What are you doing?
Swen: “We are working on something for the project management course, a group project. We have to write a report for third-year students; study material that is useful to them.”

Can’t those third-year students do this themselves?
Koen: “It’s a teaching commitment.”
Well, is it instructive?
Swen: “Not yet; we are still in the preparation phase. First, we have to draft a plan of approach for the lecturer.’

What exactly is the project about?
Swen: “We are conducting research on the Transatlantic Trade & Investment Partnership (TTIP, which recently has been much discussed ed.). It’s a commercial treaty between the US and Europe for which negotiations have been conducted for years.”
Dave: “It should facilitate trade.”

And what is it that you do with TTIP?
Swen: “We summarize all information on it. Who is for it, who is against it, et cetera.”

Is it interesting?
Swen: “We could choose from three topics; this one was at least a bit interesting.”
Dave: “But actually, it is only now that we are dealing with it at a substantive level.”

When should it be completed?
Swen: “We still have a few weeks; until the end of the study period. Have we gotten far yet? I think that there are groups that have not yet progressed at all.”

You are nearing the end of year 1. Is it a nice course of study?
Swen: Yes, I quite like it.”
Pepino: “Great! It’s very international, which is what I wanted. Sometimes, the schedule is not very logical, though.”
Dave: “Sometimes, I find it a bit boring. Classes are too long, and everything is kind of the same.”

But you’re still going to earn your first-year certificate?
Dave: “Yes, I’m doing quite well.”

Jos van Nierop