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On May 27th 2024, a group of 26 undergraduate students majoring in Geography and/or Urban Governance, started their 14-days Netherlands and Belgium field trip in Amsterdam, with two staff members serving as field supervisors (Dr. VAN DER WOUDEN and Prof. Chen).
This fieldtrip examines several cultural, economic, governmental and geographic dimensions of The Netherlands and Belgium. Students visited and explored some important cities including Amsterdam, Maastricht, Ghent, The Hague, Rotterdam, Utrecht and Cologne. A wide variety of exploratory and educational activities have been conducted. Leading by professional guides, students toured the historic city-center of Amsterdam and Ghent, visited the harbor of Rotterdam, discovered the caves and caverns in Maastricht, visited the campuses of Utrecht University and Ghent University for lectures, explored the arts and historical treasures in the Rijksmuseum. Students have enjoyed talking and discussing with policy-makers, scholars, guides, university students and locals about diverse topics including sustainability, natural landscape, housing, transportation, climate change, and urban resilience.
To be as sustainable as possible, most trips are made by train, bicycle, boat and foot to reduce the environmental footprint. On the last day of the field-trip the students presented their learning experiences in creative formats. As a result of this visit, students and teachers became more familiar with each other and deep friendships were formed among students. The students gained a better understanding of the local culture, history and urban development through first-hand experience and communication with different local groups. A very rewarding field trip.