Head of International Affairs – Dr. Robert Coelen

At Stenden South Africa’s recent graduation ceremony, TotT caught up with the man responsible for “internationalisation” for Stenden worldwide, Dr Robert Coelen.

 

In an exclusive interview, Coelen spoke of his plans for Stenden, the opportunities for expansion and some of the challenges he will face.

 

“The question of internationalisation of Stenden University is very involved,” Coelen said.

 

“We are currently active in Thailand, Bali, South Africa and The Netherlands, and are working on campuses in at least two other countries at this time. I have been tasked with ensuring that all issues such as ethnicity, social norms and academic achievement are carefully integrated with the culture of Stenden University as well as the country in which the students reside.

 

“Internationalisation touches every aspect of what we do; from administration to the classroom, and from accommodation to communication with the local, provincial and national government offices of the countries where we operate.”

 

 

What then is internationalisation?

 

“When we establish ourselves in a country, we need to be aware that a great number of our students in attendance might come from elsewhere. For example, information signs at our campuses in The Netherlands are written in both Dutch and English. My charter is to ensure that Stenden fits within the country and community, and that the country is able to accommodate our students.”

 

 

Why has Stenden chosen South Africa and, specifically, Port Alfred?

 

“We are very keen to extend our campuses to a diverse number of countries. South Africa offers a wide range of opportunities for the hospitality industry, from seaside resorts to game reserves, and it also includes some world-class hotels. Port Alfred is a beautiful seaside town, and is quite central to a number of institutions we are partnering with. Also, social upliftment is very important to Stenden, and we are able to initiate programs to help locals in the townships to realise some of their entrepreneurial aspirations while, at the same time, our students are learning from the experience.”

 

 

What do you see as opportunities here in South Africa?

 

“There are a virtually unlimited number of opportunities here. First of all, it has been calculated by our administration that Stenden injects around R12m into Port Alfred every year. This comes from accommodation, social as well as the academic activities of our students. We are also refurbishing old buildings in the immediate area to house our foreign students and are involved in a number of community projects. I would like to see this figure increase substantially in the next few years as our campus grows. Port Alfred is a perfect place for us to be, and we are working with the municipality as well as others to increase our footprint.”

 

 

Do you see any problems with being in South Africa?

 

“No, not really. Of course, there are always issues that arise, but Stenden remains strictly apolitical and works toward partnerships with all parties to encourage dialogue and engagement. We are currently working at national level to ensure that South Africa correctly accredits our already internationally recognised BCom and BA degrees.”

 

 

What is your background?

 

“I am actually a microbiologist by profession, and joined Stenden in The Netherlands only a month ago. This is a very exciting time for the university, as we expand throughout the world, developing and educating our students in all aspects of the hospitality industry. I was born in The Netherlands, but was educated in Australia; first in Melbourne and later in Western Australia where I took my Masters. Recently, I have lived in Brisbane, working for the University of Queensland.”

 

 

Is this your first trip to South Africa?

 

“Yes. Having only arrived less than 24 hours ago, I’m looking forward to seeing more of your country.”

 

Robert Coelen spent 30 years in Higher Education in Australia as a student, researcher and academic in molecular evolution and microbiology. He has held appointments in his discipline at the Cancer Institute in Melbourne, the University of Western Australia, and James Cook University.

 

Coelen transferred into university management whilst at James Cook University and was appointed Director of International Programs. In 2002 he moved to The University of Queensland to become Director of International Education.

 

In 2004 Coelen was appointed to the position of Vice-President International at Leiden University, and in 2010, moved to Stenden University with a mandate to look after all aspects of internationalisation. He is the author of over 70 academic textbooks.