Vrije University - Summer graduate programs
Summer Course in Introduction to Business and International ManagementOnline Netherlands
DURATION
2 Weeks
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Request application deadline
EARLIEST START DATE
Jul 2025
TUITION FEES
EUR 1,035 / per course *
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* Students, PhD candidates and employees of VU Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC or an Aurora Network Partner €545 Students and PhD candidates at partner universities of VU Amsterdam €705 Students and PhD candidates at non-partner universities of VU Amsterdam €
Key Summary
Introduction
The Summer Course in Introduction to Business and International Management aims to offer students an overview of all business areas, enabling them to gain a comprehensive understanding of how to navigate and contribute effectively within organizations.
Business is all around us. A basic understanding of business concepts is useful for people pursuing any type of career. Learning the foundations of the most important aspects of business such as how are businesses organized, how to work in teams, how to market a product, how to lead, or how to judge the financial situation of a business will provide you with a toolbox to better understand the world in which you will work.
The course will expose students to the most important business knowledge. Regardless of a student’s background or career ambitions, an understanding of business concepts can help you get the job you want and provide you with a toolbox to help you advance faster.
Course Overview
- Course level: Beginner/ Advanced Bachelor's & Master's
- Coordinating lecturer: Oli Mihalache
- Forms of tuition: lectures, tutorials, discussions, videos, group work
- Forms of assessment: individual test and group project
- Contact hours: 45
Program Outcome
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
- Discuss the differences and relationships between different areas of a business
- Solve practical business problems (e.g. how to organize a business, lead employees, market a product, and assess the financial health of a business);
- Present solutions to practical problems verbally and in writing for various audiences
Curriculum
This interactive course teaches students the basics of business through simulations, games, movies, and in-class team assignments. The course will address the following topics:
- Understanding the Business Environment
- Starting and Structuring a Business
- Business Management and Organisation
- Motivation, Leadership, and Teamwork
- Human Resource Management
- Principles of Marketing (branding, pricing, promotion)
- Principles of Finance (Financing and Accounting for Business Operations)
Admissions
Program Tuition Fee
Scholarships and Funding
Equal Access Scholarship
Application Procedure
Application for the Equal Access Scholarship will open in Febraury
Great that you are interested in applying for the Equal Access Scholarship. You can apply to the scholarship between 12 February and 1 April. Please be aware that it is only possible to select one course.
The results of the scholarship selection will be announced in May. Since we have a limited number of scholarships available for a large number of applicants, we suggest - if possible! - to complete your payment at the time of your course application to guarantee your place in the course. However, if you are not able to come without the scholarship, you can just wait until the announcement. If you would like to come, regardless of whether you will be granted the scholarship, it is best to secure your place in the course by completing your payment via our regular application form. If the scholarship is granted to you, the tuition and accommodation fees will be reimbursed.
Deadline to submit your Equal Access Scholarship application: 31 March (23:59 CET).
Requirements
When you apply via the Equal Access Scholarship application form you will be requested to upload the following documents:
- Curriculum Vitae/Résumé (CV) stating your educational background.
- Professional Letter of Reference Including:
- His/her/their experience working with you (either in an academic, professional, or volunteer setting)
- His/her/their motivation for recommending you for the scholarship
- Complete contact information
- His/her/their experience working with you (either in an academic, professional, or volunteer setting)
- His/her/their motivation for recommending you for the scholarship
- Complete contact information
- When filling out the scholarship form, we will ask the following questions*:
- Why are you interested in joining VU Amsterdam Summer School?
- What’s your motivation for selecting this course?
- How you will use the information you learn to make a positive impact in the future for both you and your community?
- Why do you deserve this scholarship?
- Why are you interested in joining VU Amsterdam Summer School?
- What’s your motivation for selecting this course?
- How you will use the information you learn to make a positive impact in the future for both you and your community?
- Why do you deserve this scholarship?
Please stick to a maximum of 150 words per question.
Green Travel Grant
At VU Amsterdam Summer School we are also committed to VU's sustainability goals and we aim to reduce the environmental impact of mobility, and specifically, student travel. Therefore, we are thrilled to offer Green Travel Grants to encourage sustainable travel for students attending our summer school.
Where can I apply?
Once the courses have been confirmed to run in mid-May or June, we will send out a newsletter to our participants with a link where they can apply for either funding for train travel or funding for bus travel.
The application period will last two weeks, and we will select the winners via a lottery system. More information on the specific deadlines can be found in the newsletter we send out in May.
How does it work?
For students to receive the economic compensation they will need to submit their purchased travel tickets via email within two weeks after being selected as winners of the grant. Once the deadline to submit their tickets has passed, the students will receive the reimbursement.