The Miraculous Rise of Liberal Arts & Sciences in the Netherlands Unica Conference Budapest...

The Miraculous Rise ofLiberal Arts & Sciences

in the Netherlands

Unica Conference Budapest

Fried KeesenDirecteur of Education

University College Utrecht

Increasingly complex world

End of an Era?

Complex problems

Complex solutions

Technical problems

Technical

solutions

Major breakthroughs at the interfaces of disciplines

Specialization: solution or problematic artifact?

Artes Liberales: the free mind

Antiquity – middle ages: Homo Universalis (literate and numerate)

Early modern times: replaced by Humboldt University: specialization

LA&S today: full range of academic disciplines

Problems in Dutch Higher Education in the late 20th century

Discussions about the quality of Higher Education:•Mass education•Unification > aimed at average•High attrition rates•Budget constraints•Bologna upcoming

Kromhout Barracks

HA

University College Utrecht

Resistance:• Budget• Disbelief in LA&S concept• Competition for students• Competition for teachers

Support:• Personal commitment key

players (notably SCI!)• Invitations• Bologna process• Outside world

University College Utrecht: Different

Big Five: 5 major differences• Liberal Arts & Sciences• Selective• International• Residential• Performance

1. Artes Liberales: timelessA concept, not a content:• Train the mind to think• Curiosity• Respect for facts• New perspectives• Explore and discover• Engage and develop• Broad & deep• Make life interesting• Outreach and responsibility

2. Selection in the Netherlands?Dutch context:• Selective secondary education (4, 5, 6 years)• Open Access to University (diploma based) • Egalitarian Culture

Equal Opportunities <> Equal Talent> Permission for experiment, laws adapted now

3. International• Intercultural exchange • World citizenship• Preparing students for a globalized

world

4. Residential

LA&S concept goes beyond what happens in class

5. Performance

• Absence of selection > 6 is enough mentality

• Best efforts• Continuous feedback• Support• No resits

Selection at UCU

> 850 applicants 225 spots• The Big Four• Letter of motivation • Transcript• Recommendation• Interview• Individual <> Cohort

UCU Succes

(Dutch Quality Newspaper)

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

2005 excl UCU

2004

2003

2002

2001

2000

1999

1998

1996

UCU as UU “R&D” facility

Utrecht University Elsevier rankingLessons Learnt:

• Student choices

• Active learning

• Interdisciplinarity

• Promoting excellence, honours

• Reducing atrition

• International Classroom

LA&S Colleges in the Netherlands 2015

All Comprehensive Research Universities except one

One Technical University (LA&S??)

Yearly enrollment now 1250 -1500

Meanwhile in the US

Different Debates

Netherlands:• Uniform system:

LA&S = quality

• Liberal Arts & Sciences for top 5% only

• Quality Brand:– Skills & Knowledge– Broad & Deep– International

United States:• Differentiated system:

Institution = quality • LA as one option• Career perspective?• Return on investment?

Present Debate in the NetherlandsDemocracy put to challenge• Secularization• Decline of Ideology driven

Politics• Moral Debates • Responsible Citizenship,

Integrity

New Roles of University in Dutch Society:• End of value-free Science & Education?• The LA&S concept as a role model again?

Thank you!