Corona prevents second-year Business Administration students from participating in exchange programme

Over a hundred second-year students from International Business Administration and Business Administration are disappointed, as the coronavirus measures in many countries mean no exchange this year. Rotterdam School of Management has informed them that there will be no opportunities in spring 2021 either, which means there are no more exchange possibilities during the bachelor degree.

130 students signed a letter to the Faculty Board in which the students asked for more flexibility from the faculty. Second-year IBA student Bianca Banica had already been accepted for an exchange to Singapore, but the coronavirus period threw a spanner in the works. “The university there doesn’t have a problem if I come next year, but RSM does need to approve that.” An exchange during the master degree phase is still an option, but according to the letter writers, not in all masters, and not everyone will take a master.

According to Banica, other faculties are offering the opportunity to take part in an exchange next academic year and the second-year students at RSM are an exception. “First-year students and master students from RSM can take part next year, but we can’t.”

Compromise

The students have suggested several compromises to enable the exchange to take place, such as catching up with lectures later, doing online examinations during the exchange or by not allocating credits (which will result in study delay).

The faculty will provide a response to the students’ letter soon.