The Department of Earth Sciences will definitively remain at Vrije Universiteit (VU) Amsterdam. The Executive Board of VU Amsterdam confirmed this decision on Tuesday 1 September. Under the department’s newly adopted strategic direction, its work will focus on the overarching theme of Earth System Science, while its leading research in Earth sciences will remain housed within the department. The Bachelor’s programme in Earth Sciences and the Master’s programme in Earth Sciences will also remain part of the university’s educational portfolio.
The decision follows an intensive process in which staff, representative bodies, students and external stakeholders were closely involved. This process was initiated following a review of earlier decision-making concerning the future of the department, in light of the financial challenges facing VU Amsterdam. Developments within the Earth sciences sector, including the willingness of external partners to contribute financially to retaining and further developing Earth Sciences at VU Amsterdam, have opened up new perspectives. In the subsequent process, stakeholders jointly explored a sustainable and future-proof direction for Earth Sciences at VU Amsterdam, working towards a broadly supported and sustainable decision.
A new strategic direction
Under the new strategic direction, teaching and research will explicitly focus on the overarching theme of Earth System Science. Central to this approach is understanding the interconnections between the different processes within the Earth system and societal challenges such as climate change, the energy transition, the supply of raw materials, and sustainable land and water use. The Bachelor’s programme in Earth Sciences and the Master’s programme in Earth Sciences will also undergo substantive renewal in the coming years, with knowledge of the Earth system and the interactions within it as key pillars. This renewal will ensure that the programmes are more closely aligned with the societal challenges of the future, as well as with the knowledge and expertise required by the Earth sciences sector. The renewed curricula will be introduced in stages from September 2027 onwards.
Implications for staff
The reorganisation will take effect on 1 November 2026. Staff in the Department of Earth Sciences have been informed of the decision. The restructuring of the department will also mark a period of change and the departure of five valued colleagues. The coming period will therefore focus on carefully implementing the decision, with attention and support for the staff involved and a strong focus on safeguarding the continuity and quality of teaching and research.