Finding your way at university – a place with its own norms, values and unwritten rules – can be a challenge for many students. But what if you’re the first in your family to attend university? Who do you turn to for support, and how do you navigate the academic world? We spoke with Owen-Jow Remak, who rose through the educational ranks – from pre-vocational secondary education (vmbo-k) all the way to the Part-time MBA in International Business at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.

Owen has a Surinamese background and was raised by two entrepreneurial parents who moved to the Netherlands in 1970. His father began running small businesses in Suriname at a young age, eventually founding a large events company in the Netherlands. “My parents may not have had academic degrees, but perseverance is something I definitely learned from home,” says Owen. “In that sense, I’m proud of my background – not everyone has that kind of foundation.”

From an early age, Owen felt underestimated – or assessed as less capable – than classmates with similar potential. Although his Cito test score at the end of primary school should have earned him a recommendation for general or pre-university secondary education (havo/vwo), he was advised to follow the vocational track (vmbo-k). “The reasoning was: your parents didn’t study at that level, so who’s going to help you with your homework?” he recalls. "Dwelling too much on that experience is frustrating, he adds: “What definitely played a role were a lot of prejudices.”

His early years at vmbo-k were challenging. “I was unmotivated and content with just passing grades. But at a certain point, I realised I had more to offer – and I wanted to prove that. That’s when I really stepped it up. Still, I can imagine others simply resigning themselves to the situation.”

After completing vmbo-k, Owen went on to earn an MBO (vocational) diploma, followed by an HBO (university of applied sciences) degree. During his career – including a management role at Apple leading IT teams – the idea of taking the next step kept resurfacing. “No one in my immediate family has a university degree. I really wanted to break through that ceiling and show my nieces and nephews: it is possible.” He began looking for a reputable business programme with an international focus and, in 2024, was admitted to the Part-time MBA in International Business at VU Amsterdam.

MBA As someone who progressed through vocational and applied education, Owen is an exception in his MBA cohort – but he doesn’t see that as a disadvantage. “I actually see it as an advantage that I’ve followed a different path than most. Though I do notice that I sometimes doubt my abilities more than my fellow students. They often seem more self-assured,” he says.

The lecturers actively encourage him to believe in himself. “They believe you’re here because you’re capable. Sometimes they believe in you more than you do yourself. They want you to succeed – no matter what path brought you here. That kind of trust is really special, especially compared to how I was treated in primary school.”

As someone with lived experience, Owen is often paired with professionals who have questions about the MBA. “The programme really understands how important representation is. When people from a background like mine are considering the MBA, a short conversation about how I balance it with my work can help them feel: this is something I can do too.”

7