“My PhD thesis shows what the military and medical worlds can learn from each other about education”
Steven Hornstra works part-time as programme manager for education at the MUMC+ Academy and part-time as a military officer with the Dutch Ministry of Defence (Defence). You might think that keeps him busy enough. Yet over the past six years, he also completed a PhD. His research explored what the military world of Defence and the medical world of MUMC+ and Maastricht University (UM) can learn from each other about education. At the end of March 2026, he was awarded his doctorate by the School of Health Professions Education at UM. His thesis examines how military education can be further strengthened to enhance the quality and operational effectiveness of Defence. “I hope my research will indirectly contribute to preventing war.”
As programme manager, Hornstra is responsible for the educational programmes Interdisciplinary education for medical residents and Faculty development for medical specialists. As a Major at Defence, he focuses on military readiness. “I develop plans to ensure that military personnel are prepared, and remain prepared, at the right level and at the right time for military operations,” he explains. “I also oversee the implementation of those plans. In both roles, I support highly motivated and well-trained professionals in preparing for tomorrow’s challenges. In doing so, I contribute to two causes that matter deeply to me: healthcare and security.”
PhD research
Pursuing a PhD was never a goal in itself for Hornstra. “What I really wanted was to do research.
In practice, I encountered several challenges within military education. I also came across articles arguing that military education should make greater use of insights from educational science and of the ‘smart solutions’ developed by other organisations. But what exactly are those insights and smart solutions? How can they be applied? And do they also work in a military context? I couldn’t find clear answers. That’s when I thought: I work for both Defence and MUMC+. What could the military and medical worlds learn from each other about education?”
Hornstra immersed himself in this question and, over the course of six years, wrote no fewer than nine scientific papers, all of which were published. He brought them together in his thesis, Fostering Officer Competence.
“My thesis consists of three parts,” Hornstra continues. “In the first part, I investigated how military education can be designed to help officers deal as effectively as possible with complex and unpredictable situations. Imagine an officer having to choose between the fastest route for a mission and the safest route for the local population. By analysing the situation from operational, humanitarian and political perspectives, he or she can make a well-balanced decision.”
Military tasks and strategic thinking
For the second part of his research, Hornstra explored whether military training and academic education at military academies could be integrated through a new educational model. “Officers are often required to carry out military tasks while thinking strategically at the same time. An officer whose unit comes under fire in hostile territory must, among other things, lead the team and engage in combat. Those are military tasks. At the same time, the officer also needs to consider issues such as military strategy, international humanitarian law and ethics. That is strategic thinking. Military tasks are learned through military training, while strategic thinking is developed through academic education. At military academies, these learning pathways are often largely separate. That is not ideal when officers need to apply both simultaneously. That is why I investigated whether an educational model could help integrate the learning and practice of military tasks and strategic thinking.”
The third part of the thesis focuses on a method that Hornstra adapted for military use. “This method enables military personnel and researchers to work together to design innovative training programmes quickly and in an evidence-based way. This is important because NATO’s focus is shifting. In the past, peacekeeping missions were the priority. Today, defending national territory has once again become more important. As a result, officers are taking on different responsibilities that require new knowledge and skills. That calls for new training programmes. However, before those programmes can be developed, there first needs to be agreement about the required tasks and the associated knowledge and competencies. In practice, this makes developing new training programmes far from straightforward. My method can help address that challenge.”
“The university can learn from the strong sense of team spirit that characterises Defence.”
Learning from one another
When asked whether he now knows what the military and medical worlds can learn from each other, Hornstra replies: “At UM, you learn to analyse complex situations from multiple perspectives and to form your own well-founded point of view. Military officers need exactly the same ability. Defence can continue to develop by exploring which of UM’s innovative educational approaches can also be applied in the military context. Conversely, UM can learn from the strong sense of team spirit that characterises Defence. UM’s Problem-Based Learning approach, in particular, could benefit from this. A strong team spirit can foster a sense of shared responsibility for group assignments. It also creates greater mutual trust, making it easier to give one another constructive feedback on behaviour. Finally, it helps teams support each other through the more challenging phases of a project.”
Since 30 March 2026, Hornstra has officially held the title of Doctor. Naturally, he is proud of this achievement. What makes him even prouder, however, is the societal relevance of his research. “Improving military education ultimately strengthens Defence. That will, in turn, make it far less likely that a potential opponent would attack us. So I hope my research will make an indirect contribution to preventing war.”
Text: Martina Langeveld