Geert Hofstede Honorary Fund

The Geert Hofstede Honorary Fund was established to bring people from different cultures together and thus promote a deeper understanding for each other and learn how cultural differences make us who we are. In addition, the Fund will be used to support research into national and organisational cultures. The activities of the fund aim to build a network of people who are committed to responsible international citizenship.

Geert Hofstede was professor of Comparative Cross-Cultural Studies of Organisations at the Economics Faculty of Maastricht University (now Maastricht University School of Business and Economics) from 1985 until his retirement in 1993. In 1987 he founded the International Management specialisation, the first of its kind in the Netherlands. Hofstede is internationally renowned as a pioneer of comparative cultural research; his concept of ‘dimensions of culture’ is used worldwide.

The fund offers grants to bachelor’s and master’s students and PhD candidates to study economics and business administration in an international, multicultural environment. In addition, the fund organises activities for students and alumni of the School of Business and Economics (UM) to make them aware of the added value of multicultural interaction.