Philip-Peter Dietz graduated from the Bachelor of International Business in Breda in 2016. Today, he is Account Manager at Oracle.

“Back in Germany, I was studying at the ESB Business School in Reutlingen when I decided I wanted to go abroad. I felt it would offer me a valuable experience and the chance to learn a new language. That’s why I decided to do a dual degree.”

One of the best programmes in this subject area

“I completed the first 2 years of my bachelor's degree in Reutlingen, before joining the International Business programme in Breda for the final 2 years. The combined Avans and ESB programme is one of the best in this subject area. Initially, I hesitated between the Netherlands and Ireland. In the end, I opted for the Netherlands because I assumed it wouldn’t rain as much as in Ireland.”

Learning soft skills

“Living and studying abroad turned out to be such an enriching experience! I haven’t regretted this decision for a moment. I had a wonderful time in Breda and learnt such a lot. Not so much about the subjects covered as from the projects and soft skills I wouldn’t have acquired otherwise. These include working with others but, above all, working with students from different backgrounds.”

Preparation for your working life

“These are the skills that help prepare you for working life and that benefit me today in my position as Account Manager at tech company Oracle. As part of our offering, we sell cloud solutions to clients around the globe. I’m responsible for sales, communication, marketing and service software for the German clients who use these solutions.”

Embark on an adventure

“Many students have never heard of a dual degree. I feel that’s such a shame because I would recommend it to anyone. More people should embark on this adventure. Generally, Dutch students seem a bit scared about moving abroad. Businesswise, however, moving to a different country and learning a new language can work out very well for you. Move to France or Germany. Speaking French or German is a valuable asset, since the Netherlands conducts a lot of business with these 2 countries.”