International Projects
Social engagement and international perspective. That’s what students and staff gain from participating in two very special HAN-wide international projects. They are Theewaterskloof Program in South Africa and Bangalore Program in India. Take a look!
Theewaterskloof
Theewaterskloof is a community program in South Africa. This program combines the work of students and lecturers from HAN University of Applied Sciences and Cape Peninsula University of Technology in South Africa. The common goal: help the South African community of Theewaterskloof develop a wide range of initiatives. The program enables students to make a valuable and lasting contribution to society.
A multidisciplinary focus
All departments from both universities are involved in the Theewaterskloof Program. Teaching, doing research, carrying out service-oriented tasks. Since the beginning of the program, more than 700 students have worked on a variety of projects. Most of these are multi-year, multidisciplinary subprojects which focus on education, health and social enhancement.
For example, students of industrial design, psychotherapy and speech therapy work together to design toys for children with a mental health disorder. Another example is an educational project in Genadendal. Here, education, social work, physiotherapy and occupational therapy students collaborate to support home-based care programs for a local elementary school.
Key goals
Our goals within the Theewaterskloof Program at HAN go deeper than just learning experience. We aim to provide participants with a valuable work placement throughout their time on the program. They get practical support and supervision. And they reinforce their capabilities at different levels within the Theewaterskloof community. They learn to give support by empowering and engaging those in the community.
More info
Do you have any questions about the Theewaterskloof Program? Send an email to communityprojects@han.nl and find out more.
Bangalore
The Bangalore Program is a similar community service learning program in Bangalore, India. Here students and lecturers from various faculties of both Christ University in Bangalore and HAN give their all. By working together with the citizens of underprivileged communities, the program aims to develop projects to improve social, economic and living standards. Students contribute to these projects by lending their expertise while at the same time learning from the community they are engaging with.
Take diversity in stride
When starting out, the Bangalore Program focused on one community in particular: LR Nagar. It is one of the poorer communities in Bangalore and has a culturally diverse demographic. The majority of people living in this community have emigrated from neighboring countries and cities.
The Centre for Social Action (CSA) at Christ University was already doing a lot of work in this neighborhood, so HAN students initially focused on this community as well. Now, years later, HAN students work together with several different local communities and organizations throughout Bangalore.
Involving the community
Students from a range of fields participate in this program. They're encouraged to take a multidisciplinary approach to tackling issues in the communities.
For example, nutrition students work together with physical education students on projects that promote healthy living. Industrial product design students team up with marketing students to develop and promote products from a waste recycling unit. Business students collaborate with social work students to empower women who want to set up their own businesses.
While the projects vary, they all have one thing in common: the students work on needs identified by people in the community. And they work with the community to come up with a sustainable solution.
Do you have any questions about the Bangalore Program? Send an email to communityprojects@han.nl and find out more.
