Universities from the United States, Mexico, Sweden, England and Hungary all sent faculty and students to the inaugural session. Two faculty members from Saint Louis University and one student were among the initial participants. One of those faculty members was Dr. Shirley Loui, chair of the American studies department. She enjoyed the experience immensely and encourages others to attend. Four classes are offered during each block, and students choose one.
Students have the option of participating in any or all of the blocks.
An additional 11 participated in at least one of the four blocks. Loui said that because the groups are so small, the students and faculty develop a genuine sense of community. They attend class in the same building in which they live, eat their meals together and take trips together. Instead, the representatives of the various cultures intermingle freely and learn more about each other in the process. The center is located on the campus of Teikyo University Holland in Maastricht, a city in the interior of the Netherlands.