On 26 October, VU will celebrate the positive outcome of the Institutional Audit of Quality Assurance (ITK). A festive ceremony follows an intensive process filled with conversations about the quality of education at VU. Rector Magnificus Jeroen Geurts reflects on what has been achieved together and what this says about our education community.
When did you first think: now the ITK process is really getting started?
“For me, it became real when preparations got underway across the university. Of course, an ITK is much more than an assessment you want to ‘pass’. As a university, you hold up a mirror to yourself: what do we stand for when it comes to education? Are we actually living up to our ambitions? And do students and staff see that reflected in practice? Naturally, that creates a healthy sense of tension. But more than anything, I was curious: what would that mirror show us?”
And of course, receiving the certificate is a fitting reward.
“Absolutely! But ultimately, what matters is what you learn about yourself and what you then do with those insights. With A Broader Mind, we want students to develop academically, personally and socially. That means we have to keep learning too: continuing to innovate our education, supporting teachers and sharing knowledge with one another, for example through the VU Centre for Teaching and Learning.”
You mentioned that mirror. What did you see reflected in it when you spoke to so many different people about education at VU during the process?
“The passion for education and the tremendous level of commitment. That makes me incredibly proud. Students, teachers, programme directors, education support staff, representatives involved in participation in decision-making: across all those different roles, I saw the same desire to improve our education. And what I find particularly powerful is that we can be proud while remaining critical about what needs to be improved. It is precisely this ability to challenge one another and our shared willingness to learn that makes an education community, our education community, so strong.”
“We can be proud while remaining critical about what needs to be improved. It is precisely this ability to challenge one another and our shared willingness to learn that makes an education community, our education community, so strong.”
It is during an intensive process like this that you really see what kind of education community you are. When did you think: yes, this is VU?
“During the conversations with the panel, we initially answered the questions very neatly and properly. But it didn’t take long before we were having a real conversation, with experiences and ideas tumbling over one another. That felt very typically VU to me, and I had to laugh a little. The committee appreciated it too and mentioned it again afterwards: it gave them great confidence that we are able to have this conversation about quality together.
It also ties in with Vrije Denkers, the VU annual theme as well as the theme of our new Institutional Plan: daring to challenge one another and making room for different perspectives. A strong quality culture does not mean that everything is perfect. On the contrary, it means being able to speak openly about what needs to improve and wanting to work on it together.”
We’ve talked a lot about quality. If you put all the frameworks, assessments and procedures aside for a moment: when is education truly good, in your view?
“Ultimately, for me, educational quality is about what happens to students while they study here. Of course, it is about knowledge and skills, but it is also about learning to think critically, ask questions and recognize and embrace different perspectives. A Broader Mind captures that beautifully: you don’t just become something here, you also become someone. I hope students leave VU Amsterdam as curious, independent individuals and responsible global citizens who are attentive to the world around them.”
On 26 October, we will of course celebrate the positive ITK outcome. But what has been happening behind the scenes to get us to this point?
“An incredible amount of work and commitment! And most of it does indeed happen behind the scenes: preparing, gathering information, having conversations, coordinating and taking a critical look at our own practices. At times, it was also genuinely an exercise in understanding and broadening one another’s perspectives: one person sees things one way, another sees them differently. But everyone involved handled that incredibly well. This result therefore really belongs to all of us, to our entire education community. I am immensely proud of that, and very grateful.”
You say that people see things differently. How do you give programmes and teachers that freedom while, as a university, also needing clear agreements on educational quality?
“That is exactly the balance that good quality assurance requires. As a university, we need to be clear about our values and ambitions, and about what students can expect from our education. But we also need to place trust in the programmes themselves. Our programmes differ from one another, and that freedom is enormously valuable. Give people direction, then trust in the professional expertise of teachers and programmes to put it into practice.”
And looking at our education community in that way, there is every reason to take a moment to appreciate what we have achieved together.
“Absolutely! At VU Amsterdam, we are very good at immediately rushing on to the next challenge. But we really should take more time to recognize what we have achieved together. On 26 October, that is exactly what we will do. There will be the official presentation of the ITK certificate, inspiring examples from our education, good conversations and festive drinks.”
So it’s not just for the people who were directly involved in the ITK process?
“No, it’s for everyone who contributes to our education. It’s going to be a celebration. I hope to see lots of colleagues and students there. So please do sign up!”