For those from the Brainport region, it is probably well known: Ter AA is an MBO institution in Helmond, which recently chose our campus with courses such as Legal Insurance and HR services. They close the gap between education and business, so that students connect directly to real workplaces. Twan van Grunsven, core lecturer in Legal Insurance and HR services specialist, explains how the campus helps with this.
The strength of Ter AA
Ter AA guides MBO students with a strong connection to the work field. They combine education with real practice, allowing students to make direct connections in the region. The focus of the Legal Insurance and HR Services programs is on talent development within people, work and society.
From Learning Lab to classes on campus
Ter AA and our campus were already quite familiar with each other through the collaboration in Learning Lab Foundation. Twan: "After the first year of Learning Lab, we came to the conclusion that we could prepare students even better for their future workplace. By locating on campus, students learn in a dynamic and realistic setting, in the midst of professionals. Meetings with companies, professionals and other educational institutions are a matter of course here."
Short lines, big win
"The added value of the campus is enormous for us," Twan says. "First of all, we benefit from excellent facilities that match modern forms of work and education. Even more important are the short lines of communication with fellow residents: we are increasingly collaborating with other organizations, easily making connections in the business community and being located in-house, which is ideal for students, teachers and partners. I have direct contact with fellow residents in the same building, where we now place interns and where they often continue to work after their studies. Without the campus, that barrier would have been much higher. Now we meet at Jan&Koek, in the atrium or during campus-wide events."
Part of the movement
"The campus focus on people, work and society strengthens our educational quality," Twan emphasizes. Because the campus broadly promotes these themes, we have conversations with organizations that share the same mission, and our students work on current issues surrounding the professions we educate for. We don't feel like guests, but part of a movement with impact.
Most of the residents know us by now. We know how to find each other better and better and are working on structural forms of cooperation."
Projects and new opportunities
"The challenge lies in intensifying these contacts and exploring opportunities to put our students in their best position. To train them together to become talented employees within the beautiful domain of people, work and society.
Concrete example: project education in which students work with campus employees on mutual reinforcement. For example, we organized speed dates with managers, with great results.
We are working on structural cooperation," said Twan. "New opportunities such as Call2Catch (call center), Catch2Match (recruitment), further development of our Recruiter training and from September 2026 also Marketing and Communication Specialist. The campus provides the ideal breeding ground for this."
A place full of potential
For Ter AA and their students, the Brainport Human Campus is the ideal place to connect education and practice. Twan concludes, "If you have any questions or ideas, stop by and know where to find us! We're always open to great new ideas and collaborations."
Looking forward to Ter AA? Check out the website ter-aa.nl.