Studying Applied Nanotechnology at Saxion

Can you introduce yourself?

I am Leon, I am from Germany. I am 25 years old and I am living in Enschede for almost five years now. I got my Bachelor's degree in chemistry here at Saxion. This programme is in Dutch, so I had to learn the language intensively for six months and reached a B2 level. However, this is not a common thing to do for international students.

What is it like to study for a master's degree in Applied Nanotechnology?

This master’s programme consists of two years. The first year is mostly theoretical knowledge and practical components to apply this theory, while the second year has two classes: ethics and administration. The rest of the year is about writing the master thesis. In this Master’s programme, we are currently 8 students, and I would say 50% are international students coming from Germany, Yemen, Iran and Syria.

I enjoy doing practical projects and especially like photolithography in the cleanroom, which is an ultra-clean environment with special light and filters to protect what we test from contaminants. I wrote my Bachelor's thesis at Temicon, a semiconductor company, so I spent whole days in the cleanroom. I needed to get used to it because it is slightly over-pressurized. When you enter a cleanroom for the first time, you might feel sick or dizzy, but you get used to it after a week. For my practical projects during my master, I was often in the clean room on the University of Twente campus. Performing practical work and creating something instead of solely doing the analysis was what I wanted and what I enjoy.

Why study applied nanotechnology here at Saxion, in the Netherlands?

I was introduced to Saxion during a visit when I was in high school. My teacher made a presentation about Saxion, what you can do here and especially about the nano master. It caught my attention because this programme is quite unique, it is not offered everywhere. It is the only master's programme in applied nanotechnology in the Netherlands, which is different from a master's programme in research in nanotechnology. At Saxion University of Applied Sciences, we research what is possible, and try to make something out of it – we focus on the how, whereas in a research university like the University of Twente, they are more focused on the why.

Also, I always liked the Netherlands and the Dutch culture. The infrastructure here is very good: everything works and is very efficient. I feel like it’s not stressful to do anything in the Netherlands because everything works efficiently. And although the cost of living is quite high, the quality of living is also high. I am from Bocholt, a German city one hour from Enschede, close to the border. I had experience with the Dutch culture before moving to the Netherlands since it is so close by. I always found the Dutch people friendly and helpful. That’s what I still experience now that I am living here. 

How is it to study abroad but not so far from home? 

I come home very often because my hometown is one hour away from Enschede. Almost every weekend or second weekend I'm home. I study abroad but close to home in a way. After my studies I want to stay in the Netherlands to work because the job opportunities are bigger in nanotechnology and because I really enjoy living here. I like the people and the work culture is nice. You don’t feel hierarchy on your shoulders at work, it’s simply less formal and friendly: gezellig (pleasant, cosy in Dutch). Even the teachers here at Saxion introduce themselves by their first names, and this is how students address them. No title like professor or doctor is needed, and this fits my style of living.

What career are you building with this Master's degree?

My dream career is in product development where I can work in a company, get an assignment for a product and then think about the solution that fits the requirements. I want to be the person finding the solution for that problem. To feel fulfilled at work, one should always know why they are doing things. What I do doesn’t matter as long as I know why I am doing it. I want to work with my brain and my hands and get things done. I want to see what I can accomplish through my work.

What piece of advice would you give to future international students in Applied Nanotechnology?

Because international students come from different educational backgrounds, they sometimes struggle to understand the questions on an exam. For that, I would recommend asking questions to current students to understand better what they can expect.

To any international students who want to study here in the Netherlands, I would advise learning Dutch. At least for me, it shows that you respect the country you live in. It also makes interactions easier with people and the administration, even though almost all Dutch people are English speakers.