What is it like to be a student of colour at Hanze?

While Hanze strives for diversity and inclusivity, we spoke with students of colour about their experiences on campus. Their challenges, triumphs, and ongoing efforts to foster an inclusive environment.

For some students, like Ndey Fama Mbye who has been in Groningen for over four years, their identity as a person of colour has not impacted life on campus in any way. ‘To be honest, being a student of colour has not really been much of a factor in my experience at Hanze. I feel the same as I would if I were in Gambia. I don’t even think about it.’

‘Thankfully, I am surrounded by a diverse group of students and teachers’

Mbye, a 25-year-old Electrical Engineering student, is the only Black person in her class of approximately 30 students, which includes just three students of colour overall. Despite this, she describes her experience as ‘pretty good’, reflecting a generally positive perspective on her time at Hanze.

This optimistic outlook is shared by another student. ‘My experience at Hanze has been good so far’, says Lubna Kozitzki. ‘Thankfully, I am surrounded by a diverse group of students and teachers’, the 22-year-old Electrical Engineering student adds. Her sentiments align with the university’s international character, as Hanze hosts students from over 115 nationalities.

Although the comment wasn’t made with malintent, Marit felt misunderstood and disconnected

However, for others, being a student of colour at Hanze comes with its own set of challenges. ‘In terms of studying, there can be instances where I feel the student mentors are not really equipped to support students of colour’, says Kawisaraa Marit, a 20-year-old Physiotherapy student. The Thai-Dutch student recalls a conversation with a student mentor in her first year when she mentioned feeling homesick. ‘The mentor suggested I find some Asian friends, but Asia is really vast, and I would not feel less homesick by connecting with a Mongolian, for example.’ Although Marit did not feel the comment was made with malintent, she still felt misunderstood and disconnected. Despite this, she appreciates Hanze’s focus on student well-being. ‘I think there is a lot of resources that help you with your mental health, for example.’

‘Are the challenges I face related to being a woman of colour in a male-dominated course?’

As of 2023, Hanze University of Applied Sciences accommodates approximately 30,000 students, with international students making up about ten percent of the student body, according to its Annual Report. However, despite its international presence, racial diversity in certain courses remains notably low, with a predominantly white demographic. 

Whilst Kozitzki has not faced any direct racist comments, she still feels the broader social dynamics of gender and racial biases. ‘I am unsure if some of the challenges I face are related to being a woman of colour in a male-dominated course, as misogyny and racism go hand-in-hand’, she says.

‘I feel like there are some challenges I face, specifically with being taken seriously as an Asian woman’, says Marit. While her challenges on campus are subtle, her experiences off-campus reveal a different side of being a person of colour in Groningen. She points to frequent encounters with objectifying and discriminatory comments, especially from Dutch men. Though these behaviours occur outside Hanze, they highlight stereotypes faced by Asian women, particularly Thai women, in the Netherlands.

Dutch students often receive more detailed and specialised instruction

When asked about changes or initiatives they would like to see implemented at Hanze, students of colour offered varied perspectives based on their experiences. For Marit, ensuring accurate translation of exams for English-taught courses is crucial. ‘I am in the English course, and there is a Dutch course as well. Sometimes, the words are not correct when they translate the exams, which can really have an influence.’

Kozitzki emphasised the need for more equitable teaching efforts for international students. She noted that in her course, Dutch students often receive more detailed and specialised instruction, while international students are sometimes left to navigate subjects with less qualified teachers, or even teach themselves.

By contrast, Mbye expressed satisfaction with the current approach, appreciating the neutrality of her experience at Hanze: ‘I like the fact that it is very neutral. Race is not a huge factor that plays into anything.’

Photo: Kawisaraa Marit at Wiebenga Hanze, picture taken by Mel Morales