Fixing Academia: The University of the Future
Are our universities still fit for purpose? While academia struggles to meet expectations in times of rapid political and technological change, the “ivory tower” critique sadly still hits home. Also internally, universities are under immense strain: the publication model is cracking, the academic funding landscape has become a rat race that leads to more losers than winners, and systemic inequalities profoundly restrict access to higher education.
The Amsterdam Young Acadamy, the independent platform of young scientists from the University of Amsterdam and the Vrije Universtiteit, presents their book Fixing Academia: Reflections from a New Generations of Scholars. Fixing Academia is a timely and provocative collection of essays by ten young scholars. In a series of sharp, evidence-based, and constructive reflections on a selection of pressing themes, they diagnose some of the structural flaws in 21st-century Dutch universities. They also offer the tools for repair – tackling everything from the influence of Big Pharma on scientific integrity to the urgent need for better work-life balance for academic parents. Actionable yet visionary, this book hopes to stimulate conversations on how to “fix” academia and help universities strengthen their bonds with society.
This evening, two of the book authors will pitch what they think needs to be fixed in academia: Gea Dreschler (writing in times of AI) and Yusuf Çelik (first-generation students). Berend van der Kolk, one of the editors, will share how the book came into being and highlight key messages from the book, and Callista Mulder, also an author of the book, will present and moderate the panel discussion.
Confirmed panelists include: Marileen Dogterom (President, KNAW), Felienne Hermans (Professor, VU Amsterdam) and Jeroen Geurts (Rector Magnificus, VU Amsterdam).
Speakers
Dr. Gea Dreschler is Assistant Professor of English Linguistics at the School of Humanities at VU Amsterdam, and director of the VU’s Academic Language Programme. She is a researcher of written language, from the earliest English manuscripts to Generative AI, as well as a writing teacher and coach.
Dr. Yusuf Çelik is Assistant Professor of Digital Humanities & Islam at the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities of VU Amsterdam. His research explores the history of ideas and mentalities through a computational analysis of sources drawn from various religious traditions.
Dr. Berend van der Kolk is Associate Professor of Management Accounting and Control at the School of Business and Economics of VU Amsterdam. His research and teaching activities relate to performance measurement in organizations.
Dr. Callista Mulder is Assistant Professor and Principal Investigator at Amsterdam UMC. Her line of work focuses on the development of novel fertility treatments to help people with infertility conceive.
Prof. Marileen Dogterom is President of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) and Professor of Bionanoscience at TU Delft. Next to her research on the physical principles that govern the organization and dynamics, she is a strong advocate for early-career researchers and better conditions for young academics.
Prof. Felienne Hermans is Professor of Computer Science Education at VU Amsterdam. Her research focuses on how people understand code and how technology can be designed to be more accessible and more human-centred. She is a widely recognized expert in the conversation on AI and education.
Prof. Jeroen Geurts is Rector Magnificus of VU Amsterdam and Professor of Neuroscience. His work and leadership focus on academic excellence, societal impact, and strengthening the position of universities in a rapidly changing world.
