IMMIT (International Master in Management of Information Technology), is an Erasmus Mundus programme1 jointly organized by three European universities: IAE Aix Graduate School of Management at Université Paul Cezanne Aix-Marseille III (France), Turku School of Economics (Finland), Tilburg University (The Netherlands).
We, the so called IMMITers, start and finish the programme together and move to a new European location (France – Finland – The Netherlands) each semester. Our IMMIT adventure started in the summer of 2007 and turned out to be more diverse, more adventurous, and more incredible than we could ever have imagined. The program proved to be an intercultural explosion of 21 people from 13 different nations (including Cambodia, China, Ethiopia, India, Malaysia, Mexico, The Netherlands, Pakistan, Portugal, Serbia, Trinidad, Vietnam, and Zimbabwe). The core focus of the program was to enhance international relations and cultural appreciation and to promote strong global networking so that we could work better in the growing world of globalization. I must say they have succeeded in this mission, since the members of my program are now so well bonded in friendship and well versed in each others cultures that we sometimes refer to ourselves as the IMMIT Family. We have not only the opportunity to bask in each others traditions and lifestyles but also those of each of the countries we visit, thus equipping us with an ultimate Euro-global culture portfolio.
France
Europe, intertwined in its old architecture, beautiful, rich and extensive histories and cultures, is eagerly waiting to be unfolded by any international students. We were assembled in the beautiful Aix-en-Provence, in the south of France for the first pilot semester. The study process was very dynamic in IAE, and schedule changes were more than normal. We also had opportunity to listen to lecturers from many different countries, such as Canada, Britain, USA, and so on. The courses at the IAE tend to be more professional and less academic. Certainly, student life in France is definitely not strictly about study – most of the homework set by professors would be “Get around, talk with people, enjoy the life and the weather, and … well, speak French”! Our diverse and exciting journey in France brought us to fall deeply in love with the country and its people – through French culinary delights, cheese, wines, language, people, warmth, laid-back lifestyle, and sitting at outdoor cafés watching the world pass-by. Moreover, the obvious accessibility to the other ‘Club-Med’ countries (such as Spain, Italy, and Portugal) from France was also a heavenly gift of travel adventure possibilities. As students, eager and young, we surely did not let this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity pass us by.
Finland
When the summer snuck out, we bid farewell to the sunshine of France Riviera and were immersed in the contrasting environment of the ‘North Pole’: Finland for our second semester. We heard that it is one of the coldest places on the earth, where the temperature drops to -30 degrees Celsius in core winter, the sea freezes over and one may even drive a car on it! However, we survived. More than that, we have enjoyed this amazing country so much! Famous as it is for Sauna (they invented the word!), vodka, and Santa Claus, Finland is absolutely no less exciting than France. In our school TSE, we had more exposure to academic research methodologies. Independent thinking is highly encouraged here, and plagiarism is strictly prohibited. The Finnish culture, similar with the academic style, is also more structured. Although the sun is masked almost perpetually by grey clouds, and there is darkness and cold, Finns are very warm-hearted, and the facilities and services offered by them are to the utmost best. They utilize the highest technologies to deliver efficient services (we pay to do our laundry by cell phone calls). Additionally, the student life is excellent, and well organized, with several student trips, parties and events, as well as an ingenious array of social programs (such as a language friend, a Finnish friend, and a tutor: to help you get settled in). When we were nearing the end of that semester, we were growing to like this Finnish lifestyle more and more. Especially when summer was coming in the end of the semester, this affection was amplified by the lovely sunshine.
The Netherlands
Then the season changes again, and before we were fully aware of it, we had already landed in another country - The Netherlands. That was the last semester of our study together, and we couldn’t live so close with each other because of the housing arrangement. We even didn’t always study in the same classroom because we had the possibility of course selection. However, it wouldn’t stop us from cherishing our time together and sharing our joy as a group. Tilburg University is more a ‘university’ than the previous two schools, with more buildings, more students, and bigger classrooms. The studies depended a lot on self-learning, and had closer relations with the industry. Some of the professors were even working as consultants in the professional field. Talking about students’ life, we had been obviously spoiled by the Finnish facilities and services that in the first days, we felt so lost with the situation there – small and expensive accommodation, no student discount on public transportations for international students, no subsidized lunches in university cafeteria…However, we ‘survived again’! The beautiful autumn leaves drove away the depression from the rainy weather. We rode our bikes, we screamed on roller-coasters in ‘De Efteling’ (a famous amusement park like Disneyland), we pulled ‘Krokets’ (Dutch food made of potato and minced chicken) out of a ‘wall’, we took pictures of windmills, we enjoyed a weekend at ‘Port Zélande’ (a holiday resort below sea-level near a dike), we went to Amsterdam… Meanwhile, for most of us, it would be the first time in our life to witness such names as ‘red-light district’ and ‘coffee shop’ (where the sale of soft drugs is tolerated). The memories in the Netherlands are so extreme – extreme beauty and extreme gloom.
Thesis Internship and Graduation
In the last semester of the programme, we scattered in different countries for our thesis internship. Among us, 10 students did the internship/research in the Netherland, 6 in Finland, 3 in France, 1 in Switzerland and 1 in China.
Our internships were supported by various companies, including Accenture (NL), Business & Decision (Switzerland), If P&C Insurance Company (FI), ING (NL), Nokia (FI), Nokia Siemens (FI), Osiatis (FR), P&G (NL), Shell (NL) and ST Microelectronics (FR). Meanwhile, some of the students carried out academic researches in TSE and Tilburg University. The theses covered a wide spectrum of topics in the field, closely related to our academic study as well as the real-life practice.
The IMMIT story had a happy ending in July 2009, when all of us 21 students graduated without exception! The graduation ceremony was held in Aix-en-Provence, in the beautiful summer sunshine. Just as in the beginning, we had a big reunion again. There we celebrated the two years of our memorable friendship and fruitful studies, together with all our dear professors and coordinators. The three diplomas were the best reward for our hard work. With the sincere wishes from everyone, we started our new journeys of life.
Since the group was separated, we have still been in frequent communication in our Google group named “IMMighTy”. Sometimes, to see a ‘spam’ from the group can be such a pleasure in the middle of our busy days. May our IMMIT spirit ‘Share and Care’ spread to all over the world with us – the lovely IMMITers!
Authors: Tingting Lin & Jevin Ramjattan
(Special thanks to Mark Van Liefland and Slavica Lazarevic for the reviewing and modification).
1) The Erasmus Mundus programme is a co-operation and mobility European master’s programme in the field of higher education. It aims to enhance quality in European higher education and to promote intercultural understanding through co-operation with third countries. The Erasmus Mundus scholarship is provided by the European Commission for third country students in this programme.