For the pas four years, VU Amsterdam has partnered with higher education institutes in Bhutan and Slovenia on the EU-funded HAPPY project. This initiative aimed to strengthen qualitative research skills at Bhutanese universities, fostering a deeper understanding of complex societal issues. But why are projects like HAPPY relevant for our university?
Dr. Ellen Bal, Associate Professor Social and Cultural Anthropology, shared her perspective on the relevance of international collaborations, such as the HAPPY project, to our university. Coordinated by the Centre for International Cooperation (CIS-VU), HAPPY exemplifies VU's commitment to global engagement.
How Does HAPPY Reflect VU’s Unique Profile?
“Our university strives to be a socially engaged university”, says Dr. Ellen Bal. “In today’s interconnected world, maintaining an open, critical, and reflective mindset is more important than ever. Projects like HAPPY challenge us to step outside our societal bubble. Despite our best intentions, we often view the world through our own lens, assuming it to be universal,” Dr. Bal explains. “By working with people from different countries and cultures, we gain the invaluable opportunity to reflect on our own perspectives. This reflection is essential not only for addressing global challenges but also for gaining deeper insights into our local issues. This kind of awareness is crucial for preparing future generations to think critically and address global challenges.”
What are some concrete results of HAPPY that support the ambitions of our university?
“There are several initiatives that have emerged from this collaboration. The HAPPY project itself builds on a previous partnership between VU and the University of Ljubljana through the People-project, which addressed mismatches between humanities graduates’ qualifications and employers’ expectations. In HAPPY, we worked on similar challenges, only in a different context. And after four years of HAPPY, numerous spin-offs have been initiated. In addition to new research projects, projects like HAPPY open doors for student internships and research. Currently, I am supervising a Master’s student who is investigating the root causes of Bhutan’s migration to Australia, a phenomenon contributing to brain drain.”
What message would you like to convey?
“Today's climate poses significant challenges to fostering international collaborations in higher education,” dr. Ellen Bal warns. “Looking inward has never resulted in positive outcomes. As a university committed to inclusivity and critical thinking, we must actively encourage collaborations that challenge us to step beyond our immediate context. Projects like HAPPY are not just valuable—they are essential. They provide researchers and lecturers with the tools to remain innovative, globally minded, and socially engaged. We live in an era where keeping an open mind is more crucial than ever, making initiatives like HAPPY a fundamental cornerstone of our mission as an institution.
