“In addition to studying, it is nice to participate in a program like this,” says Rutger. As a student who transitioned from an applied sciences (HBO) program to the university, he has experience with different forms of education. “A learning community is, in my opinion, truly valuable, with interesting topics. The education program is focused on fixed themes and offers little to no room for topics that are still less familiar, such as RPA. A topic like this sounds good on paper, but you can only truly understand how it works when you dive into it.”

Bas continues: “In the learning community, we learn together about a specific topic. In this way, students get the chance to become familiar with real-world practice, the university opens itself up to the business sector, and it creates a strong connection with companies in the region.”

“The learning community was a voluntary choice to join,” says Rutger. He continues: “It started with an introduction given by Gerben from Nidaros and Bas. From there, we zoomed in on what we, as students, wanted to gain from the program and what we wanted to learn. There were many different topics that we, as students, brought up, and learning through practice was the most important outcome. In this case, about RPA. The concept of RPA sounds great, but how does it work in practice? That’s the question we got answers to.”

When we finally ask which aspects of the collaboration between Nidaros and the GDBC are the most important to highlight, Rutger says: “The explanation about RPA, with practical examples, was very helpful. I gained clarity on how RPA is used in the business world, how it works, and what it can be used for.” Bas concludes: “The message we want to communicate is important: collaboration between the triangle of students, the university, and entrepreneurs. Sharing knowledge within this collaboration truly adds value.”