After obtaining a bachelor in economics at the Anton De Kom University of Suriname (AdeKUS), Tina Dulam was one of five students selected to study for a master’s degree at Erasmus School of Economics on a scholarship. Upon her return to Suriname, she started working long-distance on a PhD and taught at her alma mater. Since 2017 she has been back in the Netherlands where she lives with her husband and son. Her research interests include international labour migration and skills mismatches in the labour market.
Initially, Tina studied business economics, but her experience as a member of Suriname’s youth parliament made her switch to international economics. She felt this would give her more tools to have a positive impact on society. ‘I always knew I wanted to continue with a master’s degree, but that option was not available in Suriname. When one of my professors told me that I could apply for a scholarship to enter the master’s programme in Rotterdam I was thrilled. After submitting my grades and a motivation letter, I was invited for an interview with representatives of Erasmus School of Economics. Together with four of my fellow students, I was selected. However, only three of us managed to go.’
What was the transition like?
The life of high school pupils and university students in Suriname is quite different than in the Netherlands. Most people stay with their family and have a long commute, often hours, to attend university. In the district where we lived, in Commewijne, classes were often cancelled due to various strikes and protests. That is why my parents decided to send my brother and me to school in the capital city Paramaribo. It meant we had to undertake a daily crossing of the Suriname River by boat or ferry, which would cost us more than three hours travelling time in total. While I was in high school, the Jules Wijdenbosch bridge was built across the river. From then on, my mother dropped us off by car before driving to work.
The first few months in Rotterdam were a bit of a culture shock, but I was very happy to be given the chance to do a master’s at such a prestigious university. It felt great to live within walking distance of the Woudenstein campus, but it also meant buying new clothes and shoes to brace myself for the Dutch weather. The course was very demanding and although I had been among the top of my class during my bachelor studies, the transition to the master’s programme was not really smooth. On top of that, it took some time to find my feet because I was living on my own for the first time. When we received our grades after the first block, I was not happy with my results. While reflecting on possible ways to improve my study progress, I realised that many other foreign students spent almost the entire day at Woudenstein. The fact that they would study in the library and eat their meals on campus meant they saved a significant amount of time. Initially, I did not like the food in the canteen, but spending more time at the university helped me to get into a productive rhythm. Hanging out with other students was great fun and it also taught me a lot. One of the things I learned was to chill. We supported each other as a group and found that it was not necessary to stress too much if you prepared and studied hard.
‘The first few months in Rotterdam were a bit of a culture shock, but I was very happy to be given the chance to do a master’s at such a prestigious university’
What happened after your graduation?
All three of us went back to Suriname to pass on the knowledge we had obtained in Rotterdam by teaching at the AdeKUS. During most of this time (2009-2017) I also worked on my PhD under the supervision of Professor Philip Hans Franses who had been the initiator of the scholarship programme that brought me to Rotterdam for my master’s. I am very grateful for his guidance and support. We wanted to help students in Suriname to make the most of their studies, so we introduced ideas for additional content in the existing curriculum and started new courses on statistics, research methods, and accounting. As soon as it became available, we also followed the teachers’ qualification training. It gave us an understanding of various teaching formats and of designing courses that appeal to the intrinsic motivation of students. We managed to strike a balance between keeping students engaged and challenging them. They realised that to continue their studies in a master’s programme abroad it is important to reach international standards in the bachelor courses. The AdeKUS now has its own master’s programme in accountancy. In addition, it recently started a new partnership with Erasmus University to offer an Executive Master in Finance and Control. However, despite these developments, the choice for students wanting to pursue a master’s degree in Suriname is still quite limited.
Your personal experience as a Surinamese student going to the Netherlands aligns with your PhD research on labour migration. Can you give us an insight into your findings?
My dissertation, “Brain Drain or Brain Gain”, looked at international mobility of labour, particularly between Suriname and the Netherlands. Brain drain refers to the departure of highly educated people. In Suriname, about 40% of people with tertiary education leave the country. Based on the work of Gibson and McKenzie I have contacted the three most successful graduates of every high school in Suriname from the years 1976 (when the Anton De Kom University was founded) until 2006. I found that 67% of them went to study in the Netherlands. Brain gain indicates the return of these people, which amounted to 40%. I do not know how this percentage varies over time, but looking at general migration data for Suriname it becomes clear that the decision to return is highly correlated with political stability and macroeconomic data such as inflation, GDP growth, and the development of the exchange rate.
What is your current role?
I am currently conducting research into numeracy skills at HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht. To navigate life in modern society, people need to be able to work with numbers. Understanding your energy bill, finding your way in a hospital, filing taxes, understanding the choices you can make as a citizen, or simply helping kids with their homework, all of these activities involve numbers. However, in the Netherlands, there are around 2.1 million people that do not possess the necessary skills to cope with such demands. The government has launched a programme called “Tel mee met taal” which involves both literacy and numeracy. We are working on the latter by creating awareness through a conference we organised and by providing content to train the trainers. These are often teachers and basic skills specialists in local libraries, roc's (regional education centres), and volunteering organisations. An example of raising awareness is to show health professionals how they can effectively provide medical prescriptions to people with low numeracy. My work on numeracy offers me a chance to make a positive contribution to society by helping to support some of the most vulnerable people.
In addition, I am a lecturer in economics at Utrecht University and my research there looks at skills mismatches and migration. It is interesting to see how tackling these issues may help to combat the tightness in the labour market and increase productivity. I am also taking up my dissertation topic again to see if I can gain more insight into the development of Suriname’s diaspora over time.
What advice would you give foreign students?
It can be quite tricky to organise yourself in terms of finances and residence, especially for students from outside the EU or EER. You cannot open a Dutch bank account until you have a residence permit, which is usually only after a few months. It is a good idea to prepare so that you can take out insurance and other vital things before you arrive in the Netherlands.
Are you planning to return to Suriname eventually?
Maybe, because I would like to contribute to my country, but I do not know yet. Over time I have concluded that you can only maximise your impact if you have looked after your own personal and professional growth. At the moment the Netherlands offers me a lot of opportunities to do just that.
There appears to be a correlation between the number of students from Suriname and the economic situation in their home country. In addition, data from Nuffic shows that the number of students from Suriname still living in the Netherlands five years after graduation is almost three times as high as that of other foreign students.
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This item is part of Backbone Magazine 2024. The magazine can be found in E-building or Theil-building for free. Additionally, a digital copy is available here. Backbone is the corporate magazine of Erasmus School of Economics. Since 2014, it is published once a year. The magazine highlights successful and interesting alumni, covers the latest economic trends and research, and reports on news, events, student and alumni accomplishments.
