Making connections: A blended learning approach to the Delft UT international master students introduction program

Delft University of Technology has been offering an introduction program for international master students for over ten years. The goal of this program is to help students adjust to their new social and academic environment. An important feature of the Delft academic environment is project based learning. Many international students do not have previous experience studying in such a setting. In 2008 the introduction program was scaled up to accommodate up to 700 students in a 10 day program. This required a complete new set up of the introduction program. A blended learning environment was set up. A web based community formed the basis of the program and complemented the onsite program. The community contained information on Delft and the Netherlands and homework assignments that formed input for the plenary sessions. The onsite program consisted of optional social activities and mandatory plenary sessions and project based group work. The program was successful in many respects. Most of the educational goals of the program were attained. The program could be improved by enriching the community and creating more leisure time for students to settle in their new environment.