Ganz Persönlich: Afke Schouten
Dezember 21, 2023
Afke Schouten ist Studiengangsleiterin des CAS AI Transformation HWZ und des CAS AI Management HWZ am Institute for Digital Business. Trotz vollem Terminkalender (AI seems to be a thing recently 😉) hat sie sich an unsere aussergewöhnlichen Interviewfragen gewagt.
Dear Afke, thank you for answering our not so everyday questions. We look forward to hearing what you tell us about yourself.
Where are you at home? 🏠
I live in the city of Zurich, Kreis 6. It’s a quiet place with a living room that is big enough to fit my grand piano 🎹, and just across the street starts the forest 🌳, which is especially nice in summer for a quick walk through after lunch when working from home.
A few years ago, I lived in Engadin, with an amazing view onto the mountain, my ❤ still is there – and I hope to be back one day!
What is always in your fridge?
Eggs, Yoghurt, Cottage cheese and soy milk so I can always prepare a spontaneous high protein meal or snack
A roommate about whom there is something to know?
Nope 😉
What do you never leave the house without?
The classical ones… 🔑 and 📱
A certain routine that you always stick to 📝
Sport sport sport, I try to train at least 3 times a week, but ideally up to 6 😵. It helps to stay focused at work.
Your hobby?
I play korfball, a sport not very known in Switzerland. Together with a couple of people, I started building this sport in Switzerland in 2015 and now we have three clubs, a competition, a national team and a thriving community! Next to that I really enjoy spending time in the mountains, it charges my batteries.
Your hidden talent?
What many people don’t know is that I play the piano and enjoy to paint 🖌, I have a few hung up in my apartment and people think I bought the painting 😄
Your most extraordinary experience?
For me it was such a great experience to represent Switzerland at the European Championship korfball. Getting up the field and singing the national anthem, it really made me feel Swiss. Although in general I say I feel half Swiss, half Dutch. The best half of both countries 😉
Your last funny mishap 🥴
I was planned to be on stage at an event in Thurgau – but I had the wrong location in the calendar… Somebody had to pick me up by car and we had a wild drive through the swiss countryside. I arrived literally 5 minutes before I had to go on stage and still had to pull myself together feeling a little motion sick…
Luckily stress is not in my dictionary, so I don’t think anyone noticed.
What was your dream job as a child 🦸♀️
As a kid I wanted to become a stewardess, so I could travel the world and take the train to work – because that’s good for the environment. Luckily I still get to travel the world and go to work with public transport.
How did you become part of the IDB team?
It all started with teaching Project Management for Data Science at the CAS Machine Learning at the HWZ. Then I got in touch with Marcel Blattner, who back then led the CAS AI Management HWZ and was looking for a predecessor. This all happened in 2019, now 4 years later I am teaching in many different CAS, designed and launched an add on CAS (AI Transformation) and recently took over the Module Lead for Digital Business and Technology in the Executive MBA Digital Leadership HWZ. I find myself spending more and more time at HWZ… And it is such a great environment to be in!
Thank you Afke for answering our questions. We wish you a wonderful Advent season and a relaxing holiday season. 🎄🌟
Kurzbio
Afke Schouten hat an der Universität Leiden, Niederlande, den Bachelor of Science in Mathematik und den Master of Science in Ökonometrie und Management Science an der Erasmus Universität Rotterdam abgeschlossen. Nach ihrem Studium hat Afke in verschiedenen Unternehmungen gearbeitet bis sie sich 2020 selbstständig gemacht hat mit ihrer Firma AI Bridge.
Dieser Beitrag gehört zu unserer Interviewreihe «Ganz persönlich», in welcher wir dir unser Team vorstellen indem wir nicht ganz alltägliche Fragen stellen.