An anonymous donor is using her old age pension through the ISS Alumni Fund (part of the Erasmus Trustfonds) to enable international students to study at the International Institute of Social Studies.
In this interview she explains why she hopes others will follow her example.
By creating scholarships, she is helping ambitious professionals to the Netherlands for study and residency.
Why is she remaining anonymous? 'It’s not about me, but about the idea. I have sufficient income through my works pension, so I don’t need my old age pension to make ends meet. I’d rather spend that money on a good cause. I think there are many people for whom the same applies. Maybe I’ll give them an idea,' says the donor. 'That can be any good initiative or fund of course, but I think the ISS is the best destination.'
She worked at ISS for a number of years and became impressed with the international community and the enthusiastic students who, through their education here, can and want to make a difference in their work, anywhere in the world, wherever they come from. When she was looking for a charity for her pension, she thought back to that and decided that ISS was a worthy destination:
'The ISS is a wonderful institution. Teachers are not only very knowledgeable, but also strongly involved with the students and the welfare office undertakes all kinds of activities to make the students feel at home. It’s not nothing for these students to settle down in a foreign country. They are taking quite a leap of faith. The financial situation of many prospective ISS students makes it all the more difficult to take this step.
I hope that the scholarships made possible by my extra contribution will provide the necessary support for a number of students. I hope that they not only get their diploma, but also build a network through their stay at ISS that they will benefit from throughout their lives. That they enrich each other’s lives and share cultures. I wish that for them!'
She adds, 'It would be great to see these scholarship-holders at their graduation ceremonies. That way you can really see the difference you’ve made!'
'Most of our students want to be change agents in their countries, their aim is to create a better and more equal world. This financial support for an MA study makes a great difference in achieving their goals.' Professor Inge Hutter, Rector ISS
Benefitting from the Trustfonds
A number of students at the International Institute of Social Studies have already benefitted from donations paid into the Erasmus Trustfonds (via the ISS Alumni Fund). For example, for the September 2021 MA intake, at least two students will benefit from financial support from the ISS Alumni Fund.