YUFE  - create your own European learning path

Internationalisation was one of the main themes of this visit throughout the day. Not a surprise in a border region, where in many ways foreign countries are never far away. And naturally, the theme featured prominently in the education minister’s meeting with staff and students of YUFE, the Alliance of Young Universities for Europe's Future led by Maastricht University.

YUFE students Jagoda Frost and Tim Dings shared their experiences of choosing academic programmes at other universities within the Alliance and stressed the opportunities and flexibility that YUFE offers to create your own personalised European learning path.

Speak Up!

At the end of the visit, professor Dijkgraaf talked to some 60 students during a Speak Up! session. He called on them to “come up with stories that make me feel uncomfortable”. Obviously, one of these contentious issues was student funding (“compensation for the current loan system has been increased to some extent, but....”).

The education minister showed empathy with students' stories about well-being. “Stress seems to be the new pandemic,” he said, adding that “We must turn the tide, because stress is counterproductive”. On the topic of internationalisation, he commented that it was: “important and good, but we must all be able to deal with student numbers”.

In response to the question What is your ideal study environment?, a European Studies bachelor’s student answered: “A university that is built on trust. Trust that students are willing and able to put their curiosity to good use”. It was one of many ideas put forward during the day. And they were much appreciated by the education minister, who called for less rigidity, saying that there are still too many barriers. He added that we need to take a critical look at whether education in the Netherlands is accessible and inclusive enough.