International Career Opportunities and Beyond with RUN-EU
Working in an international environment can boost your career growth in various ways. It offers a platform to develop a broader skill set, gain new perspectives, and expand your professional network. Sometimes, you are especially fortunate and not only advance your career but also make friends through your work. Read how HAMK’s senior lecturer Lotta Hirvonen and trainer and student counsellor Jeannette Klomp from NHL Stenden in the Netherlands have enhanced their career development and competence through European collaboration—and how they became friends along the way.
RUN-EU is an alliance of ten higher education institutions across Europe. It provides staff, students, and regions with opportunities to grow together, learn new skills, and expand networks internationally. But how exactly can RUN-EU boost career and competence growth?
Boosting Career Development Through RUN-EU
“I became involved with RUN-EU by chance, through a Short Advanced Programme (SAP) that focused on 21st Century Skills and later on I was involved in a learning opportunity with a focus on multicultural aspects and ways to work together. I thought I was quite open-minded, but working with students and staff from various backgrounds helped me become more culturally aware and better understand international students.
In my role at NHL Stenden as a trainer and student counsellor, I give trainings to colleagues on topics such as professional identity, transactional analysis (communication processes and how to influence them), supporting students with special needs, and preventing suicide. Working with RUN-EU made me more confident in creating my training programmes, broaded my view, and also, provided ideas for my master’s thesis.
Working with students and staff from various backgrounds helped me become more culturally aware and better understand international students.
Jeannette Klomp, NHL Stenden
The topic of my master’s thesis was if transactional analysis can help students become more open-minded. I developed two transactional workshops that I gave to groups of students at both NHL Stenden and HAMK. The students filled out two questionnaires and I interviewed some students and all teachers involved at both NHL Stenden and HAMK.
After that I have written an article with my colleague Marinus Spreen from NHL Stenden and principal research scientist Jari Jussila from HAMK, focusing on transactional analysis and can it help students become more open-minded. The article will be published in the Transactional Analysis Journal in April. These forms of collaboration developed over time; I couldn’t have anticipated them when I first participated in the RUN-EU activities”, Jeannette explains.
These forms of collaboration developed over time; I couldn’t have anticipated them when I first participated in the RUN-EU activities.
Jeannette Klomp, NHL Stenden
Growing as an Educator through International Collaboration
”I became a teacher in 2021 and got involved with RUN-EU already in 2022, so I was a relatively new teacher at the time. For me, one of the most important aspects has been observing different teaching styles, pedagogical approaches, and personalities. It is interesting to consider whether these differences in teaching methods are more related to individual personalities or cultural backgrounds.
The multicultural collaboration enabled by RUN-EU has been a valuable learning experience for me.
Lotta Hirvonen, HAMK
The multicultural collaboration enabled by RUN-EU has been a valuable learning experience for me. I tend to be efficient and punctual, but sometimes it’s better to take things one step at a time”, Lotta describes.
How International Collaboration Creates Lifelong Bonds
”We first met at the canteen of the Forssa campus during a work-related meeting. Later I was involved in organising a SAP and invited Jeannette to join. We stayed in contact via Teams and eventually traveled together to Hungary, where the SAP was held. Later that same year, in 2023, we traveled to Dornbirn, Austria, again thanks to RUN-EU and a learning opportunity we organized together”, Lotta tells.
“I have visited Finland several times for both vacation and work. We know each other’s families, and Lotta’s sister has visited me in the Netherlands. I really like Finland! It has been easy to connect with Finnish colleagues, and we share similar sense of humor. Finland holds a special place in my heart. I have also visited four of HAMK’s seven campuses: Forssa, Valkeakoski, Riihimäki, and Hämeenlinna”, Jeannette adds.
Strengthening European Identity Through Shared RUN-EU Experiences
”RUN-EU has made me feel to be more connected with other Europeans. It feels good to see that we have similar concerns and questions for instance about artificial intelligence”, Lotta explains.
RUN-EU has made me feel to be more connected with other Europeans.
Lotta Hirvonen, HAMK
Jeannette shares the experiences.
“RUN-EU has fostered my sense of European belonging. It’s been an eye-opening opportunity to meet people from other European higher education institutions. We have differences, but also many similarities. Our universities are different, yet we can still create things together, for example study programmes that fit well in all our institutions. It’s great”, Jeannette says.
As for the last question of the interview, the answer is clear. Would you recommend RUN-EU activities to your colleagues in Finland and the Netherlands? “Yes!” the friends respond with joy in their voices.
RUN European University
We are part of RUN European University, which brings together ten European higher education institutions from nine countries committed to a common vision.
