and Socialising
Dutch appear cold, distant, punctual and
always in a hurry. And the relationships
between men and women may be more ‒
or less ‒ formal than you are used to.
New environment
Leaving home and travelling to live and
study in a new country is a challenging
experience that, although very exciting, is
not without stressful elements.
Even though it may be something you
have planned and prepared for, the extent
of the change and the effect it has on you
may take you by surprise. If so, it may be
helpful to know that your experience is
quite normal.
Most students who travel abroad have a
good time. They all make mistakes, see
the consequences, and learn the lessons
that come with such an experience.
©
What can you do yourself to keep
feeling OK?
•
'Culture shock' is the term that describes
the impact of moving from one culture to
another: dealing with a new environment,
meeting many new people from all over
the world, learning the ways of different
countries, being separated from family,
friends, and colleagues.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
©
Rules of behaviour
Every culture has unspoken rules on how
to behave and treat others. A multicultural
environment as found at ITC is unique and
hardly found anywhere else in the world,
but can be therefore also very complex.
Subtle differences may be difficult to grasp
and can contribute to that culture shock.
Social behaviour may confuse, surprise or
even offend you. You may find that the
•
•
•
18
Realise that having difficulty in coping
with this new situation is a normal
experience.
Keep in touch with home.
Wear clothes suitable for the weather;
buy an umbrella; do not wear coats
indoors.
Find a supplier of familiar food.
Eat a healthy balanced diet.
Share meals with others and take turns
in preparing the meals.
Use ITC’s restaurant.
Don't hesitate to ask people to explain
what they mean, or to repeat the
sentence slowly if you don’t
understand.
Make friends with fellow students: they
will understand what you are going
through (even if not from the same
culture, they will be having the same
experience).
Make friends with Dutch people: they
can tell you about the Dutch culture.
Join in sports activities: a good
opportunity to meet other people and
excellent for your physical and mental
health.
Join in cultural classes and activities
(e.g. the International Evening and the
SETTLING IN AND SOCIALISING
•
•
•
Graduate students have a separate
Graduate Association, which represents
their interests in the management of
research and organises social events for
graduate students. To contact SAB:
sab@itc.nl.
SAB excursions).
If you wish to join a religious society,
contact Student Affairs.
Take frequent short breaks to relax.
Above all, don’t isolate yourself but find
someone to talk to who will listen
uncritically and sympathetically.
It is important to stress that experiencing
culture shock is entirely normal, usually
unavoidable, and certainly not a sign you
have made a mistake or you won't be able
to manage. The experience can be a
significant learning curve, making you
more aware of your own personality and
your own culture, as well as aware of the
cultures you encounter. It will give you
valuable skills for your academic and
personal life.
Please, if you run into any problems you
cannot handle or do not understand, don’t
hesitate to contact ITC Student Affairs.
Schermerhorn Lounge
The Schermerhorn Lounge is located on
the first floor of the ITC International Hotel
and is managed by the SAB. In the lounge
you will find two pool/billiard tables, a
dartboard, mini soccer, and an audio set
and beamer/video facilities. Gatherings,
end-of-module parties and happy hours at
the bar are held here.
Association of ITC Students (SAB)
All ITC students are automatically
members of the Association of ITC
Students, which is represented by the
Student Association Board (SAB). Students
are invited to support the activities of this
voluntary body, which is set up to look
after their interests. The Board consists of:
• President
• Secretary
• Assistant Secretary (Communication
Commissioner)
• Academic Commissioner
• Finance Commissioner
• Gender Commissioner
• Residence Commissioner
• Social Commissioner
• Sports Commissioner.
The Board acts as an intermediary body
between the students and the
management. It organises many social
activities, discusses residence and financial
matters, etc.
You can find the SAB constitution on the
ITC intranet pages.
Social activities for female students and
female partners are organised by the
International Neighbour Group (ING), a
group of Dutch volunteers.
Social and sports activities
In cooperation with ITC Student Affairs,
the Student Association Board (SAB)
organises social and sports activities for
students, such as:
• day trips, for example, to Amsterdam
or once a year in Spring to the famous
Keukenhof Flower and Bulb Exposition
• the annual ITC International Social
Evening (in November), with students
from each country per-forming dance
and musical routines
• ITC participation in the Inter-national
Students Sports Day (in March), when
19
SETTLING IN AND SOCIALISING
•
•
•
•
Basketball, volleyball, badminton
students from the international
education institutes and universities in
the Netherlands compete against one
another
the annual ITC Spring Party in April
when we celebrate the New Season and
say goodbye to the Master of Science
Graduates
the annual ITC International Food
Festival in May when students from
each country present their culinary
culture
annually organised trips during long
weekends, abroad to the capitals of
Europe like Paris (December) & London
(Spring);
end-of-module parties.
For ITC students only:
Gym at Roessingh Medical Centre, 33
Roessinghsbleekweg
Sunday, 12.00 - 18.00 hrs
12.00 - 14.00 hrs
Volleyball
14.00 - 16.00 hrs
Basketball
16.00 - 18.00 hrs
Badminton
(key to collect at reception desk at the
main entrance of Roessingh Medical
Centre)
Fitness
ITC fitness-room (0-166)
http://intranet.itc.nl/recreation/fitness/
Monday:
12.30 - 13.30 hrs (Body Pump)
17.30 - 18.30 hrs (Fitness)
Tuesday:
12.30 - 13.30 hrs (Club Yoga)
17.00 - 18.00 hrs (Fitness)
Wednesday:
12.30 - 13.30 hrs (Fitness)
16.30 – 17.45 hrs (Run4Fun)
Thursday:
12.30 - 13.30 hrs (Club Power)
17.30 - 18.30 hrs (Fitness)
Friday:
12.30 - 13.30 hrs (Fitness)
Sports facilities and timetables
Run4Fun
The initiative to set up a running group at
ITC was taken in the early 1980s. By then
ITC had already participated several times
in the world-famous Batavierenrace. After
a short break in the ‘90s, the initiative was
revived and extended, and since 1998
ITC's Run4Fun group has successfully
participated in several recreational and
competitive running events. Many students
and staff share warm memories of these
events. The weekly training sessions are
the basis of this success. For information
about Run4Fun activities and the training
schedule, please visit:
Indoor soccer
Gym at Roessingh Medical Centre, 33
Roessinghsbleekweg
Soccer training for ITC students only:
Wednesday, 17.30 - 19.00 hrs (coach &
contact Javier Morales (jmorales@itc.nl)
Squash
Until 01-01-2010 ITC has rented a Squash
Track for ITC students only:
Squash Citadel, 75 Olympialaan
Tuesday, 19.00 - 20.00 hrs
Sunday, 15.00 - 16.00 hrs
(rackets and balls available)
http://intranet.itc.nl/recreation/run4fun
20
SETTLING IN AND SOCIALISING
From the 1st of January 2010 the Xtra-card
policy might change and by then you might
be offered an Xtra-card to use both sports
facilities (UT/Saxion) because by then ITC
will be a faculty of the UT.
The group’s objectives are:
• Guess what? To Run4Fun!
• To gather students and staff together
in a social setting outside the
classroom
• To improve physical and mental
stamina
• To participate in the annual
Batavierenrace, International Students
Sports Day and ITC's own Sports Day.
For more information you can contact:
Wan Bakx (room 2-003).
Cultural courses, seminars and
workshops
Vrijhof Cultural Centre of the University of
Twente, Saxion offers a number of cultural
courses, seminars and workshops in visual
arts, photography, ICT and audiovisualrelated subjects, performing arts,
languages and communication. These are
organised by professional agencies.
Xtra-card-holders who like to join one of
the courses, please contact the Vrijhof
Cultuurcentrum. With an Xtra-card the
price is €40 for a course. Without an
Xtra-card the price is €60. For more
information, please check the autumn and
spring course brochures or see
www.studentunion.utwente.nl/culture
For information about the Xtra-card and
the cultural courses, you can contact
Student Affairs.
Xtra-card
Until 1st of January 2010: You can make
use of the sport facilities of the University
Twente and the Saxion Hogeschool. You
need to buy an 'Xtra-card'. For €60 it is
possible to buy either an Xtra-card at the
office of 'Sport & Cultuur' in the main hall
of the Saxion Hogeschool and use the
sport-facilities at Saxion only or buy an
Xtra-card at the University Twente in the
office of the Student Union, Bastille, room
332; Drienerlolaan 5 and use facilities at
the UT campus only.
ESN
Students of ITC can join some of the
activities of the Erasmus Students Network
Twente (ESN/UT). For more information
see www.esntwente.nl
Please note: ITC students with an
Xtra-card can only make use of the
facilities of one of the institutes. In case
you want to make use of the facilities of
both institutes you need to buy both
Xtra-cards.
For more information:
www.studentunion.utwente.nl/sports
21
HEALTH CARE
Health Care
and the address of the Medical Centre
Veldpoort. Whenever you need medical
support, take along this info-card together
with your insurance policy certificate.
Health care in the Netherlands
In general the Dutch premise is that they
are personally responsible for their own
health and for their own well-being. They
think people need to take their own
responsibility to prevent illness, of course
within the boundary of what National
Healthcare offers and indicates.
Appointing a GP for the duration of your
study will allow your GP to gain a good
impression of your complaints or calls for
help, and develop a confidential
relationship. To consult your GP is by
appointment only.
Healthcare is very culturally bound. Within
the Dutch system you may face situations
completely different from that which you
are used to in your own country. Especially
when feeling unwell and ill, these cultural
differences might take you by surprise. But
do not worry, you will always find and get
the health care you need. It is only
organised differently to how you might be
used to.
Making your first appointment to see a
GP
•
•
The Dutch health system is organised
around the general practitioner (GP) in
dutch : huisarts=homedoctor. Everyone is
registered with his/her own huisarts and
he/she is the first person you should go to
when you have a medical problem.
ITC has made special arrangements for her
international students with the Medical
Centre Veldpoort. The Medical Centre
Veldpoort is ideally located: very close to
the ITC hotel and the MST hospital. A
number of GPs are working in this 'up to
date' Medical Centre and are experienced
with international students.
You need to send an email to:
itcstudents@gcveldpoort.nl. In this
email you need to quote your full
name, nationality, gender, your ITC
Student ID and your insurance policy
number.
You will then receive an appointment
through email and the name of your
GP. You’ll be asked to be 10 minutes in
advance of your appointment at the
Healthcare Centre Veldpoort to
exchange information with the
receptionist. This kind of arrangement
offers you the best possible care.
Making an appointment to see your
own GP
Check the name of your GP on your ITC
health information card to find the telephone number.
• The best time to make an appointment
with the GP’s of Health Centre
Veldpoort is either to call between 8.00
and 10.00 hrs in the morning. The
receptionist (skilled in medical issues)
will ask you some questions.
• In emergency cases outside opening
hours of the Health Centre Veldpoort
you can contact the HDTP-O
Emergency post tel: 088-5551188. This
service is intended only for emergency
situations which cannot wait for the
When you make your first appointment
you will be appointed a GP within the
Medical Centre Veldpoort for the duration
of your study at ITC.
After your first appointment you can than
contact your GP directly by phone. On your
first visit the name of the GP will be put by
the receptionist of the Medical Centre
Veldpoort on a small ITC Healthcare
Information Card with the phone numbers
22
HEALTH CARE
•
next day with your own GP.
If your GP is on holiday and
postponement is not an option, you can
contact the general reception of Health
Care Centre Veldpoort and make an
appointment with a replacement GP.
prescribed medication to the insurance
company.
Pharmacies
The pharmacy of the Veldpoort Health
Centre can be used by ITC students. For
more information, see www.veldpoort.nl
Centrum Apotheek is open day and night.
They are in fax contact with GPs and the
hospital.
Your GP can decide to refer you to a
specialist or other health care official.
For example a:
• medical specialist at the hospital
• physiotherapist
• dietician
• nurse practitioner
• nurse specialist
• psychologist
• dentist.
If you wish to have treatment, medication,
etc., that does not fall within the terms of
the insurance policy, you can try to make
arrangements with the company
concerned. ITC will not pay bills that are
not covered by the insurance.
Always take your ITC Healthcare
Information Card and your insurance
certificate when you visit your GP, a health
centre or hospital. Make sure the name on
the insurance paper is the same as the
name in your passport.
Dentist
Emergency
www.students-
Naturally, you can go directly to the
hospital First Aid Department in case of
emergency. In this situation, you can also
call the national alarm number 112.
However, there is a penalty for improper
use of this number.
insurance.eu/studenten/international/home.
Dental care for people over the age of 19 is
covered by the insurance up to a certain
amount and only in the case of an
emergency. Please check the insurance
policy:
The following dentists regularly treat ITC
students: Dr. Besseler, Dr. Boshagen,
Dr. Herzig.
Making an appointment
•
Medication
•
Not all examinations, treatments or
medications/drugs, are covered by the
insurance. For example:
• medications for which a prescription is
not necessary and are sold over the
counter have to be paid for privately
like i.e. paracetamol
• most medications only obtained on
prescription from your GP or specialist
are covered by the insurance.
For more information on insurance matters
see page 8.
If you take your ITC Health Information
Card or insurance certificate with you, the
pharmacy will forward the bill for
Call between 08.00 and 12.00 hrs to
make an appointment.
If these dentists cannot treat you, or in
the case of a dental emergency in the
evening or at the weekend, you can
contact the dental service in Hengelo
(see address list on page 25).
They can tell you which dentist in
Enschede is on duty. They prefer you to
pay cash. Usually the costs remain
under € 75.
Psychologist
A psychologist at the University Twente
can be consulted only on referral by your
GP.
23
HEALTH CARE
expense, an insect repellent, bed net and
medication against diarrhoea. The THC
also provides a first aid kit.
If you can't attend your appointment, GP,
hospital, specialist or dentist you must
cancel at least 24 hours in advance. Noshow will cost you personally around € 20.
Neither the insurance company nor ITC will
reimburse these expenses.
The THC can be reached by phone 24
hours a day and they react to emails within
24 hours. They are in contact with
hospitals and medical staff abroad. The
THC address and phone number will be
given by Student Affairs to those whose
fieldwork destination is outside Europe.
X-ray for Tuberculosis check
By law, some nationals from outside the
Netherlands need to have a lung X-ray
every six months during the first two years
of their stay in the Netherlands. This
examination will be carried out by the GGD
(Municipal Occupational Health Centre).
• The GGD will send a completed form to
the IND. This procedure is part of the
application for obtaining a residence
permit. The form will be given to you at
ITC by Student Affairs.
• You will only be informed if the X-ray
result is not satisfactory.
The reason for these X-rays is to check for
tuberculosis, a highly infectious disease
that can be treated by medication. It can
take some time before an infection shows
up. For the check the dosage of radiation is
very low and not harmful to health.
For further information on travel and
tropical diseases, please visit:
www.who.int/ith/
Pregnancy
In the case of pregnancy, please contact a
midwife in or before week 10 of the
pregnancy. The costs for the midwife and
prenatal care will be covered by the
insurance company up to the maximum
amount of € 2,000 (see the insurance
policy).
Vaccination
The Travel Health Clinic (THC) provides:
• vaccinations
• malaria prophylaxis
• general health information.
All this will take place a couple of weeks
before departure for fieldwork. You will
receive an invitation if your fieldwork
destination is outside Europe. There is also
an opportunity to buy, at your own
24
HEALTH CARE
Important addresses
Pharmacy
National alarm number: 112
Centrum Apotheek
Beltstraat 43A
Phone: 053 4314664 Fax: 053 4317619
General medical service
Health Centre Veldpoort
Nassaustraat 20
Insurance
Phone: 053 4324207
ACE European Group Limited
www.veldpoort.nl
Avenue des Nerviens 9-31
itcstudents@gcveldpoort.nl
(email address for 1st appointment only)
1040 Bruxelles, Belgium
Your General Practitioner:
mundus/insurance_en.html
www.ec.europa.eu/education/programmes/
Dr. Van Holten
AllianzWorldwide Care Limited
Phone: 053 4316565
client.services@allianzworldwidecare
Dr. Van Gerwen & Dr. Bonnema
www.allianzworldwidecare.com
Phone: 053 4322687
Dr. Waaijer & Dr. Soeteman
AON
Phone: 053 4315735
P.O. Box 1005, 3000 BA Rotterdam
students@aon.nl
Your Physiotherapist:
www.aonstudentinsurance.com
Mr. Leo Visser
Phone: 053 4305130
IPS
P.O.Box 30706
Your Pharmacy:
2500 GS The Haque
Mr. Westenberg & Mr. Kok, Pharmacists
info@lippmann.nl
Phone: 053 4347855
www.ace-ips-nl.com/en/inbound.asp
HDT-O-Emergency Post
Only during weekend, evening or night
At MST Hospital, Haaksbergerstraat 55
GGD-Occupational Health Centre
Phone: 088 5551188
GGD Regio Twente
www.hdt-oost.nl
Nijverheidstraat 30
7511 JM Enschede
Phone: 053 4876888
Dental care
GGD-TBC department
(you are insured only in case of emergency)
tbc.ggd@regiotwente.nl
Dr. Besseler (Dentist)
Phone: 053 4876980
Gezondheidscentrum Oosterpoort
GGD-Infectieziektebestrijding (Infectious diseases)
Oosterstraat 2-25, 3rd floor, Phone: 053 4323165
Phone: 053 4876868
GGD-Reizigersadvisering (Travel advice)
Dr. Boshagen en Dr. Herzig (Dentists)
Phone: 0900 4893893
Beltstraat 76, Phone: 053 4358478
GGD-Jeugdgezondheidszorg (Youth health)
Dental emergency post
Phone: 053 4876930
Only during weekend, evening or night
Phone: 0900 1282632
25
HEALTH CARE
Hospital
Hospital Medisch SpectrumTwente
Ariensplein 1 and Haaksbergerstraat 55
Phone: 053 4872000
www.mstwente.nl
Mental health
Psychologists, University of Twente
Drienerlolaan 5
Bastille Building, Room 207
7522 NB Enschede
Phone: 053 4892035
http://intoffice.utwente.nl/internationalstudents
/practical_information/
Perinatal care
Kraamzorg (perinatal care)
Phone: 074 3677666 Fax: 074 3677617
Midwife Practice 'liberis libenter'
Van Deinselaan 18
Phone: 053 4318948 Fax: 053 4367533
Under-fives Clinic
Ouder- en kindzorg / Thuiszorg
Boulevard 1945 no 460
admokz@teh.nl Phone: 053 4881250
Kraamzorgwinkel Enschede
Haaksbergerstraat 338
75 EJ Enschede
Phone: 0800 4880000
www.vvt-thuiszorg-kraamzorg.nl
Travel health
Travel Health Clinic
Oosterstraat 2, 7514 DZ Enschede
Phone: 0900 2904900
info@thci.nl
www.thci.nl
GGD-Reizigersadvisering (Travel advice)
Phone: 0900 4893893
26
SHOPPING INFORMATION
Shopping Information
Opening hours
Shops are open:
Monday
13.00 – 18.00 hrs (supermarkets 8.00 – 20.00 hrs)
Tuesday to Friday
09.00 – 18.00 hrs (supermarkets 8.00 – 20.00 hrs)
Thursday
09.00 – 21.00 hrs (shops in the city centre)
Saturday
09.00 – 17.00 hrs (supermarkets 8.00 – 18.00 hrs)
Sunday
Shops are generally closed, every 1st Sunday of the month shops are
open.
Supermarkets
Department stores
Aldi supermarket is close to the ITC
International Hotel at 202 Haaksbergerstraat; Plus supermarket is in the
Zuidmolen shopping centre at 94 Van
Loenshof, opposite the Eden Dish Hotel;
Super De Boer supermarket is at
56 Schuttersveld, not far from the ITC
building.
The national chains are Vroom &
Dreesman, Hema and Bijenkorf. V&D has
more departments and a larger selection,
but is slightly more expensive than Hema.
Bijenkorf has the reputation for being the
most fashionable and most expensive.
Specialty shops
Other national chains specialise in
particular sectors. Prices in chain stores
tend to be lower than those of their local
competitors.
Market
There is an open market in Enschede every
Tuesday (8.00 - 17.00 hrs) and Saturday
(8.00 - 17.00 hrs), in front of the Vroom &
Dreesman (V&D) department store. Some
things may be cheaper there, others may
cost more than they would in a
supermarket or department store ‒ and the
quality may not be as good. Bargaining is
not possible when prices are displayed.
The best prices can be obtained late on
Tuesday and Saturday, when traders try to
sell the last of their remaining stock. Bear
in mind that you can't choose the fruit or
vegetables; the trader does this. You
should check that the quality is acceptable
before paying. The best way to find the
best prices is simply to shop-around.
•
•
Apart from the approved market area, it is
not customary to sell things in the street in
the Netherlands.
•
•
27
Household goods: Blokker, Xenos
Drugstores selling cosmetics, toiletries,
and health-care products: Kruidvat,
Etos
Electronics: Mediamarkt, BCC, It's
Bicycles and repair kits: Halfords,
Profile.
SHOPPING INFORMATION
Sales and discount
form from the shop, which you should
have stamped by the Dutch customs on
leaving the Netherlands.
If you see opheffings uitverkoop (sale) on
shop fronts, and reclame (on offer) or
korting (discount) in supermarkets, this
means there are special offers and price
reductions available on various items.
If you are intending to buy certain things
to take back to your own country, don’t
forget to take the cost of transport into
account. This could mean either postage,
shipping costs, or excess weight charges at
the airport.
Bargaining is not customary in the
Netherlands. With very few exceptions,
you are expected to pay the marked price.
Forwarding freight and parcels
home
The post office
The post office (postkantoor) is at
Boulevard 1945 326, near the ITC
International Hotel. Here, among other
things, you can obtain information on
postal rates and can purchase stamps.
Stamps can also be purchased at the
reception desk of the ITC International
Hotel.
Shopping bags and trolley
When shopping, remember to take a
shopping bag with you. In supermarkets
too, you must pack your own groceries.
The supermarket provides plastic shopping
bags, but they are not free. Also remember
to use the shopping trolley or basket
provided in the supermarket. You must pay
€ 0.50 deposit on the trolley, which is
returned when you return the trolley. If
you do not use a trolley or basket, shop
assistants and cashiers are entitled to
check your bag for shoplifting. You are not
allowed to take a shopping trolley or
basket home.
Your mail ‒ priority mail too ‒ should go
into the TNT orange mail collection boxes.
If you plan to send a parcel, it might be
wise to go to the post office first to ask
about the possibilities.
Forwarding private parcels and
luggage
If you have a lot of things to send home,
you may wish an air-freight agency to
collect, pack and deliver the goods. You
could use the services of the Worldwide
Baggage Services in Amsterdam. For more
information:
www.baggage.nl
Tax-free
Look out for the 'tax-free for tourists' logo
on shop fronts.
This means that if you spend more than
€ 150 on one bill in that shop, you are
entitled to reclaim the VAT (value-addedtax; in Dutch btw) paid on that item. You
must export your purchase within three
month of the purchase date. You get a
28
FOOD
Food
costs less than eating out. Dutch
convenience foods include friet or frites,
also called patat frites (French fries), eaten
with fried fish (fish and chips) or a meat
snack called kroket. Supermarkets sell
instant meals of all sorts and sizes to suit
different tastes and different pockets.
Dutch food for daily cooking
Breakfast generally consists of tea and
sliced bread, which is eaten with cheese,
thinly sliced cold meat, or jam. Lunch is
much the same, with the possible addition
of soup, salad or fruit; and for the evening
meal potatoes and other vegetables,
together with meat or fish. Vegetables
especially are plentiful, of high quality, and
quite cheap if you buy those in season.
What is not grown domestically is available
through the Common Market.
Tip: If you are invited for coffee at around
11 o’clock in the morning or after 8 o’clock
in the evening, you will not get a meal.
Likewise, an invitation to tea around 3 or 4
o’clock in the afternoon will not include
dinner.
Restaurants and takeaways
The number and variety of restaurants and
takeaways are growing all the time. In
addition to the popular ChineseIndonesian, Hongkong-Chinese and
Singapore-Chinese restaurants and
takeaways, there are many relatively
inexpensive grill-rooms, pizzerias and pizza
express services, serving Italian pizza,
Turkish shoarma (broodje shoarma, a
Mediterranean meat sandwich) and various
Greek dishes.
You can pay anything from € 6 to € 10 for
a meal from a takeaway/pizza express or
in a restaurant/pizzeria. Dinner (main
course only) in a Chinese restaurant or an
Italian pizzeria, for example, will cost
between € 10 and € 20, excluding drinks.
A simple Dutch main dish in an 'eating pub'
(eetcafé) or bistro will cost approximately
€ 20, excluding drinks. Chinese takeaways
are less expensive.
Plenty of other food is available as well.
Dutch tastes are becoming increasingly
international: rice and pasta dishes are
now almost standard fare in most Dutch
homes. You will find imported tropical food,
vegetables and fruit sold in many shops,
and tropical ingredients can be found at
the special Indonesian grocery shop called
a toko. In the larger cities, there are
butchers, who work (slaughter) according
to religious rituals (Islamic, Hindu and
Jewish) and shops selling food products
from Turkey, Morocco and Surinam.
Typical Dutch dishes include Erwtensoep,
the famous Dutch pea soup served in
winter;
Hollandse Nieuwe, fresh salted herring,
eaten on the spot ‒ or at the ITC herring
party in June;
Stamppot, generally a steamed pot of
potatoes, vegetables and meat or sausage.
Convenience foods are increasingly
available. Some of this can be rather
unhealthy, but it does save time and it also
29
TRAVEL AND TRANSPORT
Travel and Transport
If you are cycling in the dark, your bicycle
must have front and rear lights and a red
reflector.
The bicycle
Cycling is the cheapest and most popular
mode of transport in the Netherlands. It is
especially useful for short distances and
getting around the city. There are many
shops in Enschede selling both new and
second-hand bicycles. It is best to buy an
inexpensive second-hand bicycle, as a new
expensive-looking bicycle may get stolen.
The Enschede railway station, like most
Dutch railway stations, has bicycle parking
facilities (rijwielstalling), another parking
facility you can find in the centre
(rijwielstalling de Graaf, Brammelerstraat)
Public transport
Almost any place, village or town in the
Netherlands can be reached by a
combination of tram, bus and train. If you
have any questions, there are information
desks for buses and trams and ticket
offices for trains at almost every Dutch
railway station.
The trains operated by the Dutch Railways
(NS) run frequently and almost always on
schedule. The same goes for buses and
trams (electrically driven streetcars in
Amsterdam, Rotterdam and The Hague).
Tip: If a stranger offers to sell you a
bicycle for less than € 25, don't buy it. It's
probably stolen, and you too will be
breaking the law if you accept it.
Trains
You can buy return tickets for train
journeys, but remember that the return
journey has to take place on the same day.
If you are not travelling both ways on the
same day, you must buy two single tickets.
If you plan to travel around the
Netherlands regularly by train while you
are here, it would be advisable to inquire
about any special discount arrangements
available.
For information: www.ns.nl. Here you can
find information on (additional) services,
ticket offers, booking, payment methods,
seat reservations, on-board service and
travel in general, as well as some useful
addresses.
Traffic regulations for cyclists
Taxi
As a cyclist, you too must obey the rules of
the road, and should keep to the cycle
lanes. As a rule, cars turning across your
path are supposed to stop for you, but it is
wise to watch out. You should signal with
your arm if you are planning to turn, and
you should yield to traffic coming from the
right.
All regular Dutch taxis use meters, and all
charge roughly the same rates. When you
start, the meter will already show a
balance of several euros. This ensures the
driver of a minimum fare. Only for very
long distances it is sometimes possible to
negotiate a fare, otherwise you pay the
amount indicated on the meter. It is
30
TRAVEL AND TRANSPORT
The central bus terminus in Enschede is
opposite the railway station. Bus
timetables can be obtained from the bus
information desk (near the bus terminus).
Buses usually run every half hour to all
parts of the city, and at least once an hour
to outlying towns and villages.
customary to give taxi drivers a tip, which
usually means rounding up the fare.
All major railway stations have a taxi
stand. Hotels and restaurants are always
happy to call a taxi for you if you ask.
You cannot hail taxis on the street in the
Netherlands as you can in many parts of
the world. You must either telephone or go
to a taxi stand where taxis wait.
Traintaxi
When visiting one of the larger cities in the
Netherlands by train, you can buy a
traintaxi ticket at the railway station. This
taxi takes people to destinations within the
city limits at a fixed fee. Bear in mind that
there may be more passengers in the taxi;
taxi drivers wait for about ten minutes for
any other passengers going in the same
direction. The traintaxi stand can be
recognised easily. It is separately located
from the normal taxi stand and is designed
in blue and yellow (the colors of the
Netherlands Railways). You can buy traintaxi tickets at the railway station. One trip
costs € 4.60 for one person, no matter
where you are going within the local area.
If you want to be picked up from your
residence to go to the railway station, you
should reserve the train-taxi half an hour
before departure (call 0900 873 46 82,
€ 0.35 per minute).
Where do you get the ticket stamped?
On the buses you can always have the
ticket stamped by the driver. You can also
use one of the stamp machines next to the
entry doors. You use these as follows. First
count the number of zones you will travel
through ‒ let's say the number is two ‒
then add one strip to this number. So, in
total, you will use three strips. Then fold
the ticket at the bottom of the second strip
and place it in the machine face up. The
machine will then stamp the third strip.
Bus
How long is it valid? How much time is
allowed between changes?
The key to the Dutch public transportation
network is the multi-journey ticket
('strippenkaart'), valid througout the
country on all buses, trams and subways.
Tickers are valid for a number of travel
zones and for a specific time, based on the
number of zones that is crossed. Unlimited
travel and changes with each zone during
a certain period of time (specified on the
back of the card). It is cheaper to buy
tickets at a post office or railway station
than it is to buy them on the bus, tram, or
metro.
Within the number of zones for which you
have paid, you can change an unlimited
number of times within a certain period.
The validity periods for a journey are as
follows:
• 1 hour for a journey within 1, 2 or
3 zones
• 1½ hours for a journey within 4, 5 or 6
zones.
If you don't manage to keep within the
time limit, you must stamp the card again
for the zones you still have to travel
31
TRAVEL AND TRANSPORT
order before taking ownership. At the post
office, application forms are available for
the following documents:
through, or have it stamped by the driver.
In this case too, one extra strip must be
added to the number of zones.
•
registration licence parts I and II
('kenteken deel I, II')
• personal liability insurance ('W.A.verzekering')
• ownership papers ('vrijwaringsbewijs').
You are also advised to buy a car with a
'BOVAG-garantie' (a guarantee given by a
Dutch association for motor-vehicle dealers
and repairs). It is now compulsory for cars
older than four years to be examined for
road safety ('APK-keuring').
Travel passes
If the car is regularly checked at the
garage, this inspection is included in
normal maintenance. If not, students must
have the car checked every year in order
to receive the special 'APK' certificate and
a sticker on the number plate. The test
costs approximately € 45,- not including
the necessary repairs.
If you travel a great deal, it will be cheaper
to buy a weekly or monthly travel pass for
one or more zones. These can be bought
at every post office (postkantoor), the bus
information desk or other advanced sales
offices ‒ but not from the railway stations.
You will need to show a passport or driving
licence. Take a passport photo with you
and ask for the cheapest type of travel
pass. There are also various travel passes
for train travel. Please inquire at the ticket
office in the railway station.
Car
Whether or not you need a Dutch driving
licence depends on where your current
driving licence was issued. Nationals of
some countries can simply use their
original driving licence. In some cases an
international driving licence is required.
Your embassy can give you more
information about the specific cases where
an international driving licence is required.
You can also check the national traffic
authority website www.rdw.nl.
For more information about traffic,
transportation, and traffic regulations:
www.holland.com/global
Buying a car
If you decide to buy a used car in the
Netherlands, all documents need to be in
32
THE NETHERLANDS
The Netherlands
transport canals for barge traffic to the
narrow drainage ditches that cross the
fields where the five million cows graze.
Some 16 million people live in an area of
less than 40,000 square kilometres. This
means an average density of 440 people
per square kilometre. Land is a precious
commodity in the Netherlands: much of
the land area had to be painstakingly
reclaimed from the sea, or converted from
swamp. The Dutch are world leaders when
it comes to controlling water, and the
struggle to tame the forces of water forms
a large part of their history.
A small flat country
On a world map, the Netherlands looks
very small indeed. You can drive the
greatest distance, from north to south, in
around four hours. To the east the
The Netherlands has a constitutional
monarchy, with a democratic
parliamentary system composed of the
Upper House (Eerste Kamer) and the
Lower House (Tweede Kamer), together
forming the Dutch Parliament. The Head of
State is Queen Beatrix, and the seat of
government is The Hague (Den Haag or 'sGravenhage) ‒ although Amsterdam is the
capital of the country.
Netherlands borders Germany, to the
south Belgium, and to the north and west
lies the North Sea.
The formal name of the country is 'The
Netherlands', which means 'the low
countries', referring to the fact that the
land is at or below sea level. 'Holland' is in
fact the name of the western part of the
country, currently the two most heavily
populated of the 12 provinces. Purists
insist that the only proper name of the
country is 'The Netherlands', but 'Holland'
is used in informal situations, and in
international trade, since this name is
more identifiable when adapted to other
languages.
Gateway to Europe
The Netherlands is at the centre of a
complete transportation network,
comprising air, sea, river, road and rail
On arrival you will be struck by certain
features of the landscape. To start with,
the Netherlands is very, very flat. There
are a few hills in the south-eastern corner
of the country, but they disturb the flat
horizon only slightly. This means there are
no obstacles to the wind, which is an
almost constant feature.
Another thing you will notice is the water
everywhere ‒ lakes, rivers, canals and
ditches of all sizes, ranging from the large
33
THE NETHERLANDS
in every season. This is typical of the
marine climate you would expect in the
Netherlands after looking at a map and
seeing the North Sea on its doorstep.
However, the Dutch climate is not that
predictable.
links extending in all directions. Rotterdam
is the world's largest port and millions of
tons of cargo are loaded and unloaded
there everyday. Schiphol International
Airport is the fourth largest passenger and
cargo airport in Europe. The Netherlands
accounts for 53% of the river transport on
the Rhine and the Maas, and 27% of all
European trucks make use of its highways.
In the morning there may be bright
sunshine, but within a few hours the wind
can change direction and all of a sudden a
cold gale is blowing in from the west. Of
course days can also start out badly and
end well.
People
The ethnic Dutch tend to be tall and fair,
but Dutch society is becoming increasingly
multicultural and, especially in the larger
cities, you will see many other physical
types as well. There are people of
Caribbean, Indonesian and Surinamese
descent, because of the Dutch colonial past
in these regions. But there are also many
people of Mediterranean descent. In the
1950s and 1960s Dutch cities and industry
were growing fast as the country recovered
from the second world war, and workers
arrived from Italy, Spain, Morocco and
Turkey to meet the shortage of labour.
In winter (December to February) there
are not too many days of frost and,
although you will probably see some snow,
there is seldom a lot. The winter cold is
penetrating, however, because it is often
wet and windy.
If you spend a winter in the Netherlands,
by about March you will understand why
Dutch people talk so much about the
glorious sunshine of countries to the south,
and why the minute that spring arrives
they run out and turn their faces to the sun
every chance they get.
Language
In summer (June to August) there are a
few fairly hot days. In the months
between, the temperature will vary from
about 5º to 15º C (40º to 60º F) in the
course of the day.
Within ITC the main language is English,
although there are many different accents.
Most of the Dutch can communicate in
English.
Summer and winter time
Within the countries of the European
Union, summer time runs from the last
Sunday in March (clocks go forward one
hour) to the last Sunday in October (clocks
go back one hour), and winter time from
the last Sunday in October to last Sunday
in March.
Tourist information
Tourist information offices
in the Netherlands, called
Vereniging Voor
Vreemdelingenverkeer
(VVV), have offices in all
Climate
Over the year, climate is moderate, with
gentle winters, cool summers, and rainfall
34
THE NETHERLANDS
42 Stadhouderskade: take the tram
that stops behind the museum (exit
stop: Hobbemastraat) from the central
railway station.
For information about other places of
interest and for practical information:
cities, and are always well signposted. The
VVV office can give you all the information
on what there is to see and enjoy in the
Netherlands. For more information:
www.holland.com/global
Day trips
www.holland.com/global/cities/amsterdam
To Amsterdam
The InterCity train to Amsterdam leaves
from Enschede railway station every hour
(see train schedule). When you arrive at
Amsterdam Central (CS), you can get
more information at the VVV office right
outside the station. An information desk is
located in front of Amsterdam Central
station for inquiries about public transport.
To Arnhem: Burgers’ Zoo
Zoological gardens, indoor bush, desert
and safari park, plus an exhibition on the
tropical rainforest and an artificial desert
environment. Good train and bus
connections. Train to Arnhem; at Arnhem
railway station take the (electrically
powered) trolley-bus that will stop right at
the entrance to Burgers' Zoo. If you travel
by train, you can buy an all-in-one ticket
for the train, trolley-bus and entrance fee.
Please check at the railway station. From
Enschede there is also a good bus
connection (check the timetable at the bus
station). For more information:
Amsterdam, the official capital, is the
social, cultural and tourist centre of the
Netherlands. Its theatres, concert halls,
museums, and cafés are world-famous.
The city's bustling liveliness and its liveand-let-live attitude towards deviant
behaviour have earned it an international
reputation. Amsterdam is the place for
having fun ‒ but do not let its atmosphere
fool you into thinking that Dutch society is
promiscuous. Although the Dutch are very
tolerant, most people live moderate,
orderly lives. Amsterdam is the extreme
rather than the norm.
www.burgerszoo.nl
To Emmen: Noorderdierenpark
Emmen Zoo has a South American aviary,
African wildlife and a tropical surprise ‒
more than 1,500 butterflies! It is about a
10-minute walk from Emmen railway
station to the zoo.
For more information:
Places of interest include:
• Madame Tussaud’s Scenerama Wax
museum located on the Damrak: a
five-minute walk or the first stop by
tram from the central railway station
• The Rijksmuseum, housing famous
paintings by Dutch painters, located at
www.dierenpark-emmen.nl
To Deventer
A historic Hanseatic town with an
impressive waterfront along the river
IJssel, Deventer is a lovely city to visit.
Connections are excellent and it takes
35
THE NETHERLANDS
about 45 to 50 minutes to travel from
Enschede to Deventer by either car or
train. Suggestions: the Toy and Tin
Museum; 'De Waag', explaining the history
of Deventer; and various interesting
exhibitions, for example, of topographic
paintings of Deventer. For more
information:
residence for some 300 years until Queen
Beatrix officially turned it over to the state
in 1984 to be opened to the public as a
museum. The entire complex, including the
formal gardens and stables for horses, has
been fully restored to its 17th century
splendour, a process that took seven
years. At Apeldoorn railway station you can
take a bus that stops near to the palace.
For more information:
www.vvvdeventer.nl
www.vvvapeldoorn.nl
To Utrecht
This surprising and friendly city boasts
cultural and historical highlights. The city's
ultimate symbol is the beautiful Dom
Tower. In addition, Utrecht offers great
shopping, contemporary convention and
meeting venues, and pleasant sidewalk
cafés.
Utrecht railway station is adjacent to a
large shopping centre. At the station follow
the signs to the tourist information office,
and there you can get a map of Utrecht.
For more information:
To the Dutch islands
To visit one of the Dutch islands (Texel,
Vlieland, Terschelling, Ameland and
Schiermonnikoog), ask for a combined
ticket for train, bus and ferry. Check with
the information desk at the railway station
and consult the tourist information office.
For more information:
www.utrecht.nl
www.wadden.nl
To Apeldoorn: Palace Het Loo
Members of the House of Orange, the
family providing the Netherlands with its
monarchs, had occupied this country
To Lisse, Keukenhof
The Keukenhof measures 32 hectares,
which makes it the world's largest spring
garden. This flower park has welcomed
lovers of flowers for the past fifty springs.
They come to admire some seven million
colorful bulb flowers. Keukenhof's
surprising spring program offers many
hours of enjoyment in various flowerbeds,
36
THE NETHERLANDS
example, the Boymans van Beuningen
gallery, the Architecture Centre, and the
Kunsthal.
For more information:
gardens and indoor exhibitions.
For more information:
www.keukenhof.nl
www.rotterdam.info
To The Hague
The Hague (Den Haag) is the seat of
government and diplomacy, and the
residence of Queen Beatrix, the Head of
State. Interesting places to visit in The
Hague include Madurodam, an open-air
museum that shows the Netherlands in
miniature, and the Binnenhof, where the
'Ridderzaal' and the Dutch Parliament are
located.
For more information:
www.denhaag.com
To Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the nation's industrial and
commercial centre, with its Europort being
the largest European port with container
terminals and bulk transit terminals. The
city is very modern, with lively shopping
malls and interesting museums, for
37
ENSCHEDE
Enschede
With approximately 156,000 inhabitants,
Enschede is the largest city in the east of
the country. Around 15,000 of these are
students, either at the University of
Twente, Saxion Hogeschool Enschede
(Saxion University of Professional
Education, Enschede), the Academy of
Music, the Academy of Art, or ITC.
Enschede is a pleasant city to live and
work in. Attractive shopping facilities
attract people from the local area, as well
as from over the border. On market days
(Tuesdays and Saturdays) many of the
shoppers in town come from Germany,
particularly on certain Saturdays when the
shops in Germany close earlier than those
in the Netherlands.
The history, the city and the people
If you were to ask a local person about
Enschede and its history, he or she would
say that Enschede was a textile city. It
seems that all anyone knows about
Enschede is that it used to be home to a
lot of textile factories. The name
'Enschede' comes from 'Am Esche', old
Dutch for 'on the border'. Germany is only
a stone's throw away from the city.
Around 35 years ago, as the textile
industry shifted to Asia, this reliance on a
single industry began to cause problems
for Enschede. In 1950 the textile industry
employed 21,000 people, but by 1970 this
figure had dropped to 8,000, and by the
time of the world recession in the early
1980s it had fallen to 2,500. As the noisy,
dirty factories disappeared, Enschede was
forced to change direction before the
1980s recession hit everyone else as well.
Schools
In the Netherlands, education is
compulsory for children aged 5 to 17.
In Enschede, the Prinseschool has an
international department where children
from abroad, aged 4 to 12, receive English
lessons (International School Twente). This
primary international department is
attended by children whose parents are
studying or teaching at ITC or the
University of Twente.
International School Twente is located at
Staringstraat 15 in Enschede, in one of the
school buildings of the Dutch Prinseschool,
about 500 meters from Enschede central
train and bus station. All teachers do their
best to make sure that the classes are
adapted to the standards of the individual
child and intensive contact is maintained
with the parents. For more information:
http://istwente.com
There is a Dutch/English bilingual stream
at one of the local secondary schools in
Enschede (Stedelijk Lyceum, locatie Zuid).
Of the classes, approximately 50% are
conducted in English. During the first three
years the pupils follow the bilingual stream
38
ENSCHEDE
at higher intermediate and pre-university
level. In the fourth year Dutch takes over
as the language of instruction. For pupils
with insufficient command of Dutch, a
special timetable can be arranged, with the
possibility of dropping certain subjects.
For more information:
•
The main cinemas in Enschede are
CineStar at Go Planet, 60 Colosseum
Cineast at 4 Bolwerkstraat, and
Concordia at 26 Oude Markt. To check
the film schedule, pick up the weekly
brochure from the leaflet display at the
entrance to the ITC restaurant.
www.hetstedelijk.nl/index.php?id=4232
Tourist information
City Office
The VVV tourist information service in the
Netherlands has well-signposted offices in
all cities. The VVV can give you information
on what there is to see and enjoy in the
Netherlands and especially in the region of
Enschede.
The office hours of the GBA Department of
Enschede City Office, 51 Hengelosestraat,
are:
Monday to Friday, 9.00 - 13.30 hrs,
Thursday also 17.00 - 19.30 hrs.
The office hours of he tourist information
office (VVV) in Enschede at 1a
Stationsplein are:
Monday, 13.00 - 17.30 hrs
Tuesday to Friday, 10.00 - 17.30 hrs
Saturday, 9.30 - 16.00 hrs.
A selection of places of interest:
•
Leisure facilities
Most activities in Enschede are held at or
near the old market square and are often
free of charge.
•
•
•
Most bars and discotheques offer live
music in the evenings at weekends, but
often there is an admission fee.
Contact the Muziekcentrum and the
Muziekkwartier, respectively, for
information on musical events and
theatre productions.
For more information:
•
www.muziekkwartier.nl
39
Rutbeek, 182 Jacobsrietweg
It’s fun to go to this attractive park
right outside Enschede if it is sunny.
Pleasant park for walking (about five
kilometres around the lake),
windsurfing, canoeing or rowing. You
can also rent water-bikes. This park is
easily accessible by bike, car or bus
and has a restaurant and a playground.
To get there by bike or car: Take the
Haaksbergerstraat (street passing ITC
International Hotel and Stadsweide)
towards Haaksbergen until you see the
sign 'Rutbeek'. Turn left and follow the
signs.
Het Hulsbeek, Oldenzaal
Another recreation park, with woods
and water. For bus connections to the
Hulsbeek and Rutbeek, ask at the
information desk at the bus station or
the tourist information office.
Waarbeek, Hengelo
An amusement park for children. An
enjoyable way of travelling to the
ENSCHEDE
•
•
Aquadrome, 2 J.J. van Deinselaan
Tropical indoor swimming centre with
two big water slides, waves (at least 10
minutes every hour) and streams. Bus
direction 'Hogeland'. Ask for bus line
and travel time at the information desk
at the bus station.
• Ancient Dutch windmills and
water-mills
The unique, historical windmill of
Usselo grinds today like it did over two
centuries ago. You will find the mill just
outside Usselo, between Enschede and
Haaksbergen (7 km southwest of
Enschede). The entrance is behind the
mill. Also of interest: the 'Korenbloem'
windmill and the 'Oostendorper' watermill in Haaksbergen; the 'Lonneker
Molen', a windmill in the small village
of Lonneker, situated between
Enschede and Oldenzaal (Lonneker can
easily be reached by bike!); the watermills 'Den Haller' and 'Singraven' in
Denekamp; and the water-mills 'Bels'
and 'Frans' in Vasse. All these mills are
open to the public and can be reached
by public transport.
• Zoutmuseum
If you are interested in the history of
salt production, then why not visit the
salt museum in Delden.
From the VVV tourist information office,
you can obtain detailed information on
entrance fees and opening hours.
Waarbeek is by boat from the
marina/harbour in Enschede. Parking at
the harbour and at the Waarbeek is
free of charge. No reservations are
needed. You can also take the train to
Hengelo and then take the bus, which
stops in front of the entrance. For more
information on the Waarbeek and the
boat connection, contact the tourist
information office.
Rijksmuseum Twenthe,
129-131 Lasondersingel
Museum of antiquities and modern art.
For more information:
www.rijksmuseumtwenthe.nl
•
Museum Twentse Welle,
11 Het Rozendaal
History of the culture, nature, language
and environment of Twente
•
Wooldrikspark, Lorenzlaan
Public gardens, with a farm open for
children.
Volkspark, Volksparksingel
Public gardens, famous for the annual
Easter Fair.
•
40
SOME HELPFUL DUTCH WORDS
Some helpful Dutch words
baker
bakery
bar
barber
bicycle
bookshop
breakfast
bus
bus stop
butcher
butchers
cafe/pub
car
church
cinema
city hall
city coffee
day after tomorrow
dentist
dinner
Dutch
English
fish shop
flower shop
general physician
good afternoon
good evening
good luck
good morning
greengrocer
greengrocers
have a nice trip
hospital
if you please
information
ladies fashion shop
left
library
liquor shop
market
bakker
bakkerswinkel
bar
kapper
fiets
boekenwinkel
ontbijt
bus
bushalte
slager
slagerswinkel
cafe
auto
kerk
bioscoop
stadhuis
koffie
overmorgen
tandarts
warme maaltijd
Nederland
Engels
viswinkel
bloemenzaak
(huis)arts, dokter
goede middag
goeden avond
veel succes
goede morgen
groenteboer
groentewinkel
goede reis
ziekenhuis
alstublieft
inlichtingen
damesmodezaak
links
bibliotheek
slijterij
markt
men's wear shop
milk
milkman
motorcycle
Mr., sir
Mrs., madam
Ms.
municipality
no
nurse
pharmacy
police station
post office
right
see you later
shoe shop
shop
station (train)
straight on
tea
thank you
theatre
to dance
to drink
to eat
to toast
to walk
tobacconists
today
tomorrow
tomorrow afternoon
tomorrow evening
tomorrow morning
tonight
train
yes
yesterday
41
herenmodezaak
melk
melkboer
motorfiets
meneer
mevrouw
mejuffrouw
gemeente
nee
zuster
apotheek
politiebureau
postkantoor
rechts
tot ziens
schoenenwinkel
winkel/zaak
station
rechtdoor
thee
dank u wel
schouwburg, theater
dansen
drinken
eten
toasten
wandelen, lopen
tabakswinkel
vandaag
morgen
morgenmiddag
morgenavond
morgenochtend
vanavond
trein
ja
gisteren
CITY MAP OF ENSCHEDE
42
CITY MAP OF ENSCHEDE
43
Note:
The information contained in this booklet has been obtained from a number of sources,
both inside and outside the ITC organisation and the ITC International Hotel. While the
contents have been carefully checked, some of the information may change or become
outdated. Any corrections or observations you may wish to make are most welcome, and
should be sent to Marion van Rinsum, Communication Department (room 2-114,
rinsum@itc.nl).
INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR
GEO-INFORMATION SCIENCE AND
EARTH OBSERVATION
P.O. Box 6
7500 AA Enschede
The Netherlands
T: +31 (0)53 487 44 44
F: +31 (0)53 487 44 00
I: www.itc.nl
Photos cover and pages 1-5, 7, 9, 10-15, 18, 44:
© Gerard Kuster
page 6: © Bart Slot
44
Introd&inform guide students'09:Brochures
11-08-2009
10:43
Pagina 1
International Institute for Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation
P.O. Box 6
7500 AA Enschede
The Netherlands
Introduction and
information guide for
ITC students
P: +31 (0)53 4874 444
F: +31 (0)53 4874 400
E: pr@itc.nl
I:
www.itc.nl
September 2009
INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR GEO-INFORMATION SCIENCE AND EARTH OBSERVATION
ITC 600 - 01092009
ITC
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