Along with the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Education, Culture and Science and Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, the NAHSS is a joint initiative pioneered by Utrecht University, McKinsey & Company, TU Delft and Akzo Nobel.

It is a programme that second-year and third-year undergraduate students the opportunity to immerse themselves in a plethora of project-based research in the Asian region. Since 2013, AUC students have been selected to participate in the NAHSS. We talked to a student about her experience of the NAHSS programme.

River Rain's NAHSS experience

As a second-year AUC student majoring in Sciences with an information focus and a minor in Humanities, I was thrilled to discover the NAHSS. Not only did it offer an opportunity to travel to Vietnam and Hong Kong, but also to connect with major companies and make friends from across the Netherlands. My expectations were high, but I never could have predicted how extraordinary the experience would be.

I was delighted to be assigned to the consultancy project for OMA, a Rotterdam-based architecture firm. We were tasked with a comparative waste management study of Hong Kong and Ho Chi Minh presented in magazine format. It was a great chance to explore my interest in architecture and practice my design skills, and doing so in an interdisciplinary group led to twists, turns, and unexpected creative directions that made our final product something truly impressive.

Traveling through Asia with the NAHSS was particularly amazing because the program gives you unique insights about each place you go. Our first day in Hong Kong began with a lecture at our host university about the city's colonial history and culture, which helped inform my interactions with Hong Kong throughout the visit. The program’s cultural activities were also fascinating, especially our visit to the mangrove forests in the Mekong Delta. Additionally, we had the chance to learn about the business and educational environments of each country. Visiting HSBC Bank solidified my decision that banking was not for me, but going to the PwC office sparked an interest in consulting. For AUC students who are exploring potential career paths, NAHSS offers amazing exposure to different industries. The program also gave us plenty of time for our own adventures and misadventures. Some of my favorites include crossing the border into Shenzhen, getting lost above a casino in Macao, and catching a last-minute flight to Hanoi on a hunt for egg coffee.

However, my favorite part of the NAHSS experience was the camaraderie I found with other participants. We all shared tips on the best places to visit and looked out for one another in unfamiliar environments. When I fell ill in Vietnam, I was touched by how many people offered me medicine, brought me food, and helped me recover. Our delegation became such an amazing and supportive community, and many of us have continued to meet up even after the end of the program.