Student report

Name on the university: Name on the student: Exchange semester: University of Amsterdam Ole Christopher Morits Gundersen Spring 2007

1. Academic information
General information about the school
The school has several different faculties spread around the city. The faculty of economics, where I study, is situated in the east of the city center. It is easy to find the faculty. The faculty is surrounded with different kind of dorms where a lot of the exchange students live, I didnt live there. This faculty, hosts just economic students, but also some students that study chemistry. The faculty of economics are one of the largest faculties attached to the University of Amsterdam, with about 5000 students, and a proximately 300 exchange students, just on this faculty. This is a typical graduate faculty, most of the students are a bit older than me, and most of them are on their 4-year of study. The study structure is quit easy to understand, during a week, you have 2 3 hours of lecture in each course, and also 2 hours of tutorial(Tutorial = the teacher walk through some exercises with a small group of the class, they split the normal class in to some smaller groups, it makes it easier to ask questions etc.)

The teaching situation

The courses are thought in English, every one of them. English is very normal in the Netherlands, all most everyone speak English. In the beginning I thought it was hard, because the professors speak really fast, and use a complicated language, so it took me a while to get used to the language and the structure of the teaching. Of course it depends on what kind of level your English is on before you go exchange. My English was not particularly good, before I came down to Amsterdam. Personally I think the level in the University of Amsterdam is higher than the level on BI. Of course my experience has something to do with my English, everything makes it a bit harder because of the English, but besides that, I still feel that the level is higher in Amsterdam than in BI in Oslo. The teaching is primarily theoretical, and a bit different from what Im used to on BI. The professors, as also mentioned before in the report, use a mix of lecture and tutorials, and this is a very good way to walk through the chapters in the book. There is also a lot of essay writing in small groups, and after the groups finish their essays, the groups also need to have a presentation inn

front of the rest of the class. The workload is kind of the same as in BI, but the big difference between BI and University of Amsterdam, is how the semester is built up. In Amsterdam they split the semester into two blocks, each block is 7 weeks, and in these 7 weeks you have two or three different courses and in the ends of each block you have an exam in these courses. So in the spring semester you have exams in the middle of April for the first block, and exams also in middle of Jun for the second block. Because of the blocks you actually have to study something everyday, not like in BI where you only have exams in the end of the semester, and therefore many students starts to study a month before the exams start, in Amsterdam you always have to study for an exam, because it feels like you always have an exam. The relationship between the faculty and the students are kind of what you expect from a very big university, not really good. Its like BI, you can be a student in BI for a year without the professor even now it, if you just show up in the lectures and keep you mouth shut, the count for Amsterdam, you dont get any relationship with the professors if your not doing any effort for it. The relationship between the students in the classroom is very good actually, better than in BI, because almost everyone is exchange students, it is really easy to get in touch with the other students. Everyone is very interested in each other, its really easy to get into conversations.

Required literature
The literature is in English, primarily American books, and the costs of the books are proximately around 50 euro each. The level on the literature is good, a lot of graphs and illustrations, and examples. It is important that you read through the book, before the exams. Because the exams are based on the literature from the book.

Exams
The exams are kind of mixed, in some courses you have multiple choice and other exams is mainly just questions and then you have to answer them, normal exam. The knowledge for passing the exam is surprisingly high, they expect really detailed answers. The grade system (10 = A, to pas you have to get a 5,5 = E)

Other
The library is good, and its really easy to get a password and username for the computers, if you have your own computer, and you want to have access to the wireless internet, just ask the library personnel, and they help you. The professors in each course use the same kind of blackboard as in BI, they put the lecture notes, assignments and other information out on the blackboard.

Description of the courses Course name Exam Comments

Hard level Normal level Normal level 207BE International Trade Multiple choice 221BE Economics of European Integration Written 314BE Transition economic Written

2. PRACTICAL INFORMATION ON THE SCHOOL AND THE EXCHANGE EXPERIENCE Information before you left
I received my information package in the beginning of fall 2006. My biggest challenge before a left for Amsterdam, were the issue to find the right courses. When I arrived in Amsterdam, I find out that my courses was totally wrong for me, the level was way to hard for me. Most of the students were master students etc.

Travel experiences
You dont need a visa for entering the Netherlands; in fact, you dont need to show you passport. But you have to pay 35 euros for a resident permit. Besides that, to travel from Norway to Amsterdam is really easy, a ticket cost approximately around 1000-1500 NOK, and there is many flights from Norway to Schiphol= airport in Amsterdam every day, 1,45 hour from Gardemoen.

Academic calendar
Arrival date for spring semester is 1st of February, the introduction week starts that day, and the introduction week is very important, especially if you travel by your self from Norway. First day of the semester was 4th of February, and last day of classes this semester is 30th of May. There are two examination periods, the first is in the beginning of April for the first block, and the second examination period for the second block is from late Mai and middle of Jun. Special event: Queens day, national day, and the biggest party I have ever seen, is hard to explain, you just have to experience it. There are also a lot of other events for the exchange students, through the student association ISN. For example, ski trip to the Alps, and many other fun things.

Reception
The reception at the school was good; they had a whole weekend with activities for the exchange students. ISN student network divided all the new

exchanges students that arrived in February into many small groups, then there were a lot of parties, and activities, for me personally, this was very important. Because I arrive in Amsterdam alone as a Norwegian, the other students in my group, became my first friends in Amsterdam, and they where all very friendly. We all kept in touch during the whole semester. The Dutch students gave us several tours around the city, and also some dinners. They helped us a lot. The administration at school, gave a introduction meeting for the students during the second day, because this school have hundreds of hundreds of exchange student arriving every year, I felt that they knew what they where doing, they were very good prepared.

Housing
www.shortstay.dekey.nl This is the address you need. All students attached to the University of Amsterdam, live in one of the shortstay de key own apartments. This is a big association that help student with housing for one year or just for a semester. They have all kind of apartments, just check the homepage, and then you can choose between the apartments, and then just apply, the prices vary, depend on what kind of apartment you want. Personally I live in a single apartment, like a studio apartment, I pay 480 euro a month, but of course you can get cheaper apartments if you want. It was the school gave me the address, and also helped me get in touch with the association. Good ideas for a prospective student: Well, if you want to live really close to the Faculty of Economics, you have to live, either in Sarphatistraat or in Valckenierstraat, but in these two places, you have to share the apartment with other exchange students. But you find all kinds of information about the housing on the keys homepage, mentioned above.

Cost
Most important expenses with your stay in Amsterdam, is of course the housing rent, on average between 300 500 euro. Book cost a proximately 4050 euro, but then again, food and drink is less than half of the prices in Norway. I can almost promise you that, a semester in Amsterdam, is cheaper than a semester in Oslo, of course it depends on have much you want to travel around in Europe, but if you live a normal life in Amsterdam, then its cheaper than a normal life in Oslo.

International Office
There is an international office in the faculty of economics. The person that is responsible for the exchange students is Ineke van Koningsveld. She take care of the introduction meeting, and also give the exchange students relevant information about the course descriptions and how to apply for exams etc. This relevant information do we receive by e-mail, and you can also ask her questions either over a e-mail or you can visit her office.

Social activities
The student life in Amsterdam are extremely good, never experienced anything like it. Everyone is in the same position, alone in a foreign country, so that give the students a special bond between each other. A lot of activities and parties every week. Its actually so many social things you can participate in, that sometimes you just need to say no. Because you need to study a bit everyday. Every Tuesday there is a Borrol= drink in Dutch, then all the exchange students meet up, and have a party in one of many bars in Amsterdam. The ISN is the student network for the exchange students, and they organize all kinds of parties, trips and other events that everyone can take part in. The people in the ISN are the first people you get in touch with when you arrive to the university, they are very helpful. I personally had an awesome time in Amsterdam, got a lot of friends from all over the world, I really enjoyed the life at school, and specially the life after school.

Culture and language

Everyone speak very well English, so actually Dutch is not necessary. The school personnel speak fluent English, so you will not have any language problems. Most of the students are also very good in English; so all the students understand each other very good. If you want to experience the country, you dont need to travel very far. Netherlands is a small country and very easy to get around with public transport. The country has long traditions and lots of history, if you want to learn more from the history and culture; Amsterdam has some really good museums.

Cultural and Social effects from the exchange experience

The Amsterdam culture is a bit different from the Norwegian, in Amsterdam everyone is layback, the people just bike around, with no worries or hurry. So I definitely will learn from the layback style, and after this semester I understand that there is more in life than work. Im going to appreciate life more after this semester. I have meet students from every continent and lots of different countries, and I have learned something from each and one of them, about their culture, and day-to-day life. I hope, and I believe that this year abroad has given me more experiences then I would have got this semester in Oslo. I also hope that my future chief or CEO will appreciate my year abroad as something positive. The most positive experience from this semester is my English skills, especially in oral English. After this semester Im very comfortable when I have conversations in English, and that is the biggest change from before I came.

Name and e-mail: (Ole Christopher Gundersen) ole.c.m.gundersen@student.bi.no or olechristophergundersen@gmail.com