My UM
My UM
Search

Fan of Problem-Based Learning

As a Digital Transformation and AI Consultant at Eurolink, Tara Miranović can’t help noticing how much she gained from Maastricht University’s system of Problem-Based Learning (PBL). The sessions she now runs with clients closely resemble the tutorials during her studies. “They all involve questions like: ‘What do you mean by this?’, ‘Do we all agree on this?’ and ‘Do we share the same understanding of a particular concept?’ So my very first professional workshop went really well, because it didn’t feel new at all. I’d done it before.”

For her bachelor’s degree, Miranović knew early on that she would move from Bar in Montenegro to Maastricht. Her sister was already studying Arts and Culture at UM. “We’re very close. We shared a small flat near the Emmaplein and had a fantastic time. Maastricht has a vibrant student life. Because there are so many international students, you’re all in the same boat and you really support one another. I made friends for life.” Her favourite activities included going to the Lumière (“good films and nice food”), taking a walk along the river Maas, picnicking with friends in the city park, and of course visiting the Boekhandel Dominicanen: “possibly the most beautiful bookshop in the world.”

Perfect match

Both the bachelor’s in Digital Society and PBL turned out to be a perfect fit. “Studying in Maastricht genuinely got me excited. I’ve always naturally enjoyed learning, but there I was given so much autonomy. I could really choose what I wanted to focus on within the programme, which I found incredibly motivating. Digital technologies were examined critically through the lens of culture, philosophy, politics and the media. Very broad and interdisciplinary—it was fascinating.” Her enthusiasm is contagious, and it’s easy to imagine that as an international student ambassador she persuaded many prospective students to sign up for the programme.

 

Next, the master’s in Digital Business and Economics proved to be the ideal follow-up. “Together, the two programmes gave me a comprehensive overview of what’s happening in the field of digital technologies. The master’s was more practice-oriented, focusing on how to guide organisations in the process of digital transformation. There was also a strong emphasis on AI, and—fortunately—room for ethical reflection as well. Should we, or do we even want to, do everything that is technically possible? That’s an important question.”

Tara Miranović

Freedom to choose

During a minor in Entrepreneurship during her bachelor’s, she realised she wanted to run her own business one day. Freedom and autonomy are important to Miranović, and her current role at Eurolink offers ample room for both. This consultancy and project management firm, founded by her father in 2005, is very much a family business: her sister and two aunts (her father’s sisters) also work there.

 

“I’m a co-owner, which gives me the freedom to work on a wide range of things and to choose projects I genuinely believe in, such as AI and education. That’s a field where I really feel I can contribute to society. My master’s thesis was also about AI in education and how it can support intellectual and moral development. One of the institutes I work with, for example, is linked to the education ministry in Montenegro and publishes school textbooks. Together we discuss how AI can be used in education and teaching materials, exploring questions with the staff like: what is AI? What can the technology do, and what can’t it do? How can we safeguard students’ privacy? What data can be collected? How do you implement AI? Because Montenegro is a candidate for EU membership, we also look closely at European AI legislation. Our country is at a key moment in its digital development, and I try to apply the knowledge I gained in Maastricht here. Hopefully, I can help to guide things in the right digital direction.”

Supervision over prohibition

But what is the right direction? A growing body of research shows that social media can have negative effects on the physical, psychological and social wellbeing of young people. Australia has therefore decided to legally ban children under 16 from having social media accounts.


“Debates about social media are often very polarised,” Miranović says. “But social media isn’t only bad. As a teenager, I benefited enormously from access to so many different sources of information. But of course there’s also a lot of harm online, and that requires proper regulation. Schools and parents should be better supported in how to supervise children digitally. Many digital technologies, including social media platforms, can be used well or badly—that’s up to us. So education and regulation are very important. I also think the ban will be very hard to enforce. Young people will quickly find ways around it, and banning something often just makes it more interesting. I lean much more towards supervision than prohibition.”
 

Tara Miranović and her dad

Advice for current students

“You don’t need to know exactly what you want to do from day one. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Choose subjects you genuinely care about and then look for the common thread. And pay attention to how you function in tutorials: what’s the dynamic? Do you enjoy working in groups, and in what way? By the time you’re choosing a master’s, you’ll have a much clearer sense of what you want and what you’re good at.”

 

Text Annelotte Huiskes
Photography Duško Miljanić and Milica Pavlović

Also read