The Hague UAS Turns Connection Into Conversion: 88% of Students More Likely to Choose Their University

Building a Community That Belongs

When Joey Anothonijs, who’s worked at THUAS for over 25 years, first explored Goin’, his goal was clear — to bridge the gap between curiosity and commitment.

“I was hoping to have a platform for the students to create a community, because I knew that was lacking,” Joey recalls. “We got feedback from students saying they needed that. So when you came with the Goin’ app, I was really happy.”

The app quickly became more than just a social tool.

“From a marketing perspective, I’m satisfied and convinced that the students who use it probably have a better chance of going to our university than those who don’t,” he explains. “The percentages of likelihood in choosing our university are really high.”

At THUAS, connection and conversion go hand in hand. Students who arrive already feeling part of something bigger don’t just attend, they commit.

Gain Insights from Joey and THUAS Directly

Turning Belonging Into Results

Within weeks of joining their Goin’ community, students began forming friendships, trading advice, and exploring the city they’ll soon call home.

Using Goin’, THUAS has built a community where excitement translates directly into action: 88% of students said connecting with peers on Goin’ made them more likely to choose the university, while 89% said it reaffirmed that their decision was the right one.

For Joey, the formula is simple:

“I love it because my students love it. Our potential students, the students who’ve used it, my student assistants who use it, they love it. It’s all for the students, and I love it because they love it.”

That sense of shared enthusiasm is exactly what’s driving THUAS’s success: a community-first approach that turns excitement, connection, and belonging into conversion.

The Arrival Guide: Students Leading Students

One of the strongest features for THUAS has been Goin’s Arrival Guide, which their student assistants help update and manage directly.

“Our student assistants are always working on updating it,” Joey explains. “It helps the students who are coming to us land better. What I really like is that our students use the app and they improve it. They keep it up to date with the latest information, where to go, what to do, what’s most important, when you arrive.”

What started as a simple onboarding tool has evolved into a student-driven resource hub, where new arrivals learn not just from staff, but from each other. It’s support that feels authentic, because it’s written by the people who lived it first.

From Scotland to The Hague: Why It Matters

Looking back on his own international student experience, Joey sees the difference a community solution like Goin’ makes.

“When I was a student, we didn’t have [online communities]. I studied in Scotland, and when I arrived, I thought: how do I connect? How do I meet people? Where do I go? Something like a service from the university would have been nice. More information, more support on how to land better.”

Today, THUAS students land in the Netherlands already knowing an average of 21 peers before arrival, transforming what used to be anxiety into anticipation.

Connection Before Commitment

The Hague University of Applied Sciences shows that connection isn’t a soft metric, but a step into ensuring students are confident, prepared, and eager to convert and retain at their university. By giving students a space to meet peers early, exchange advice, and build confidence before arrival, THUAS proves that when belonging comes first, enrollment follows naturally.

For Joey, those numbers capture what really matters.

“It’s all for the students. When they’re happy, I’m happy, and when they feel they belong, they choose us.”