Appendix

Initial Learning Plan

The goals I set at the start of the programme. This page is the baseline. My reflection and evidence show what changed, what held, and what surprised me.

Starting Situation

Who I was at the start

After finishing my bachelor's in International Business Administration, I took two gap years to reflect on what I had learned. Travelling the world and exploring different countries and cultures gave me real-life examples of the cultural differences and business perspectives I had only read about. The time spent abroad taught me to be more self-dependent and to seek lasting relationships with people from all over the world, while broadening my horizon in ways that a classroom cannot replicate.

Coming back home, I felt that my learning journey was not yet complete. Change management was the one area of my bachelor's that had genuinely excited me, and the speed at which companies had been forced to change during the Covid pandemic only sharpened that interest. How do you guide an organisation through change? How do you bring different stakeholders with you? Those questions are what brought me to this master's. My ambition coming in was clear: to go from a change adventurer to a change connoisseur, and eventually to build my own consultancy.

I want to be honest about one more thing: I had never been as motivated and focused at university as I was at the start of this programme. The ING case in the Leading Change Projects course, the debate format, the quality of the people around me. It felt immediately like the right decision.

Learning Objectives

What I planned to achieve

Five goals set at the start of the programme, written in my own words.

1

Graduate within one year

"Complete my Master's degree within one academic year by consistently dedicating at least 20 hours per week to coursework and thesis preparation. The desired outcome is to obtain my degree on time, enabling me to transition smoothly into the professional workfield with a strong theoretical foundation."
2

Develop stronger social and communicative skills

"Improve my interpersonal and communication skills by actively engaging in at least one group activity or networking event each month, and by seeking feedback from peers and mentors after social interactions. The outcome is to become more confident and effective in connecting with colleagues and candidates, enhancing collaboration in both personal and professional contexts."
3

Build a meaningful professional network

"Expand my professional network by initiating at least two new meaningful professional conversations each month, via LinkedIn, events, or alumni networks. The outcome is to build a network that supports learning opportunities, potential collaborations, and future career growth."
4

Grow in my role as a recruiter

"Develop my professional skills by taking on at least two new responsibilities or projects outside my current scope by June 2026, such as assisting with onboarding, employer branding, or HR analytics. The outcome is to strengthen my versatility and value within the company, positioning myself as a reliable and proactive team member who contributes to broader organisational success."
5

Maintain health and wellbeing through training and nutrition

"Maintain a healthy and energised lifestyle by training at least three times per week and minimising the intake of processed foods to no more than twice a week. The outcome is to feel physically stronger, more focused, and better able to perform both professionally and personally."

Personal Learning Objective, Individual Assignment

Alongside the main learning plan, I set a specific objective for academic writing: to implement the principles from Robert Cialdini's Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion in my argumentation and focus on clear, direct communication rather than the unnecessarily complex academic language I had found frustrating when returning to study.

I had a genuine frustration with how academic papers are written. Researchers use elaborate language that limits rather than expands who can use their findings. My goal was to balance the academic register with what I actually believe good writing should do: make ideas accessible without losing precision. That principle has shaped how I have written across this portfolio.

Then vs. Now

How the plan held up

Looking back from the end of the year: what I achieved, what shifted, and what surprised me. For the full story, read the Self-Reflection.

What I planned (September 2025)

  • Graduate within one academic year with at least 20 hours per week of focused study
  • Attend one networking event or group activity per month to build social confidence
  • Initiate two meaningful professional conversations per month to expand my network
  • Take on new responsibilities as a recruiter, including onboarding and employer branding
  • Train three times per week and eat well to stay focused and energised throughout the year

What actually happened (June 2026)

  • On track to graduate on time. The 20 hours per week was optimistic in some periods, but the commitment was real and consistent
  • Hosting the Veranderen voor de Toekomst congress exceeded this goal entirely. Networking became a genuine practice, not a target
  • Built meaningful connections with Shirine Moerkerken, colleagues at AIQOS, and classmates who became real intellectual partners
  • Grew beyond the recruiter role into a full internship at AIQOS, which replaced and exceeded the original development goal
  • Maintained training throughout the year. Physical discipline turned out to support academic discipline more directly than I expected

"The plan gave me direction. What actually developed me was the things I could not have planned for: the conversations, the rejections, and the moments where theory met a real person in front of me."

Read the full self-reflection → See the evidence →