ADNAN EL KHARBOTLY // UNIVERSITY OF GRONINGEN // FORMER PRESIDENT ENLIGHT STUDENT BOARD
»ENLIGHT is a great place where you can go on an easy Erasmus funded exchange«
Adnan El Kharbotly, former President of the ENLIGHT Student Board and Industrial Engineering and Management student at the University of Groningen, played a pivotal role in shaping the ENLIGHT Student Network. His inspiring leadership and dedication laid a strong foundation for its future, all while balancing his studies and multiple jobs.
I don't know of any other board position in which you get to travel across Europe and represent students
Adnan congratulations, you have finished your studies! What did you study and what are you going to do now?
ADNAN: I have just finished the Master Industrial Engineering and Management at the University of Groningen. I have been doing my master's project at Gasunie, a transmission system operator, and hey have offered me a job. So, I have started working as a technical advisor for Social corporate responsibility as of July so that I can help them reduce their CO2 and methane emissions.
For the past three years, you have been president of the ENLIGHT Student Network. How did you get so involved in that?
ADNAN: Three years ago, I was appointed as the student assessor of the executive board here at the university. Back then, in the very early stages of ENLIGHT, you automatically became part of the ENLIGHT Student Network to represent your university. When I joined, the student network was looking to appoint a new Student Board and there were no candidates for the presidency, so I took on that task.
To be honest, I knew very little about ENLIGHT, so it was a massive step into the deep waters of European higher education politics, and I had to learn very quickly how it all worked. Sooner than later, I found myself working together with university representatives of 9 universities (now 10) and representing them at the highest level of governance. I quickly fell in love with what ENLIGHT was becoming and enjoyed working with the other students to make sure we created an alliance of 10 universities where students can easily go on (short) exchanges.
I never thought I would stay for so long and I can only be thankful for the support and mandate I got from the university representatives.
What made the ENLIGHT Student Network so fun for you?
ADNAN: Oh, where do I start… It is a unique combination of things; as a Student Network representative you help shape the European education of the future and you get to travel. There are lots of board and representative positions at the university, but I don't know of any other board position in which you get to travel across Europe and represent students.
The cherry on top though are amazing new friends across Europe. The Student Network is a passionate group of people I got to hang out with. Besides the many online meetings we’ve also done many fun things. When we see each other in person at a conference or for meetings, we’ll often stay late at bars or go out afterwards. When we don’t see each other in person we play Werewolves on WhatsApp, or we have a BeReal group together.
What do you think are the advantages of ENLIGHT for students?
ADNAN: Many student want to go abroad once during their studies, but it is often a lot of hassle: getting your courses approved, from subletting your room to finding a GP abroad. The advantage of ENLIGHT is the short, barrier-free mobility where you combine online classes with one week on-site. This means a lot less organizing, you just need to book a ticket and a hostel and be done, and you often even get Erasmus funding to cover the costs.
That said it is not all roses and sunshine, often the courses are not yet accepted within the curriculum at your own university, this still brings some bureaucracy and ENLIGHT courses are often extracurricular on top of your regular programme. I know the staff are working incredibly hard to fix this but it will take time. In the future, it would even be great to swap mandatory courses for similar ENLIGHT courses at other partner universities.
I’d like to encourage lecturers and student advisors to be a bit more flexible so students can go on an exchange week
What is one of your most special experiences within ENLIGHT?
ADNAN: Last year I made a friend in Uppsala whom I got along with very well. So, when in November 2023, we were in Uppsala for the end-of-year meetings, I was invited to a gala of the pharmaceutical student union. I extended my stay by a day and suddenly I was singing Swedish songs among gala dresses and dinner jackets, something I would normally never experience.
Do you have anything you would like to pass on to ENLIGHT?
ADNAN: Decision-making within ENLIGHT involves a lot of steps. Cooperating with ten universities across Europe makes decision-making slow. Each university has existed for a long time and is therefore used to doing everything their way. A commonly heard phrase within ENLIGHT is: at our university, we do it this way. What helps is to be open to alternative ways. Maybe how 'we' always do it is not the most optimal way anymore.
I would also like to encourage lecturers and student advisors to be a bit more flexible. Every teacher thinks their course is most important and tells their students to attend every class, lecture or practical. But they should offer students some flexibility so that they can go on an exchange week. And students, don't be afraid to question your lecturers just because they say their course is compulsory, be cheeky sometimes, it gets you a long way.
If you were to recommend ENLIGHT to a student, what would you say?
ADNAN: I would tell them that ENLIGHT is a great place where you can go on an easy short Erasmus-funded exchange to one of the other nine universities. The ENLIGHT courses are always designed so that you have a few weeks of online classes and one week on-site where you meet your classmates. This makes it so much easier to go on an exchange, visit another country, and make friends across Europe.
