Hi, my name is Nguyen Phuong Thao, third year Economics and Business Economics student at Erasmus School of Economics. Born and raised in Vung Tau, a beautiful seaside-resort town in Vietnam and the major hub for sea transport and offshore petroleum activities, I have been nurtured by an internationally-oriented environment. Especially my family’s tradition of fondness for learning has shaped my dream for studying abroad. My father and elder sister both got their higher education in Russia, while my eldest sister earned her undergraduate in USA and master degree at the University of Maastricht. Since then she has inspired me by her stories of the “low country”, river dikes, windmills, and the city of Rotterdam with the famous Erasmus University, striking riverside setting, and its maritime heritage.
Located at the “Gateway to Europe”, with the high academic standard and the outstanding international reputation, Erasmus School of Economics promises a highly competitive learning opportunity, adapting to nowadays more and more complex and challenging global economy. As a person who is always excited at looking at the big picture of how the world works, the Economics and Business Economics programme suited my strong analytical mind-set and my ambition of various career paths in central banks, government or international organisations.
The programme offers useful resources that I can take advantage of: internships; worldwide exchange; and the Bachelor Honours Class, where I can work on personal development, enjoy lively cultural life, and expand my network with field pioneers from lecture cycles. Starting with no prior economics knowledge, I encountered many difficulties with understanding new terminologies and developing personal learning approach during my first year. But every cloud has a silver lining: the willingness to help from all professors and fellow students helped me successfully overcome such obstacles and grow. This is also what I liked most about Rotterdam and its people: diversified, dynamic and open-minded.