Alumni views
Business Information Systems (MSc)
Name: Jan-Kees Schakel
Current position: Information Management Advisor with the Police
‘After earning my engineering degree in Land and Water Management from a university of professional education, I started working as a researcher in a research institute. From there, I became a consultant at an international engineering agency, and then a project manager at a software developer specialised in implementing ERP systems. In the evenings, I worked towards my MSc in International Land and Water Management.'
‘The software developer I worked for was more interested in commercial gain than quality. So I left and launched a small e-commerce business providing pedagogic consultancy services to primary schools. With business going strong after half a year, I started looking for another challenge. My original profession had taken a bit of a backseat in favour of studying issues around automation and information science. Meanwhile, I'd gained experience in research, management and consultancy. I liked the idea of applying that combination of skills to the discipline of information management.'
‘The great thing about this discipline is that you can approach it as broadly as you want. I've been focusing on Information and ICT planning, as well as on the development of process management, knowledge management and innovation management, and am also playing an advisory role in various "business" projects. It all adds up to an exciting array of activities, all focusing on quality and people.'
‘What appealed to me most about this Master's degree programme was the subjective take on knowledge and information. It places it in a wide context, by combining various disciplines. I like considering things from lots of different angles; it's very edifying. The quality of the study programme is high, with various lecturers having won prizes for their doctoral theses. The students tend to be very enthusiastic and involved too.'
‘While exploring my options, I came across the PrimaVera research papers. The nuanced, subjective take on information issues in these papers appealed to me, and that's how I ended up finding the Master's programme in Information Studies at the University of Amsterdam. After talking to the programme coordinator, I was able to get started in the Business Information Systems track.'
‘The great thing about this discipline is that you can approach it as broadly as you want. I've been focusing on Information and ICT planning, as well as on the development of process management, knowledge management and innovation management, and am also playing an advisory role in various "business" projects. It all adds up to an exciting array of activities, all focusing on quality and people.'
‘What appealed to me most about this Master's degree programme was the subjective take on knowledge and information. It places it in a wide context, by combining various disciplines. I like considering things from lots of different angles; it's very edifying. The quality of the study programme is high, with various lecturers having won prizes for their doctoral theses. The students tend to be very enthusiastic and involved too.'
‘I really liked the idea of putting my studies into practice straight away. So alongside the programme, I also started work as an information management adviser with the police force. I still work with the Dutch Police and am involved in implementing a major overhaul there. I'm combining that with doctoral research at the University of Amsterdam in the same department where I did my Master's degree in Business Information Systems. My Master's thesis forms the basis for my current research.'