Welcome

“…..You actually don’t know what your future has for you in a place with a lot of uncertainties. So you don’t want to have in your mind bad expectations about your future life or career. Here there are more opportunities, more offers, and more appreciation on your skills and mostly in everything….” (George Kathopoulis, master student in Tilburg University, Faculty of Economics) (1).

To get a quick overview of the project: Click here

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I still remember the first day that I arrived in Tilburg. New environment, new people, another language that is not my mother language. I was so stressed about the coming days but at the same time so excited. Would it be difficult for me to make new friends, to adapt in this new society, to feel familiar with the people and the place? All these thoughts overwhelmed my mind but then I realized that I had to go to the supermarket because my fridge was completely empty. So, I dressed up quickly and I decided to have my first “meeting” with Tilburg. Going through the corridor of my apartment I met one of my new roommates. Her name was Dorina and she was Greek. I was so released that someone else, with the same origin would live with me for the next year. From this time I didn’t feel alone. Then I went to Albert Heijn, the local supermarket to buy supplies. But suddenly I heard some familiar voices. Three Greek guys were laughing and communicating in a Greek jargon. Spyros, George and another George, as you can understand the latter is a really common Greek name. When they realized, probably for my bad accent, that I was also Greek they approached me and they invited me for a tour in the campus. They came here to study economic and they informed me that in the financial department they have been enrolled around 30 Greek students. Characteristically they mentioned “We are the second power in finance, after Chinese people”, “We have created a very strong Greek lobby here” and they laughed proudly. After finishing our tour we decided to have a coffee all together and of course the “Greek financial lobby” appeared immediately. The first topic of conversation was the days of Top Week, the introduction week for international students. But suddenly the subject of the discussion changed and for one more time, the economic crisis became the center of our attention..Until the end of my first week in Tilburg I had already met almost all Greek students that live here and surprisingly they were much more than I expected…

Occasioned by the recent example of Cyprus, the financial crisis that plagues mainly the southern countries of the European Union is in the global limelight again. Except for Cyprus, Greece is one of the countries that have been mostly affected by this situation. However, this crisis should be considered more as a social phenomenon than a mere economic phenomenon and especially if we take into account the social ramifications that has induced in all aspects of human’s life. Characteristically, they are mentioned the rising levels of unemployment in combination with the increasing percentage of people who live under the poverty line (2). Resulting from the above, a new social phenomenon has emerged. The last few years, a mass emigration of skilled and certainly young people with a lot of potentials is observed, people who are looking for an enticing future in another country.

We are looking to understand to what extent there is a relationship between the economic crisis and the decision of Greek students to study abroad, focusing on Greek students that have decided to come in the Netherlands for educational purposes. The choice of Dutch universities is not a random choice.  We have the case of Greece, a weak country which is confronted with huge financial problems and on the other hand it is found the Netherlands which belong to the powerful northern economical lobby. So, it would be really interesting to shed light on the causes of movement of Greek students to the Netherlands and finally, if these causes are connected with the economic situation.

(1) Transcription
(2) Poverty Line

Students` mobility in the Netherlands

The percentage of Greek students that study abroad was always high and mainly if we take into account that we are confronted with a small country with less population than other countries within the European Union. Their first choice used to be the United Kingdom. However, after the rising of tuition fees they started to examine other destinations that offer high levels of education in combination with lower fees (1).

Throughout the time, Dutch universities are becoming famous in Greece with more and more young people thinking to move in the Netherlands for educational reasons. The great advantage of this country is the fact that it offers both bachelors and masters English programs as well as the low amount of fees (2). More specifically, an international student, whose country belongs to the European Union, has to pay around 1.700 euros for a one-year master program (3). A Greek student told us that “I calculated the costs…..high level of education with low cost of living were the most serious argument for deciding to come here” (4).  This phrase reflects clearly the main motivations that have contributed to the establishment of Dutch Universities as a competitive power within the educational market. This shift concerns not only the preferred countries but also the incentives that lead students to their decision. In the past, the main reason for studying in another country was to gain an international experience, to meet new people and cultures and to extent you horizons. However, taking into account the present financial condition of Greece, the motivational factors may have changed. That is, behind the opportunity of an international experience lurks always a second thought. The thought to stay in another country in order to chase a better future, a future with more career opportunities, with a better salary and with a better quality of life.

Characteristic is the fact that the majority of Greek students who are studying in Tilburg University right now do not think to go back to Greece after finishing their studies. We asked Dimitra, a postgraduate student, what are her future plans and if she is planning to go back to Greece. “I don’t want to go back, she responded. For sure I miss my family, my friends, my boyfriend, but in Greece there is no future.. I just graduated and I am thinking to move to Brussels to look for a job. And the truth is that a lot of my friends have already left from Greece and the others are thinking of it. How can I survive with a salary of 400 euros?”  (4). Dimitra Rapi represents the thoughts that flood young people in Greece and it is not a surprise if we consider that the unemployment rates and especially for young people are almost 60% (5). Read more

(1) Greek newspaper Kathimerini
(2) Elsevier
(3) Tuition Fees
(4) Transcription
(5) Unemployment Rates

Why the Netherlands?

Apart from the future opportunities and the need to avoid the miserable atmosphere that prevails over Greece right now, the economic factor was found to affect significantly students’ decision. We define the economic factor in terms of living costs, cost of tuition fees and economic status. There were not found significant differences between the two countries, concerning the living costs as well as the tuition fees. In general the costs in the Netherlands are more or less the same as in Greece. Read more

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Students, the financial crisis and social ramifications

Studying abroad is not always so simple. Students move in a different environment in which they have to adapt themselves. Different environment means different culture, habits, different people and in general different mentality. How easy is for Greek students to feel as an integral part of this new environment? And furthermore has the economic crisis affected their adaptation here? In the beginning we defined the financial crisis more as a social phenomenon than a mere economic phenomenon. So, this part emphasizes on the social ramification of the crisis.

“…. I was in a queue waiting for entering to a party…….. and I was standing with a Dutch girl, …… and there was a euro down in the ground, and she told me A! Look!! There is a euro there!! ……. why don’t you take it? I don’t need it I said to her. And she replied Yeah!! But you are Greek! So? I told her, So, we support Greece! And then I told her we don’t need your support……. Apart from that, one guy has called me “money spender” after learning my origin……”  (1)

The above example can be considered as an example of social discrimination due to the crisis. It is fact that people, influenced by the media that bombard them with a plethora of negative comments concerning Greece may develop negative feelings about Greeks. Greeks are the money spenders who take advantage of their counterparts. Read more

(1) Transcription