Feedback from clients 

Below you find feedback of some of our clients: Visio International, University of Twente, HAN University of Applied Sciences. 

Workshop Beschermjassen, Conferentie Huiselijk geweld, 2023

Training Diversity and inclusion, HAN 2023

Training Visio International, 'Intercultural awareness', 2020:  

Participants are (mostly Dutch) Visio trainers who train local trainers in international projects of Visio, among others in Ghana, Uganda, Zambia, Botswana, Egypt, West-bank and within European collaborations. 

Training results were that participants recognize how cultural differences and similarities changes the impact of their training. They got tools and were motivated to adjust their training setup, use the local knowledge from the local coordinator and trainers. 

Individual eyeopeners during Saskia Kreutzer's training on intercultural awareness: 

·   'Saskia made us think about how to deal with people who think from "the other side of a dimension". I learned about the different factors that can play a role with cultural differences.' 

·   'The info training of Saskia was a bit less "new", because we could have done the e-learning and thus already learned a few things. Very nice to actively work with it and learn from each other. '

·   'Inspiration!!'

·   'How to act optimally from low to high context culture'

·   'Putting the theory about the various dimensions next to your own experience. View the concept of culture in the broadest sense. In addition to the different cultures, also how you can ask people something so that you still get information and involve them. Such as "what did you learn instead of did you understand it?"'

·   'We are all different thinkers, because I can certainly use this in my daily work with non-native speakers.' 'The way you look at cultural differences and how they can influence them. '

Online lecture/training 'Intercultural Awareness', UT Twente, 2020:

Participants are 3d year students from Natural Sciences at UTwente, following the course Ethics and Cultural Awareness. Results: Two meetings were related to intercultural awareness and the results were that students could recognize cultural differences and similarities when collaborating in international teams and knew how to cope with these differences by accepting, adjusting or negotiating differences. In this way they were more prepared for their minors, internships or study abroad. Individual feedback included: 

• 'I was aware of cultural differences but I hadn’t thought about looking up some tips on the situation you are going to find yourself in. Now, I would find some information on how to deal with Italians, specifically before going to Italy, rather than just researching general culture. Also, the communication directness was a real eyeopener to me. '
  
• 'I think it was very interesting and I learned stuff so I only have a compliment. Thank you for the lectures.'  
  
• 'One thing I’d have liked to see is more of an emphasis of culture not so much in relation to countries, but in terms of the kind of setting you work in (academia vs corporate vs startup) as that may be relevant in the day-today of many people'.  
  

Training 'Intercultural communication', Hogeschool Arnhem & Nijmegen, 2020-2015

Participants of this training are staff members from HAN University of Applied Sciences, mostly lecturers, study coaches, receptionists and policy makers. 

Result of the training was that staff members became more aware of similarities and differences between themselves and the (very diverse) student population. Also they could adjust their communication style so that they were better understood by students. Furthermore, they could consider when to invite international students to adapt to the Dutch educational system (training them on new skills) and when to invite all students for an international approach. Feedback mentioned about Saskia Kreutzer's training: 

• 'Connection to individual needs of participants, plenty of room for personal input, a very pleasant working atmosphere created in the group.'
  
• 'Saskia Kreutzer is a very good teacher, fits in well with the group, very good trainer.'
  
• 'The training was diverse, there was a lot of room for your own input, you were pleasantly encouraged to work with the material and to share your own experiences.' 
• 'Varied, fun working methods'.

Feedback about the same training online in 2020: 

• Saskia has found excellent online forms and varies nicely. It was not difficult to keep the attention. Very satisfied. Thank you Saskia!' 
• Because the group was not too large, the training could take place via Teams. It may even have added value because the contacts with students now also largely run through Teams. So it helps in practicing that through this medium. 
• Strengths of the training: content and teacher. Expertise of Saskia. Good explanation. Enough attention for everyone. Nice person, calm. Explanation and diversity good combination of theory and practice. There is a lot of room for your own input. Safe atmosphere. Practicing cases, trainer who has a lot of experience with regard to subject. Plenty of room for sharing experiences in the group. 

Impressions of training, lectures and conferences