The International Welcome Centre North (IWCN) is celebrating its 10th anniversary, a significant milestone in its decade-long dedication to serving the international community in the North of the Netherlands.
The IWCN has grown to be a vital resource for international students, expats, and international professionals transitioning to life in the provinces of Groningen, Friesland, and Drenthe. It has helped establish a community in the North for everyone.
The IWCN published a blog post detailing how its journey had already begun before 2014, as in 1995 the seeds for a plan to create a welcoming environment for internationals in the North were sown, together with the International Club Noord-Nederland and Connect International, forming the Connect International Foundation together in 1998. This foundation catered to foreign residents’ social and informational needs through events, personal advice, relocation services, and training, much like the IWCN does today.
As the number of internationals grew there was a need for something bigger. With the support of the municipality of Groningen, knowledge institutes, NOM, IND, and other Northern municipalities the development of a Welcome Centre was started.
IWCN now also supports organisations in their efforts to attract and retain international talent and promote the mixing of cultures and diversity.
“My hope for the future is that The North continues on its international path, integrating internationals and locals while choosing to keep what is unique about the Netherlands but incorporating new ideas from internationals, for the betterment of all,” IWCN Operations Manager Karen Prowse said.
The IWCN also help organisations understand how international talent might benefit them. But they also help out the internationals themselves. For example, when the United Kingdom left the EU, the IWCN helped over a thousand Brits in the North with their residency requirements.
You can read about their history, what the IWCN does, and what this anniversary means for them here.