Geopolitical tensions, the rise of AI, declining student numbers... How should Leiden University respond? At the Strategic Conference on 25 June, university leaders, students and staff discussed the direction the university should take in the years ahead. An impression in words and pictures.
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It was a sweltering day, with fans waving as participants discussed the major challenges of our time. War within and beyond Europe, digitalisation, AI, demographic change and shifts in the job market all call for new decisions and a clear direction.
'This gives significant momentum to updating our strategy', were Executive Board President Luc Sels's opening remarks. At the same time, he emphasised the importance of remaining agile as an organisation and noted that each topic comes with its own 'paradoxes'.
'Developments are happening so fast. Leading an organisation also means being flexible and alert to what is going on.' The Executive Board therefore wants to hear the views of students and staff on various key issues.
Knowledge security
Rector Sarah de Rijcke and Vice President Timo Kos also reflected on these turbulent times. De Rijcke stressed the importance of knowledge security in the current geopolitical climate, and Kos highlighted the need for digital autonomy in Dutch education to reduce our dependence on the United States. He is working on this with a team together with the Universities of the Netherlands.
Fewer students, less funding
Sels outlined a demographic trend that will lead to a decline in the number of young people in the coming years. Furthermore, the Balanced Internationalisation Act will significantly reduce the number of incoming international students. Universities will feel the impact of these two developments, as government funding is related to student numbers.
Sels believes that strengthening our strategic collaboration with Delft University of Technology and Erasmus University Rotterdam might be a solution, while FGGA Dean Koen Caminada suggested a greater focus on lifelong learning and professional education.
Role of AI
Labour market expert Paul de Beer discussed current and future job market trends. Will technology replace humans? Hard to say, De Beer remarked. In the past, major predictions about the impact of technology on the labour market have often proved wrong. 'As a university, let's not only consider the role of technology, but also think about how we want to contribute to the labour market', he said.
Faster processes
In mixed groups, the participants brainstormed how the university could respond to these trends. Ideas came thick and fast. Knowledge becomes outdated quickly, making it crucial to place greater emphasis on the academic skills needed to critically assess information.
Stronger collaboration with vocational and higher vocational education could be beneficial, allowing us to learn from each other's approaches, suggested mathematics student Tim van Surkum, the Faculty of Science assessor. He was not alone in calling for better preparation for the job market.
'Lecturers are sometimes too quick to assume that all students will go into academia', said Van Surkum. Several participants also pointed to the conditions needed for innovation, such as faster processes and a reduced workload.
Sensitive partnerships
Another session considered the university's collaboration with the Ministry of Defence in new degree programmes as an example of how to approach potentially sensitive partnerships. What opportunities and dilemmas does such a collaboration bring? Various participants stressed the importance of safeguarding our academic independence.
Participants also discussed our dependence on big tech. One staff member asked how the university is contributing to European cloud solutions. And what does the rapid rise of AI mean for research and teaching? This needs to be an ongoing discussion, a lecturer noted.
The conference provided plenty of food for thought on how the university can position itself in a rapidly changing world. Paul de Beer summed it up well: 'We need to stay in touch with society, but we shouldn't jump on every passing trend. It's about striking the right balance.'
