Rabobank has for many years taken part in the annual Registration Day of TU/e, which will this year be on August 9, when foreign newcomers can get all kinds of practical and formal matters arranged. Whereas students from the Netherlands have usually already taken care of their banking matters before starting their studies, says spokeswoman Caroline van Zeeland from Rabobank Eindhoven-Veldhoven, this is mostly not the case for foreign students. When they, too, need an active bank account, preferably immediately, to arrange other important matters, from renting a room to taking out a telephone line rental.

One problem on the Registration Day are the “endless queues” at the Rabo desk, as Van Zeeland calls them, which attempts to serve a couple of hundred (potential) clients within one day. The alternative for students who do not have the time (nor the inclination) to do so, is to come to the office - but, as the spokeswoman adds, there too this results in the necessary bustle and thereby possible nuisance for other clients.

In addition, Van Zeeland explains, TU/e has indicated expressly that it would like to see its permanent banking partner on its own campus more often. “How can we arrive at a win-win situation?, was the question.”

The bank hopes to find a first solution by opening a pop-up branch in MetaForum, from August 11 to September 30. Although this branch is intended first of all to satisfy the demand from international newcomers, all students and employees are welcome there for advice or assistance.

Rabobank regards the pop-up branch as a test. If it turns out to be successful, the institution wants to try and find a possibly structural solution together with the university. “Perhaps we could be present at TU/e as a bank for a full day or a half-day, for instance also to advise students who want to set up an enterprise”, Van Zeeland suggests.

On August 9, Registration Day, Rabobank will be present in the market hall of MetaForum all day. From August 11 to September 30 the pop-up branch will be operational, on the first floor of the said building (near the desk of the Education and Student Service Center). The office will be open from 09.30 to 17.00 hours on working days.