This issue is also urgent within the university, as researchers and students work with data and digital systems on a daily basis. When unconscious bias is carried over into these systems, it directly affects research, teaching and societal impact.
At this Vrouwen VU-hulp symposium, we will share academic insights on bias and inclusion. We will present real-world examples of where things go wrong and where they work well, and open a dialogue on how VU Amsterdam and society can make technology more equitable.
Professor of Business Analytics Sandjai Bhulai will give the keynote. With contributions from Anne de Hingh (Assistant Professor of Internet Law) and Marilieke Engbers (Public Administration Scholar). Moderator: Miranda van Holland.
Registration will open soon.
About the speakers
Sandjai Bhulai is Professor of Business Analytics at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. He combines mathematical and technical expertise with questions of fairness and inclusion. His research focuses on the societal impact of data-driven systems, with particular attention to bias, fairness, and transparency. He plays an active role in the public debate on the responsible use of AI.
Anne de Hingh is Assistant Professor of Internet Law at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. Her work focuses on themes such as responsibility, power, and legal protection in a digital society, examining how technological developments can reinforce or challenge existing inequalities. Anne combines legal analysis with broader societal and ethical questions about technology.
Marilieke Engbers is an Assistant Professor and researcher at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. Her work addresses governance and ethical issues, with particular attention to integrity, power, and accountability within organisations. Marilieke explores how formal rules and informal practices interact, and where tensions arise between law, ethics, and decision-making.
Theo Bakker is a lecturer in Learning Technology & Analytics and conducts research into academic success and equal opportunities in higher education. In his research, he combines data, educational practice and policy with the aim of making systems fairer and offering all students optimal opportunities.
Intermezzo
Maartje de Boer and Kine Handlykken form the musical cabaret duo Maartje & Kine. With their virtuosity and playful style, they play more than twenty instruments together – from violin and piano to singing saw and nose flute – and perform shows that are refined, funny and surprisingly accessible.
The Vrouwen VU-hulp symposium is inspired by the organisation Vrouwen VU-hulp, which raised tens of millions over the course of the twentieth century to support the founding and development of VU Amsterdam.