Bart Bongers

Our students are the core of the MaastrichtMBA programme. Students with a broad diversity on nationality, age and even professional background. The insights and thoughts of our MBA students describe the true experience of MaastrichtMBA. This time we talked with our Dutch student Bart Bongers. He works as Director Youz Limburg at Youz. Youz offers specialist care for youth and family. They help children and young people with mental and psychiatric disorders with a wide range of treatment options. Bart joined our On-Campus MBA track in May 2024.

Fast Facts

Why did you decide to pursue an MBA?

My goal has always been to broaden my knowledge; I do not aspire to know a lot about a single thing, but to know something about a lot. As a psychologist, I always learned to focus on behavior. This brought me a lot in my role as a manager. But as I grew in my role and got more responsibilities, I noticed I wanted to broaden my knowledge. An Executive MBA was a perfect way to achieve this. With it I am able to broaden my general knowledge about management in a way that is deep enough to ad to my present skillset.

Why did you choose for MaastrichtMBA?

I chose MaastrichtMBA for several reasons:

  1. It had all the credentials: the Triple Crown accreditation provided the insurance that it was of a high level;
  2. Its setup is very attractive for me: every 13 weeks a week on campus provides me with enough room to plan my time as I need to, but also combines it with a moment to leave work and to plunge deep in an atmosphere of learning;
  3. I wanted to do an MBA not just focused on health(care). I think it is very important to see and hear from other sectors (of industry) and this Executive MBA provides this;
  4. I live in and work in the region; so, this location is very convenient for me.

What made you choose your specific MaastrichtMBA track?

I really wanted to do an Executive MBA with people form different industries and I wanted to meet them. So, I had a strong preference to be on-site. This also means that there are weeks in which I (try to be) switch(ed) off from work (which is, in my case, very difficult because of all the responsibilities I have and the difficulties there are in the Dutch mental health care landscape). And it is just great to speak to people from different cultural backgrounds, different industries and with different motivations during lunches, classes and other moments.

Which skills do you want to refine during the programme?

I want to refine my skills in Finance, Sustainability, Digital Technologies and Change Management. As a psychologist, I do not have the financial background I would like to have. My personal preferences are Sustainability and Digital Developments, so I hope to gain some extra skills with which I am more prepared for future developments in my industry (mental health care). As for Change Management: I know how hard it is to really change the behavior of people; therefore, I hope that via the courses during the MBA journey I will get some new insights that I previously did not have (I hope there will be more information on Neuromanagement).

How do you think you will benefit from doing this MBA?

I hope this Executive MBA makes me able to make better decisions for the organisations I work for and for myself. As an employee, I work from an intrinsic motivation to do good for the world by organising mental health care in such a way that individuals and society as a whole gains something from it.

 

At this moment in time, I dream to be a CEO in an organisation. In doing this Executive MBA, I hope to gain insights in myself and my way of acting. With that knowledge, I hope to find a basic knowledge with which I can take the next steps in my career. I can dream of being a CEO, but maybe I am not fit to be one. Therefore, I think an Executive MBA helps in gaining knowledge that is practical useful as insightful in oneself.

What is the most enjoyable part of the MaastrichtMBA programme so far?

The social aspect is very nice, the people I have met and there very different backgrounds. But the most enjoyable aspect is the actual knowledge. I have had some lectures in which the level of knowledge transferred was really high. And I hope this will be the case in the remainder of this trajectory. I believe courses like this, should bring one to the edge of what you can understand.

What advice do you have for anyone considering an executive MBA at MaastrichtMBA?

The most difficult thing in starting an MBA is the time-management part of it. So, if you are considering doing an Executive MBA, it is very important to really think through how you can organise your life around the time you have to study. It is not something to just add to your daily life, but it requires doing a real investment in time. But if you can think that through enough, then you should dive into it headfirst! It is a wonderful, challenging experience from which you really feel enriched.

Bart Bongers
Youz
Directeur Youz Limburg