Amsterdam School of International Business

Arthur Kurek AMSIB Alumnus

Testimonial

My name is Arthur Kurek, I am 24 years old and a former student at the Amsterdam School of International Business (AMSIB). Studying at AMSIB was a really nice experience, I learned a lot from the programme and had a very good time.

Once graduated, I decided to go for my Master’s degree in Asia. I wanted to go back to Asia and gain more in-depth knowledge

in Taipei, Taiwan - Master student

In my final years, I did my exchange at Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, and my internship at Smith & Nephew Medical Ltd. in Downtown Shanghai.

Striving for a Master’s degree

Once graduated, I decided to go for my Master’s degree in Asia. I wanted to go back to Asia and gain more in-depth knowledge about subjects such as the Digitalization in Business, Supply Chain, Politics in Asia and Business in Asia. And honestly, I also did not feel like working full-time already for so many years. Hence, a Master in Asia was the most logical next step.

Taiwan

I considered Master’s programmes in China, where I did my internship and exchange, and programmes in Taiwan. I decided to go to a university in Taiwan, because the university there was one of the best university in Asia, had the best programme and the job opportunities tend to be excellent after completion. The lifestyle, food and climate in (Southern-)Taiwan also appeals to me.

Application procedure

It was not that easy to get in. I first had to legalize my bachelor’s diploma and transcript, which resulted in quite a number of trips to various ministries and the Taipei Office in The Hague. Moreover, the school required recommendation letters, a study plan, an autobiography, a good score for the TOEFL English-proficiency exam, proof of financial support and a medical certificate. The university also checked the courses I followed at AMSIB, as well as my GPA. Luckily, I got a lot of help from the people within AMSIB whilst applying.

Living and working in Taiwan

The visa does not allow me to work next to my studies. But I have some savings and applied for a study allowance from the Dutch ministry of Education to finance my time there.

I do not know yet how hard it will be to find housing in Taiwan, I will look for a place to live once I arrive there. But, it is ought to be much easier than it is in Amsterdam.

I am not the kind of person who has long-term goals. Nevertheless, it won’t be a surprise that it is my aim to learn a lot in Taiwan and that I want to be successful in the programme. Additionally, I want to improve my Mandarin to an intermediate/advanced level and I simply want to enjoy life over there.