If a student also wants to work on their business

I now have the proper drive and focus on starting a company, and I want to make the most of that mindset

In short

Joep is busy starting his business, and a job internship does not fit in; he has already gained that work experience before.Through the ArtEZ Business Centre (ABC), his internship coordinator found out about the Topondernemersregeling (TOR). Thanks to this scheme, Joep will intern in his own company and receive the relevant teaching through the LevelUp programme of Saxion University of Applied Sciences.

We are monitoring the process and output and analyzing whether this form of customisation can help more students achieve their dreams for the future.

Why Joep wants to do it differently

Joep van den Boom studies MediaMusic and has gained - through ArtEZ Connected in his first three study years in his spare time - quite a bit of experience in the music producer business.

As a result, he was not keen on entering his mandatory internship period in the same way because - says Joep: "As an intern, you always have the role of an employee, and that is different from what I want to become. I want to start a business and have already started one with my partner. I now have the focus and a clear idea of what I must do professionally, and I am highly motivated. I want to harness this drive. I discussed this with my intern head, Peter (ed. Leutscher) and internship coordinator, Andrew David."

Support ambitions

Internship coordinator Andrew David: 'Joep shared his dilemma, and because the MediaMusic course did not have an immediate solution - but was open to it - I submitted his case to the Community of Practice of O2LABGelderland, a partnership between the universities of applied sciences Saxion, Van Hall Larenstein, the HAN and ArtEZ. Participants in this community share knowledge and experience in entrepreneurial education. ArtEZ Business Centre is one of the participants. Tamara Rookus (a.i. head of ABC) pointed me to the Top Entrepreneurs Scheme, the TOR, facilitated by Saxion University of Applied Sciences. She offered to support Joep's ambition by ABC by using this scheme as a pilot from the Quality Agreements. By monitoring the process and progress, ABC can investigate whether this way of teaching entrepreneurship offers opportunities to more ArtEZ students.'

More is achievable than you might think

Tamara Rookus, ad interim head of ArtEZ Business Centre, adds: 'In the Netherlands, more and more students are starting their own business while still studying full-time. It is quite a challenge, but it is certainly feasible with some support from the course. The Top Entrepreneur scheme allows ambitious student entrepreneurs to combine their studies with their businesses. If you study in Enschede, like Joep, you will follow the growth trajectory through Saxion LevelUP with other talented student entrepreneurs, who will receive guidance from experienced coaches and entrepreneurs. For Arnhem and Zwolle, other collaboration partners are possible. This pilot started with Joep, and we offer the scheme for ten more students. ABC wants to investigate it brings to the students and the courses.

Flexible teaching is part of putting the student first

Head of MediaMusic, Peter Leutscher, says: "At MediaMusic, we find it very important that students have as many 'real' experiences as possible.
Making teaching more flexible has been a logical must-do for years when you really put your students at the centre. So the question was not whether it could be done, but more: how will we do it? And of course, we keep the bachelor's requirements in mind: Joep will soon also spend some hours as an 'employee' to show that he has the required skills.'

This works for me

Joep: 'I'm glad we can do it this way. Through Saxion's LevelUP programme, part of the TOR, I'm learning how to pick up the business side of my company: that's the knowledge I need now and can apply immediately, and it works for me. More students may opt for an internship in their own company. But if you don't know it is possible, you won't come up with the idea either.'

Also interesting (only Dutch): Saxion's podcast De Studerende Ondernemer, especially episode 6, with guests Peter Leutscher and MediaMusic lecturer Elwin Rumplmair.