My name is Henrik Berensmeyer, I am 24 years old at the time of writing and I am a second year Master student at Hogskolen i Molde, studying the MSc in Sport Management. Having lived in five different countries previously, I would describe myself as a culturally open and curious person. When I got presented the opportunity of following a semester abroad I was immediately hooked, even though I had only really settled in to life in Norway. Following an Erasmus semester was an opportunity that I did not take while I was completing my bachelor's degree, then opting for an internship instead, and it was an experience I wanted to have before finishing my academic career entirely. Ultimately, having had great talks with fellow exchange students here in Molde, motivated me to live that kind of life for myself.
I chose to study in Gent for a handful of reasons, though it might not be the most obvious choice of a location for an Erasmus semester. First of all, it allowed me to move in with my girlfriend in Brussels (roughly an hour away from Gent). Second of all, having studied in Amsterdam before, I really missed the warmth of Dutch/Flemish culture, the beautiful bike-friendly cities, and a good connection to major European cities. Thirdly, being a major football fan and working in the football industry, experiencing not only KAA Gent but the entirety of the Belgian Pro League, one of the biggest hubs for talent development in Europe, was an exciting prospect. And boy, Gent did not disappoint.
The University
The University of Gent is much bigger than Molde, with 50.000 students in total, double the population of the entire city of Molde! It’s needless to say that Gent is by definition a student city. Compared to Molde, Gent felt more like a “standard” university, with huge auditoriums, exams in halls with hundreds of other students, and professors who in communication sometimes seem a little too hard to reach. With campuses all over the city, going to uni feels less homey than in Molde and navigating the city and its campuses can be quite overwhelming at the beginning.
As a great addition to the courses in Norway, I followed a selection of more practical, career-oriented courses, such as Talent Identification, Performance Data Analysis, and Human Resource Management. In addition, I also took French classes to widen my language horizon, which was quite useful given that Belgium is divided into a Dutch- and a French-speaking part.
Student life, culture and travel
Gent is a beautiful medieval city with plenty of old churches, market squares, alleyways, parks and canals. It feels as if the city is designed for its people, creating a really cozy atmosphere at every corner. Student life is amazing too, the city centre has many amazing pubs, clubs, and bar streets to offer, each with their own twists. A very Belgian tradition are “fakbars”; each faculty of the university has their own student-run pub with student prices and great parties every week.
Culturally, Gent of course has many museums and outside sports opportunities to offer, and Brussels, the European capital, is a quick train ride away. I spent more time in Brussels than in Gent, visiting the European Parliament was a true highlight for me.
Further travel recommendations are the cities of Leuven, Brugges, and Mechelen. I’m more of a football connoisseur though, so most of my weekends consisted of going to matches all over Belgium, including of course KAA Gent, but also RSC Anderlecht, KRC Genk, Union Saint-Gilloise, and many more.
Final thoughts
Erasmus in Belgium was an amazing and enriching experience, and I can warmly recommend it to everybody, not only does the country offer high quality education, but it’s also easy to travel, and a true melting pot of cultures.