I see myself in the eyes of others. With this approach, Driestar Christian University for Teacher Education welcomed eight international students at the end of August. For three months, these students will spend time with seven of our final year students, in search of the meaning of Christian education worldwide. They are taking part in the International Class, in 2022 the eleventh edition!
We started the programme with an orientation week in which we were introduced to the modules, the lecturers and the students. During the official opening we thought about the message in Luke 8, the calming of the storm; in this journey, our Master is with us!
After the introductory lecture on Christian education, the international student received the opportunity to speak about their countries and themselves. They come from Ukraine, Romania, Tanzania and Nepal. The presentations about Ukraine made a deep impression; because of the war, the Ukrainians do not know if their house will still be standing when they return. The Romanian Napsugár- Beáta described in her presentation the rocky mountains of the Carpathians, covered by snowfields with ski slopes. She also mentioned the bright blue Black Sea, as well as Dracula’s castle which is said to have stood in Romania.
“I’m learning a lot about myself”
Vera Rufulahisa Mutakyahwa is from Tanzania. She passionately spoke about her country which has the tallest mountain in Africa, Mount Kilimanjaro, and about the shining Lake Victoria with its high waterfalls. Vera finished her presentation with her dream: teaching underprivileged children.
The presentations left a lasting impression on the students. Alina from Ukraine says: “I get so many new valuable impressions, the days go by very quickly.” “I’m learning a lot about myself by spending time with international students,” another student says with enthusiasm. “We are incredibly different, which is very enriching!”
Graduation
16 November was the final day of the International Class 2022. The international students presented their research and their learning experiences, after which they received their certificates. We look back on a wonderful time.
About the International Class
The International Class is a minor course run by Driestar Christian University in which international and Dutch students learn together for a few months. The main theme is Christian teaching: what is Christian education and what is your place in it as a teacher? The students follow classes together and spend a lot of time together. The international students get to know different forms of education in the Netherlands.
Want to join International Class 2023?
We hope to run this programme again in the new academic year (4 September to 22 November 2023). You can sign up through the following link: (registration deadline 1: 15 March (non-EU), 1 May (EU))
