What I Wished I Knew Before.....

I suspect this is something I will be adding to as time passes but for now its August 2010 and the new UMDers are in their respective countries counting down the weeks to arrival next month and the beginning of a memorable and exciting year. That you will enjoy yourself is almost a given, that you will maximise the learning experience is another thing. That will take investment of time and effort both inside and outside the lecture room and is entirely in your hands.

I stand corrected but I don't think any graduating class has ever had more than 10% graduating with distinctions. Last year we had exactly 10%. Now with a few weeks to go I think you should have what I call a flying start. I would recommend getting the brain in gear for the kind of thinking and the subject area that will demand your constant attention for the 12 months after arrival.

How would I have done that?

Well a little reading is for sure. Let me warn you, this course like any masters requires a humungous amount of reading so it seems almost wrong to suggest you even begin before getting here but it will only help. Despite the clear emphasis on Development in the programme title I had absolutely no exposure to reading on development issues prior to the course. I was trained as an architect and many if not most of the others are trained as planners but development was another issue. All concepts, all presentations, all papers, all lectures encircle the goal of development and although this is targeted at urban spaces, a strong understanding of development is at the core.

I would suggest heading to google books at http://books.google.com/ and plugging in the word development or development theory and find a couple good ones to read. I would recommend one I read after I had graduated but that I found had helped to cement so much into a cohesive whole. Of course, I found it more meaningful to read after the programme but am sure there would have been much value had it been before. That was Development and the Developing World by Uma S. Kambhampati. which answered question like .....What is development? The Difference between growth and development. Does industrialization lead to growth and development or does fast growth cause industrialization? etc.

Above all, go with where your interest lies, follow your bliss as they say and enjoy it. I absolutely loved the learning process at IHS and found that it can even become addictive as the more you learn its the more you realise how much you know and how little you really know. :0)

Academic Integrity - Plagiarism

Sooooo its August 11 and as I sit here typing up this blog, UMD 6 is pretty much under house arrest doing their analysis and write up of all the field research just finished back in their respective countries. Folks are sleep deprived, frustrated, redoing the 8th draft of their chapter on literature review and watching the days roll by too quickly. Pressure and Panic sets in and the big temptation sometimes looms in..... the other big "P" - PLAGIARISM.

This scenario is by no means unusual for university students but the consequences are dire and so I thought we'd take a look at this problem that plagues many; especially those who are guilty of accidental plaigiarism, simply because you are not sure when you are committing the "crime".

What is plaigiarism?

"The wrongful appropriation, close imitation, or purloining and publication, of another author's language, thoughts, ideas, or expressions, and the representation of them as one's own original work". Lynch, Jack (2002) The Perfectly Acceptable Practice of Literary Theft: Plagiarism, Copyright and the 18th Century in Colonial Williamsburg: The Journal of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation 24, No. 4 (Winter 2002-3), pp. 51-54.

As with all Universities, plagiarism is taken very seriously at IHS. Students upload papers on the university's website (http://www.eur.nl/english/) and each paper is rigourously checked by "Blackboard" to determine the extent to which a student has utilised the work of another. This is expressed by the percentage of work found elsewhere. This does not necessarily mean plagiarism. If the percentage is above a certain amount, the lecturer will then check to see if those areas identified by Blackboard have been properly referenced by the student. If it has then all is well. Bear in mind however, that there is a limit to the amount of work that can be quoted even if referenced but those details will be explained to you further on arrival.

You are probably wondering what is Blackboard?

It is an online software tool which allows a lecturer to interact with students via the Web. You can do some or all of the following, depending on how your instructor sets up the course:

• View important announcements and information
• Participate in online discussions and in small group activities
• Access course materials and resources on the Web
• Submit your assignments, take on-line tests and quizzes, and check your grades

And of course, there is SafeAssign which is the plagiarism prevention service that comes bundled with Blackboard Software that is the subject of this blog entry.

But what exactly does Safeassign do?

SafeAssign checks all submitted papers against the following databases:

• Internet - comprehensive index of documents available for public access on the Internet
• ProQuest ABI/Inform database with over 1,100 publication titles and about 2.6 million articles from '90s to present time, updated weekly (exclusive access)
• Institutional document archives containing all papers submitted to SafeAssign by users in their respective institutions
• Global Reference Database containing papers that were volunteered by students from Blackboard client institutions to help prevent cross-institutional plagarism.

Trust me, this software ain't perfect but it comes pretty close. I had a recent experience with student who tried to outsmart Safe Assign by downloading and installing a plagiarism checker online before submitting his paper (Viper in photo to left) . The software reported 0% but SafeAssign caught 57%. He was stunned because he had not only used other software to see if he could get away with it but he also had paraphrased the information to bypass Safeassign. Or so he thought. The consequences were severe. Undoubtedly this was not a case of accidental plagiarism but many cases are.
So how do you know for sure if you are in the clear? IHS will provide a handbook on thesis writing which tells you how to reference work from others that you use, the format that is specific for IHS and a small booklet on plagiarism. Of course all the lecturers are there to guide you. You will be expected to learn and use proper referencing in your papers from day one so that by the time your thesis is being completed you will be an expert. Now to get you on your way a bit faster here are some links you might want to peruse.
http://academicintegrity.dal.ca/Student%20Resources/Plagiarism_defined.php
http://library.duke.edu/research/plagiarism/
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/589/01/
http://www.ccc.commnet.edu/mla/plagiarism.shtml
Just a word of warning. Its also practice among students to pay persons back at home in other universities to write your papers for you. The lecturers have not only been lecturers for a while now but they have been students and its far easier than you think to detect such tricks of the trade. My advice is resist the urge, mostly because even if you "get away" with it you would have only cheated yourself.

Taking the Train

So you've gotten up the gumption to go beyond the boundaries of Rotterdam and try out the nearby towns. Utrecht is beautiful, as is Den Haag as well as relatively near by. But Maastricht is a popular favourite that is not to be missed. Admittedly its about 3 hours away but worth the trip with a couple of your friends. But the question is how to get there.

FIRST I suggest going to http://www.ns.nl/ to plan your trip. There you can determine the time the train departs Rotterdam Central or arrives at your destination. If its a non-direct trip, meaning you have to change trains mid-trip. And you can determine the cost. The page can be viewed in English by an option top right of the first page.

Confession is good for the soul so I can boldly tell you that I was a tad bit intimidated by the idea of using the ticket machine (seen in photo above) simply because I thought it was all in Dutch and I simply couldn't be bothered to try to understand it so I would always go to the ticket office upstairs Central Station to buy my tickets. That costs a bit more, can't recall how much but its about one euro..I thought it was worth it. But truth is I wasted quite a few euros and not to mention time (lines upstairs are almost always long with tourists buying tickets) before I realised the process was mighty simple. Here's how it goes and we will do this 'pictorally'.

TO SEE BETTER YOU CAN CLICK THE PHOTOS TO EXPAND.

STEP 1. You're not gonna think me very smart when you realise that there was always an option to get "ENGLISH". In the bottom left corner. Not gonna tell you how long it took before some student shared this.

STEP 2.
Choose Day Return or Single depending on plans and type in name of City or select if it comes up automatically.

STEP 3. Follow the prompts and choose the Class Ticket, Full Fare or Discount, Date of use and how many tickets you need. Now is a good time to remind you that you can pay about 75 euros and apply for a one year discount card that give you 40% discount on trips taken outside peak hours.

STEP 4. The next option should be payment but if you are asked to choose between FYRA AND NS bear this in mind. NS is the normal train and Fyra is a extra fast train that you pay extra for. Payment is usually by coins or using your ATM card from Rabobank. Most of us assume the option is debit card but no, its Maestro. (See photo). You are then prompted to stick your card in, then to take it out, to put in your PIN and choose a receipt or not. THAT'S THAT!!

International/Cultural Night

(Rwandan, Indonesian, Jamaican (Me), Indonesian, Ethiopian)

So there I was running all over Kingston the week before departure trying to get the right fabric to have a national dress made to take for what IHS called an International Night. Huh?? What's that about? I had no idea and I was sorely tempted to ignore the voice telling me get one, after all I've never worn one before. Well, glad I didn't listen.

Its by far and wide one of the most memorable events on the school calendar and promises to be good every year barring none. So I spent 6 hours on April 2009 cooking up a storm of Jamaican run-down with puree garlic pumpkin with boiled 'spinners' dumpling (a dish that normally takes no more than 2 hours, poor Jeanette). But worth it it was. What took place could only be called a culinary gastronomical delight. So bring the national dress, bring your best recipe and bring your favorite local music and just in case a bottle of Peptobismol would be good planning.

(A Thai, Mozambican, Vietnamese, Egyptians in National Dress)

Arrival in the Netherlands

Goedemorgen en Welkom in Nederland!!!. Ok that's about as much Dutch as I can muster...but I am just welcoming you to the Netherlands. Now you've probably received an email from the Course Bureau's efficient and helpful Cocky Adams or Ruud Frank (wonderful folks who you'll meet shortly). They've arranged for you to be picked up at Schipol airport but to be honest you've never been to Europe before and you're not quite sure what to expect on arrival.
Here are some tips.

1. Please keep the number of the person greeting you nearby. Any difficulties or delays in immigration/customs you might want to kindly ask for a call to let them know you did arrive but need some more time.


2. Please keep nearby the number of first, the course bureau contact or second, the student warden contact, as flights get delayed, rerouted etc and you really should let them know ASAP.


3. Please travel with the invitation/acceptance letter of the school nearby as some students do experience a bit of questions in immigration and its much easier if you can just whip out the proof of why you are here.

Now unlike many other Universities here, IHS send a friendly Dutch student or another international student to greet you. I've had the pleasure of being the first friendly face that students see and the thing to do is on exiting the gate - head towards the "Meeting Point" (Big red + white cube in photo below). Yeah that's me in the photo above....taking a snooze waiting for an early arrival. LOL!! Now all you need to do is stay put until you spot someone carrying an Erasmus IHS sign. That's your person!! If they are not there when you arrive stay put, don't go - they will be there shortly - perhaps just putting some other students on a train to Rotterdam to come back upstairs to get you.

Now if you have waited long and can't get the pick up person by phone and you must leave Schipol to find your way to Rotterdam - please resist the temptation to charter a taxi....last student did that paid 150 Euros and there is no need. Its really a terribly easy trip to do if you must. Here are the steps.

1. Head to the Train Tickets and Services area and join a line to buy a SINGLE Trip ticket to Rotterdam Central. Between 10-12 Euros depending on payment type...cash/credit etc.


2. If its not too early in the morning head to the Information Booth which is right between the Meeting Point cube and the Ticket Counter. (See photo above, right)


3. Ask the Representative what time is the next train to Rotterdam and which Platform is it departing from but most important ask for a DIRECT NON TRANSFER TRAIN.


4. The trip to Rotterdam is either an hour or 45 minutes depending on whether your train stops only between major cities. The arrivals at each stop are announced so as long as you don't fall asleep from jet lag you will arrive at Rotterdam Central without a hitch.

Now if the Information Desk is not open you can read the information board which is shown in the image (see below left). The towns and cities are in alphabetical order. Look for Rotterdam and it will tell you what time the next train will depart and from which platform (USUALLY 5 OR 6). The platform is identifiable in the photo below (to the right).

I would recommend strongly that if the Information booth is closed ask the person at the ticket counter, when the train departs, from which platform and ENSURE THAT YOU ASK FOR A TRAIN THAT DOES NOT REQUIRE A TRANSFER.!!

A LAST TIP - Just to ensure you are boarding the right train...ensure that when you head downstairs to the platform that you can see ROTTERDAM on the list of stops on the lit board. (See pic above on the right.). This information will be posted on the board a few minutes before train pulls in AND if uncertain ASK. The Dutch are friendly and helpful. More than likely you won't need it but if possible print this post and take on your trip.
All the best on your adventure!!!
The only warning necessary is to ensure that you do not take a train to Rotterdam that requires a transfer and try not to fall asleep on the train and miss your stop. The next post deals with arrival at the station and the 5 minute walk to the Weenapad. Your home for the next 12 months.

IHS Alumni Day

Dear IHS people,
As you might have heard, in March 2010 we have founded IHS Alumni International - a network of all IHS alumni around the globe. IHS AI has established a board with 6 members, which is meeting for the first time at the end of May in Rotterdam.For more information see: http://www.ihs.nl/alumni/ihs_alumni_international/the_board_of_ihs_alumni_international/

On the occasion of the board meeting we would like to invite you to join us for an IHS alumni day at IHS. The purpose of this afternoon session is to introduce IHS alumni to the participants of the Masters course UMD 06 and share experiences. We would be delighted if you join us, since we know you are living in the Netherlands.
Friday May 28 “IHS ALUMNI DAY” 15-17hrs
Session objectives:
a) board members with current participants & other invited alumni & Alumni staff members
b) present IHS AI & exchange ideas for alumni work
c) Alumni report about their career and impact of IHS on their job to participants

Program:
1. Presentation of IHS AI mission/objectives and planned activities
2. Presentation of board members and other alumni (focus: What did you do after IHS, how did IHS impact your career…?)
3. Group discussion with alumni and participants on different topics, e.g. How to develop further in your job (especially also how to find a PhD or a job in the Netherlands etc.) How to refresh your knowledge? How to stay connected? What can IHS AI to support your needs as alumni?

Afterwards we will be happy to welcome you at 17hrs in a reception at the IHS bar: "Happy hour" drinks and snacks for all alumni, participants and staff.

We are looking forward to receiving your reply and confirmation. Please forward this message to anybody you know who is an IHS Alumnus and who could come to that meeting.

contact people: melisvarkal@gmail.com

liesegang@ihs.nl

Web Sites for Urban Managers...yes you!!

So you're gonna be hearing alot for the next few months all about CITIES. That they are engines of growth, what role they play in country development and what are the critical success factors. Names like Michael Porter, Joseph Stiglitz, Stren and Satterwaite become very familiar as you learn about theory and trends in urban development as well as the challenges facing them.

Now seriously take a look at this Tokyo! Man can you imagine being the Head Honcho managing this urban space? Or how about tackling the one on the right...Slums of Mumbai, India. Well that's what being here is all about to buckle up and just dive in...you'll be ready for far more than you thought....if you are prepared to work hard for it.

So i thought I'd share with you a bit, some of the websites that will be invaluable as you are asked to assess your cities and others. As well as when you return home to jump in the trenches, these might still prove quite relevant.

1. UNHabitat Website - http://www.unhabitat.org/


2. Millenium Development Goals - http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/


3. Urban Governance - http://www.gdrc.org/u-gov/ugov-define.html


4. Urban Goverance - http://blogs.worldbank.org/governance/


5. Land Management & Policy - http://www.lincolninst.edu/resources/


6. Development - http://www.unescap.org/about/index.asp


7. Urban Poverty & Development - http://www.idrc.ca/en/ev-1-201-1-DO_TOPIC.html


8. Poverty Reduction - http://www.undp.org/


9. Urban Development - http://www.adb.org/urbandev/default.asp

One of my favourite sites looked at the city development via the World's Mayors and their impact. http://www.citymayors.com/sections/development.html

Now to one of the most important questions......what materials/information should I take with me for the programme.

Well JC was a very hungry student and wanted to know it all. I came with an extra suitcase full of books I thought would have been useful, turns out I only used two of the entire suitcase which had cost an extra $120 USD to tug along with me here. Here's a HUUUGE TIP!!

Bring information on your city!!. The first three months will be spent on what I though was an excellent introduction to urban management but most assignments will require you to have basic data on your city. How it was formed, size, challenges, growth rate, all the characteristics and data used to measure a city's progress - literacy, health, death rate, how are taxes collected, how is the Government structured, how big is the informal sector, what is local govt responsible for etc etc. That is key to a successful first semester. I sure wish I had known this before. BUT that's what this blog is here for. So start compiling and start reading. All the best now.

JC