Transforming classroom knowledge into useful, real-world skills is easier said than done.

Books and lectures can help, up to a point. But it is the students themselves who have to prepare for the hostile uncertainties beyond their cozy campus.

In a departure from the conventional lecture-based method, Nyenrode Business Universiteit in the Netherlands focuses on providing students with practical experience that can help them cultivate their business career, according to the school’s international marketing manager Yoony Kim.

Kim said there was a close link between the Dutch university and the business sector, as students are given ample practical training via its programs linked to business enterprises.

The link is also reflected in the university’s funding structure. Most of the school’s funding comes from serving the business sector. “They need talents, and we need an under standing of real-life business to serve the business community,” Kim said.

In addition to the academic aspects, the school places emphasis on the practical applications of skills acquired on campus. “When you enter a Nyenrode campus, you are actually working. You are not a student, you are a professional and treated as such,” Kim said.

One example of such field experiences is an MBA program called “Meet the CEO,” through which students get a chance to meet chief executive officers of global companies such as Shell and Microsoft. The students analyze their business and provide their suggestions to top-level executives.

Nyenrode, based in Breukelen, the Netherlands, was founded in 1946 by educators striving to rebuild the nation from the ashes of World War II.

It offers diverse master’s programs, MBA and post master’s degrees in management, law and accountancy and controlling.

Kim said the programs are designed to foster creativity and nurture key business skills such as leadership, stewardship and enterpreneurship.

To inspire students to think creatively, the university urges them to engage in interactive discussions. The lecturers do not merely present the “right” answers; instead, they facilitate active discussions among students. About 90 percent of the curricula is based on experimental learning.

Kim, who herself completed an MBA at Nyenrode, said participating actively in class can be challenging for Korean students. Many of the classes in Korea are led by professors and involve minimal interaction among students.

“The more proactive you are, the better ― nobody will take care of you unless you ask for it,” she said.

Nyenrode currently offers five scholarships specifically to Korean students wishing to study abroad. The Orange Tulip Scholarship, totaling 92,750 euros ($116,000), is the international MBA and the full-time master’s in management programs.

Alumni-recommended students get certain advantages in admission, such as a shortened process and a higher chance of getting a scholarship.

By Yoon Min-sik (minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com)