For Suraj, that feeling has a very concrete starting point. Towards the end of secondary school, he spoke with neuropsychologist Erik Scherder. That conversation grew into a mentor-protégé relationship and marked the beginning of his bachelor’s programme in Psychology. “He sets the right example every day. What he teaches me, I try to apply myself. His motto has stayed with me: better tired than lazy. And that’s exactly how I want to approach things.”
Student feedback with impact
Suraj soon discovered that studying at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam goes far beyond passing exams. Through various student roles – as a member of a programme committee, chair of a committee at a large study association and as a voluntary teaching assistant – he experienced first-hand how impactful student feedback can be.
“When a programme genuinely does something with your input, you can feel it. That’s incredibly motivating. And it demonstrably improves education.” This experience became his motivation: contributing to a positive VU experience for as many students and staff members as possible.
Feeling heard
Alongside his formal roles, Suraj regularly spoke with fellow students who were struggling due to study pressure or personal circumstances. “Sometimes we would talk for hours. As a fellow student, you inspire trust, that changes everything. I wanted them to feel truly seen. As a person, not just as a student.” According to Suraj, this is not an added extra, but a necessity for good learning. “If you feel heard, you dare to ask questions, to doubt and to grow.”
“We do this well at VU Amsterdam”
What appeals to Suraj most is VU’s vision of values-driven education: “Free thinkers for people, society and the planet. I fully stand behind that. And free thinking is only possible if you feel at home somewhere, if you notice that you are seen. At VU, we put a lot of effort into this, which you can also see in the way we co-create education.”
Equality between students and teaching staff is essential in this. “It starts quite simply with students and teachers standing alongside each other. Shaping education together, sharing responsibility. That is what Students as Partners means to me. And we do this well at the VU.”
Want to know more about how the VU involves students in educational development?
Explore the possibilities of Students as Partners via the VU Centre for Teaching and Learning (VU CTL). Or get in touch with VU CTL to exchange ideas about how this approach could be implemented in your programme.
