One notable outcome is the plan to develop a new interdisciplinary social science master’s programme focused on AI and technology.
You started critically evaluating why student numbers were declining?
“That’s right. This evaluation was necessary due to fluctuations in student numbers and the small scale of some programmes, and especially to prepare our programmes for the future. It’s challenging to implement effective changes in both large and small programmes without shaking things up. Therefore, we need a cultural shift to make real progress, which means we have to thoroughly renew our curriculum.
“In the Bachelor’s programme in Sociology, we noticed that a different way of working was more appreciated by the students. This motivated us to critically examine our education portfolio and think about how we can improve and refresh our programs.”
How do you approach such an evaluation?
“The process of evaluation is incredibly educational and generates a lot of energy. Programmes have interviewed stakeholders outside the university and returned with great enthusiasm. We also held meet-ups, which were truly inspiring! You could see excitement for new ideas emerging, and it was particularly evident how many fantastic ideas our staff have.”
“Additionally, we conducted a thorough desk analysis and held discussions with programme directors and external reviewers. This revealed interesting trends and developments that we might have otherwise overlooked.”
What are your next steps?
“1. Thematic education: we will focus on current themes that we expect to remain relevant in the next five years. We’ve identified five key themes: health, public administration, security, diversity, and technology. The idea is to concentrate a programme on one or two of these themes, where FSS and VU have a strong position. In five years, we aim to have an innovative educational offer with two or three new programs or tracks.
2. Collaborating more with partners outside the university: we want to intensify collaboration with partners outside the university, such as municipalities, profit, and non-profit organizations. By applying knowledge to real-world issues, we demonstrate the relevance of academic knowledge. These issues often require a multidisciplinary approach, combining various domains to solve complex problems.
3. Collaborating more with other disciplines: we aim for closer collaboration between social sciences and other faculties, such as the sciences. For example, by combining insights and methods from both domains, we can foster a broader and deeper understanding of topics.
4. Flexibility in programmes: by offering part-time tracks and cross-over programmes that combine multidisciplinary study paths, integrating different disciplines and knowledge areas. We’re also exploring how to attract professionals by offering part-time tracks.
5. Embracing technology more: the impact of AI and other technological innovations is a crucial focus. We want to integrate the role of technology in social relationships and the ethical issues that come with it into our curriculum. This allows us to prepare students for future societal and technological challenges.”
AI is clearly a hot topic.
“Yes, it certainly has a massive impact. I personally use ChatGPT almost daily,” adds Sylvia. “It’s almost always open on my computer. I use it for everything from revising French or English to searching for information, and even for fun work formats. It’s truly a valuable tool that makes my work as director of education much easier.”
“But we want to look beyond just the tools. It’s important for us to help students not only discover the technical aspects but also reflect on ethical and societal issues, such as privacy concerns and bias in AI. We want to prepare students for a world in which technology plays a huge role. We are currently exploring a new interdisciplinary master’s programme that focuses on these themes.”
A new master’s programme. Can you tell us more about it?
“Certainly, our wish is to create a master’s programme that brings together social sciences and technology. We will explore this idea in the coming months, after which we will further develop and refine these plans. Additionally, we are adjusting some existing master’s programmes to better align with this direction.”
She adds, “We expect students to apply academic knowledge creatively. Combining solid academic knowledge and skills with creativity sounds incredibly exciting to me. I would definitely want to pursue such a master’s myself. Creativity and an entrepreneurial mindset make you much more adaptable in the job market.”
What do you hope to achieve with these changes?
“We want to prepare our students thoroughly for the future, which is why our programmes need to be relevant, flexible, and future-proof. I hope we can adapt our education to the rapidly changing needs of both students and society. Personally, I find it wonderful that evaluation can help us with this.”