UNIVERSITY
COLLEGE UTRECHT
University College Utrecht (UCU) is the International Honors College of
University Utrecht, the Netherlands. It was founded in 1998 as the first
academic institution in the Netherlands offering a 3-year Liberal Arts &
Sciences (BA and BSc) undergraduate education to a highly selected
student body. UCU admits approximately 220 students per year, 40% of
whom are non-Dutch. Our graduates are readily accepted by prestigious
Master and PhD programs in the Netherlands and elsewhere.
For more details about UCU and its curriculum, see www.ucu.uu.nl
UCU
in Africa
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
The UCU in Africa Program offers students an intensive and on site cross-cultural
(and very personal) academic learning experience. It enables students to
appreciate multi-faceted and interdisciplinary perspectives to the development
process. Students learn to evaluate critically the nature and impact of policies
and programs implemented by governments, NGO’s, and other agents of
development. They are introduced to the major environmental, cultural, socio-
economic, and political issues of communities participating in development
processes. Through participation in internships, students have an opportunity to
contribute personally to the aims of an NGO, or local - community-based
organization, as well as to the local community.
The program prepares students for a professional or academic career in the field
of development.
The UCU in Africa program consists of 3 main components:
1. Spring Preparatory Course: Theory and Practice in
International Development
2. Summer Field Course: Topics and Field Methods in East Africa
3. Summer Internship
ABOUT THE STUDENTS
The UCU in Africa program accepts a limited number of selected students in
an application process that includes an interview. The program looks for the
following characteristics in the applicants:
1. Genuine interest in development issues
2. Excellent academic performance
3. Interdisciplinary interest
4. Cross-cultural interest
5. Maturity
PREPARATORY COURSE
The preparatory course is taught in the semester preceding the summer field
program and internship. The course provides students with:
1. Foundation in Development Theory
Seminars and readings in development theory expose students to the current
debates on how to define and approach issues of poverty and development. In
addition, students are required to follow modules in Methods courses given as part
of the regular curriculum.
2. Specialized Knowledge on East Africa
Topical seminars on history and livelihood dynamics in East Africa
related to the field course itinerary and the internships.
3. Exposure to Development Practitioners
A development speaker series offers students the opportunity to get acquainted
with development practice.
4. Theoretical Preparation for the Internships
The second half of the course is dedicated to students pursuing
independent reading and research culminating in the preparation and
presentation of a research proposal.
FIELD COURSE
This field course: Topics and Field Methods in East Africa, takes the students
on a journey through three very different socio-cultural environments: 1 -
highland agricultural communities, 2 - rangeland pastoral communities, and 3
- urban informal settlement communities. The course provides students with a
unique opportunity to engage with and understand different livelihood
practices and development challenges facing local communities. Students
engage locally through homestays, local teaching staff, and many other
encounters. The course also focuses on directing students to various
qualitative and quantitative field methods, which they can later employ for the
benefit of their internship project.
INTERNSHIP
The following general conditions apply to all internships within the
UCU in Africa Program:
1. Internships have an approximate duration of five weeks.
2. Preferably, pairs of interns will be allocated at one location.
3. Internships programs contain the following elements:
* a research component serving the host organization
* a community service component
* a personal cross-cultural learning experience
4. Internship programs can relate to any academic field
(Humanities / Social Sciences / Sciences I
Interdepartmental).
5. The selection of candidates for a particular internship program
will be a joint responsibility of UCU and the host organization.
6. The host organization will appoint an on-site supervisor for
each internship.
7. UCU will appoint an academic supervisor for each internship.
8. The host organization will assist interns in finding accommodation
during their internship, but interns will finance their own travel and
housing unless agreed otherwise by the host organization.
Examples of Participating Host Organizations:
Africa SOMA - Kenya llepa - Kenya
Refugee Law Project - Uganda FEMI - Tanzania
Enduimet - Tanzania Floresta - Tanzania
MPIDO - Kenya Kituo cha Seria - Kenya
GreenPower - Kenya HIVOT - Ethiopia
MTD - Kenya ZOA - Ethiopia
Jua Kali - Kenya Sauti
> Moja - Tanzania
Maria's libraries - Kenya
National Museum of Kenya -
Kenya
HOST
ORGANIZATION
TESTIMONIALS
“Our UCU intern was academically well prepared for her
internship. Her academic program before the internship was very
thorough and provided many opportunities for learning about
various indigenous cultures as well as issues of development in
Kenya. I would gladly work with more interns from University
College Utrecht in the future.”
“The students were innovative. They were willing to learn and
were fast to meaningfully interact with the community. The
interns demonstrated good interpersonal, team-building and
communication skills and were professional in their approach.”
“The UCU interns have excellent research and analytical
skills and have contributed significantly to our programs.
They are hard-working, eager to learn, enthusiastic and
motivated. They recognize the value of socially integrating
and approaching the field with cultural sensitivity.”
“Our UCU interns delivered an in-depth research report. The document will be
immensely useful in informing our advocacy and lobbying for durable
solutions to the problems of internal displacement.”
“UCU produced a detailed report on food security at the household level.
Their scientific approach towards food production and agricultural practices
will help us identify workable solutions that will enable the community to be
food secure.”
“The UCU students managed to undertake an impressive amount of work during
the relative short duration and produce a report that was clear, well organized
and that provides a nuanced and well substantiated description of the key
components of the program.”
STUDENT TESTIMONIALS
“Interns who are fortunate enough work for this NGO find themselves in a unique environment.
The Maasai community offers people from outside a mirror through
which someone all of a sudden sees himself from a different
perspective.”
“The UCU in Africa program was interesting and engaging. I believe that I
contributed to the NGO just like the internship greatly complemented my
education at UCU by providing a practical understanding of the various
theoretical concepts concerning development I had studied. I learned a lot
from what I saw, heard, and experienced. I am grateful for the opportunity as
it was truly an unforgettable experience.”
“I learned valuable lessons from my experience in the field. The UCU in Africa
program allowed me to meet fascinating and extraordinary people. I also
learned the value of nature and became committed to conservation. I learned
a number of things about myself, which I could only have discovered in
difficult moments that put one up to the test. This has been one of the most
precious experiences I have ever had.”
“Being in the company of so many inspiring individuals opened up a very
different world to what I had naively decided to box as yet another case of
undefeatable political processes and the inevitable fading of tradition by the
unyielding Westernized idea of modernity.”
“It is a priviledge to study East African society from so close and to see
the world changing in front of your eyes, brought alive through
observations, stories, personal contacts and friendships.”
“This program unraveled to us the complexity of development and
posed new questions about the solutions to end poverty.”
CONTACT DETAILS
University College Utrecht
P.O Box 80125 / 3508 TC Utrecht / The Netherlands
Tel.: +31 30 253 99 00
Director / Dr. Lonia Jakubowska,
[email protected]
