Final Bog: 13!

I was very nice to write this blog for you. I hope you liked it as well. I learned a lot about The Hague as international city of Peace and Justice. In marketing terms I learned it is very interesting for a city to use such a profile. It is attractive for foreign companies to be in the city together with the national government, to be in a the city where the Queen lives and work and to be in a city with institutions from the United Nations and the European Union.

It is far bigger than I  knew before I started this blog. Next to this all The Hague also has a deputy mayor for City Marketing. It will take a few more blogs to tell you about it but I accomplish my assignment with this last blog  J

So, I hope you enjoyed reading my blog and I hope to welcome you soon to my city:

THE HAGUE, International City of Peace and Justice!!!

Kind regards,

Jonathan Moges

January 2011

Blog 12: Decisio Report

The marketing report that was released in February 2009 showed that international organizations and companies are responsible for 77,000 jobs in greater The Hague area. It employs approximately 63,000 people directly employed by international organizations and companies. Examples are the International Court of Justice, Shell and the European Patent Office. Approximately 13,000 jobs are filled by expatriates.

Since there are another 14,000 people indirectly employed, mainly because of the presence of international organizations. These jobs are for people with higher or lower educational background. 

The international firms together accounted for approximately 11% of employment in and around The Hague. International organizations provide 4,3% of jobs in the Hague area. Already in the city of The Hague is the total 6,4%.

Approximately 49 companies surveyed in 2006 have moved, removed or were no longer international. Direct employment in 316 international companies in early 2008 was about 49,000 jobs, representing approximately 11% of total employment in Haaglanden. 6% rather 2.899 employees are expatriates.

Most foreign investors come from the U.S., Germany and United Kingdom. Other branches of international companies are based in Rijswijk, Zoetermeer and Delft.

Research has shown that international companies had plans for a 20% expansion in the organization. Most companies want to stay in The Hague.

In 2005 a total of 72 international organizations known in the Hague region offers a total of 12.000 jobs. These organizations had participated in the survey, the number of persons employed increased by more than 900 jobs. That's a growth of 7,6% in 3 years time.

These are some of the economic effects produced by the consultancy Decisio.

Blog 11: Xpats Experience

On my previous training (MBO Marketing & Communications) I had an internship at different companies and I came into contact with expatriates. As examples I give TV West & TV Studio A (Daughter Board Clingendael Media Group ').

TV WEST

On TV West I worked in the marketing / communications department and went looking for foreign companies and often I came in contact with people from municipality of The Hague. In one of the meetings I attended as a marketing assistant for TV West in the New ADO Den Haag stadium. A new English program was presented called International Business For Foreign Companies. Several English entrepreneurs and businesses tell about their business and vision.

I thought this was wonderful and interesting to watch and I learned a lot. Since I was busy with ''Young Entrepreneurs'' myself on the Mondrian school in those days it was of course very useful to see. After launching the program, we offered the Xpat Desk 40 copies of the program, which they handed over to their external relations and business relationships.

Studio A

In Studio A I worked in the marketing department. We did a program about hairdressing-salons at home and abroad. We were offered a contract to participate in a new program called WEST INTERNATIONAL. Of course I recognized the people who I had worked with before. Two weeks it became a huge success and many people watched the program. It was broadcasted all over The Hague region and also put on internet.

Blog 10 Xpats

For this blog I spoke to one of the information officers working at the Xpat Desk. He told me their service is way behind municipal matters. In the pyramid of Maslov you will find the needs of persons in any situation. This theory is also applicable for expats. People want housing, food, drinks, security at the basic. Things like yoga, religion and self-development come in a later stadium. After the necessary administration they also want to find internet, sport and cultural events. This information is also given by the Xpat Desk.

In The Hague the Xpat Desk is working together with the expat volunteer organization ACCESS. A volunteer organization for and operated by internationals. This people already experienced the process of relocation himself or herself.  It is easy for them to identify with the problems expats face in their relocation process.

New in The Hague is the service or registration in municipal database records (GBA) for high skilled knowledge migrants. This particular group gets their working permit, residence permit, municipal registration and tax number in one visit. It is all arranged by their company. It makes a  big different in the world. This people can choose where to work and live due to their skills. With this special procedure it makes it easy to settle in The Hague.

Knowing it takes a long time to get a working internet connection the municipality hands out welcome packages to new residents. All the information is available on the internet but a physical information package is still appreciated by new arrivals.

They also created a “welcome to The Hague program”. This is a nice program starting with a welcome by the deputy mayor. An introduction of the service given by the Xpat Desk and includes a guided tour in the old part of the city centre. This program helps expats to settle and meet other internationals as well.

Blog 9 Xpats

An expatriate (in abbreviated form, expat) is a person temporarily or permanently residing in a country and culture other than that of the person's upbringing or legal residence. The word comes from the Latin term expatriātus from ex ("out of") and patriā the ablative case of patria ("country, fatherland").

With my blogs I have tried to give you an impression about international The Hague.  The many international organization of the United Nations, the European Union, the commercial companies and the Corps Diplomatique. For a city (municipality) like The Hague these international residents are important because they are over 10% of there residents! They calculated about 35.000 expats living in The Hague and about 50.000 expats in the greater The Hague area.

What is The Hague doing about it?

The Hague started their Xpat desk already in March 2006, as part of the Hague Hospitality Centre.  It was the first Xpat Desk in the Netherlands. In the beginning they focused on international media but fast they became more involved in serving the international community. In 2011 you find about 12 expat desks al over The Netherlands. Any city with industry, hospitals, universities have an Xpat desk today.

An Xpat desk is serving the international community. The Xpat Desk of  The Hague is situated in the atrium of the City Hall. For 40 hours a week people are helping expats with all sort of question about their relocation and settling. They revieve questions from people before arrival, at entrance and during their stay. Even when people leave the city or country.Amazing fact; all service is for free! Their municipal website www.thehague.com is completly in English.

Blog 8 International Education

Lycee François Vincent van Gogh
In The Hague, you have also the French Lycee school called Vincent van Gogh, they are also located in Amsterdam. In The Hague there are located in Wassenaarseweg.  

Deutsche Internationale Schule Den Haag (DISDH)
The German school caters for about 600 children. The school operates on a German education module that is different to the Dutch and International system. They are located in van Bleiswijkstraat 125 The Hague. 

Polish School in The Hague
In The Hague you also have the Polish International School. They are located at the van der Spiegelstraat.

Local Dutch Schools with bilingual streams 

The Hague University & In Holland
At The Hague University and In Holland there are several studies that you can follow in English, which naturally is attractive to international students in English.  
There are also foreign exchange students who study at The Hague or In Holland.  
These studies available are: 

• International European Law
• International Communication Management
• Facilities  Management

Mondriaan International Hotel of Management (MIHM)
Mondriaan Education Group offers 4 years of international hotel education in English, mainly in the field of Hospitality and Business. This is a form of vocational training in the the specialised filed and upon graduation, the student are awarded MBO diploma.

The school has 4 of operating restaurants and a 4 star hotel with 5 bedrooms. 
The Mondriaan hotel school  is located at the Koningin Marialaan  and Helena and Helena in The Hague.

In Future 

A University comes to The Hague!
In 1999, a branch of University of Leiden opened its Campus the Hague. The campus is expanding and if everything goes according to plan, The University of Leiden-The Hague will be of established in the city.

It will nice for The Hague profile, to Leiden include  a University of a good reputation,  nationally and internationally , besides the peace, security and justice.

Blog 7 International Education

In The Hague there are over 6,000 students at international schools and 3,500 students in Dutch bilingual school. The Hague offers the largest amount of international education in The Netherlands.
Below are some examples of the International Schools 
British School of the Netherlands (BSN)
The British school has 4 offices in The Hague and one in Assen, which are based on age and study of the child. Below is the list of the offices. The BSN has students from 80 different nationalities.

• Junior Schools Vlaskamp (JSV)
• Junior School Diamanthorst (JSD)
• Junior School Leidschenveen (JSL), with day care school for babies and toddlers
• Senior School in Voorschoten
• Senior School, Assen

The Junior School are for the children aged between 7 and 13. Students join the Senior School when they are at least 11 years old and can complete their education at the age 16 or 18.  

The academic programme at the Senior School is based on Key Stages 3 & 4 of the British National Curriculum, culminating in the internationally recognized qualifications of GCSEs and A Levels or the IB Diploma.

The International school of The Hague (ISH)

The international school of The Hague offers an English International recognised education to young people at primary and secondary level. The ISH is proud to be the first school in the world to be accredited at the highest possible level by the International Primary Curriculum (ICP).

The ISH is  part of a Dutch national educational foundation, subsidised by the Dutch government. This subsidy allows the school to offer  international education at reasonable price .  the Haagsche Schoolvereeniging. ISH is located in Wijndaelerduin 1. 

American School of The Hague (ASH)
At Ash has over 1000 students from different origins. 10% at the ASH study of Dutch descent. 30% American and 60% will come from different countries. This school offers various studies and has 3 levels. 

• Elementary school
• Middle school
• High School

The ASH offers several sports during and after school time. 

The Haagsche Schoolvereeniging  (HSV)
The Haagsche Schoolvereeniging (HSV) is a Dutch International Primary School located at several locations in  The Hague. The HSV caters for children with all types of needs, including children who are dyslexic or children who require private or special educational and training. HSV Headquarters is located at Nassau Avenue & Queen Sophie Street.