May 1, 2023

From School Dropout to CEO: Lessons from a Teenage Entrepreneur's Journey of Self-Discovery

In this episode, we speak with Imran Ouhdi, founder of Exponensia, a successful sales and marketing business that he began building at 15. Join us as Imran shares his insights and experiences - from dropping out of school to starting his own business - and his words of advice to young people and educational institutions on how to support students in finding their individual paths to success! Click the link below to listen to the full episode. 🎧

March 2, 2023

From the War in Ukraine to the Hallowed Halls of Oxford

In this episode, we speak with Denys Karlovskyi, a graduate student at the Blavatnik School of Government at the University of Oxford. Denys shares his experience living through the war in Ukraine and how he overcame obstacles to pursue his dream of studying public policy at Oxford. He discusses the challenges he faced in leaving his country during a time of war and the ways in which universities can support students from crisis backgrounds. Listen to this inspiring conversation about courage, resilience, and the pursuit of dreams, even in the midst of adversity!

February 14, 2023

The Art of Letting Young People Own Their Own Journey

What would you say if your children came up to you and said "I want to pursue comedy as my career" or "I want to be a pro-gamer"? Join us in conversation with Gustav Garde, a student from Denmark who took the road less travelled and pursued his passion for gaming as a career before transitioning back to school and excelling in academics. This episode is a must-listen for educators, parents, and young people alike to understand the importance of nurturing individual interests and allowing students to own their own journeys!

January 27, 2023

From Struggle to Success: An International Student's Mental Health Journey

Are you an international student navigating the challenges of adjusting to a new culture and facing academic pressures? Join us on today’s episode as we explore the crucial topic of mental health for international university students. Our guest, Victor Nosa, a successful graduate from Saxion University in the Netherlands, candidly shares his personal journey of overcoming mental health struggles as an international student. He shares valuable insights on the support systems that helped him not only survive, but thrive. Don’t miss this opportunity to break the silence on the unique challenges international students face and learn how we can work together to create a more supportive and inclusive environment for all.

December 28, 2022

First-generation Students: How to include - Meet Nehir and Boo

👩🏼🎓 ⅕ students in the UK and ⅓ students in the US are first-generation students 👨🏼🎓 Currently, there are more first-generation students attending university than ever before. This is wonderful news, as it means more people are now able to get higher education 🚀 However, being a first-generation student has its challenges. The question is, what can Universities do to include and better support our first-generation students to enable them to thrive in university? To discuss the topic of inclusion and first-generation students, we have with us Nehir Akbulut and Boo van den Bemt, students from the University of Applied Sciences Leiden in the Netherlands and passionate student council members.

November 23, 2022

A Common Bias: Vocational Studies Are ‘Lesser’ Than Academic Studies

Can you tell the difference between these two statements? ‘You’re attending this school? Good for you!’ ‘You’re attending this school? Oh, (long pause) good for you.’ Both these statements may sound very similar but as any vocational student can tell you, there’s a world of difference contained in that long pause. In many societies, vocational studies are seen as lesser than academic studies, a last resort for students who couldn’t cut it in academics. However, not only is this view extremely narrow, it also results in vocational students feeling small and unworthy. In Episode 6 of the StudentPulse podcast, we speak to Adam Thorp a 20-year-old student and Chairperson of the Student Council at MBO Utrecht in the Netherlands, on how vocational students are viewed in society and what educational institutions can do to help change that.

October 17, 2022

Far From Home: What Can We Do To Help International Students Thrive?

If you’ve spent your whole life growing up in a warm climate all year round, uprooting and moving to a country where winter is freezing and the sun sets at 4 pm can be quite a shock to the system. Something like the weather may seem like a minor thing but for international students – alone in a new place for the first time – going to live and study abroad is a major life transition. In Episode 5 of the StudentPulse podcast, we speak to Mitchelle Muchuchuti from Zimbabwe and a recent graduate of Saxion University in the Netherlands, on what educational institutions can do to ensure international students are thriving and that their mental health is well-supported.

October 13, 2022

Dropout prevention and transitions in vocational schools

40% of starting students never get a degree! Lea Bergsted is an expert in this field and works as chairperson of the National Network for Managers in Quality Assurance across vocational schools in Denmark. She has also 12 years of hands-on experience as a manager for student counselors and a quality team at a larger Danish vocational school.In this episode, she shares some of the most important lessons about transitions and how to reduce dropout. Lea also provides information on the difference between identity and practical transition issues.

October 13, 2022

Gen Z Speaks: Diversity and Inclusion is a Necessity, Not An Option

How would you feel if you had a teacher who told you 'You are going to drop out of school and end up in prison? Or if you had your fellow students telling you 'You must be cheating' when you do well in school? Many students will never know what that feels like. But for many more, especially students of color, this is their heartbreaking reality. In Episode 4 of the StudentPulse podcast, we speak to 19-year-old Elijah Jagne, a student and member of the Men of Color Leadership Programme at Portland Community College in the United States, on the importance of championing diversity and inclusion in educational institutions.

October 10, 2022

Gen Z Speaks: The Hidden Stress of Social Media on Our Youth

In Episode 2 of the StudentPulse podcast, we speak to 19-year-old Maria Blenstrup, President of the Danish Union of Business Students about the use of social media and the stressors it has placed on today’s youth.

October 7, 2022

Microsurveys as a tool for Students' Unions

In the first section, Gorm from StudentPulse interviews Tjalfe Löwe, who is the Students’ Union chairman for the maritime education at SIMAC in Denmark. Here, Tjalfe mentions the need for a technological solution. "The members of the Students’ Union have to go out and ask their classmates what problems they have at the school. But some of them neglect it. They are not doing what they are supposed to. This means that we are without knowledge in some areas. And that's a problem, because if I do not know what the problem is, then I can not solve it either.” Tjalfe Löwe Students’ Union chairman for the maritime education at SIMAC.