Valedictory lecture Prof. Dr. Wim Gijselaars
Professor of "Professional Learning" at the School of Business and Economics
“Committed to Learning under Challenging Circumstances”
Over more than four decades at Maastricht University, I have been involved in—and helped shape—one of Europe’s most distinctive educational journeys. In this farewell lecture, I reflect on the pioneering spirit that founded UM in the 1970s and how that same commitment to learning continues to guide the university today. From the early days of Problem‑Based Learning in Medicine to its reinvention within Business and Economics, the story is one of experimentation, resilience, and purposeful change.
This presentation explores the challenges of scaling innovative pedagogy, the inevitability of scepticism, and the value of evidence‑informed leadership. It highlights the importance of creating learning and working environments that foster reflection, collaboration, and psychological safety. The key message is that genuine progress does not come from copying best practices, but from cultivating informed judgment and high agency. In a world full of unplanned occurrences, uncertainty and ambiguity become opportunities for learning—provided we create the space to experiment and act in line with our shared purpose.
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