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University Forum

What are the values that identify the University of Amsterdam (UvA)? What should be our strategic course and what does the future of the university as a whole look like? These questions form the starting point for the UvA’s University Forum. As of 2024, the Forum has been revamped. To increase the forum’s reach and impact, its structure has been changed and the number of participants significantly expanded. Over the next two years, discussion evenings will be organised twice a year to discuss subjects that are relevant to the broad UvA community.
Photo: Maartje Strijbis
Photo: Maartje Strijbis

As of 1 September the University Forum is chaired by Tamar de Waal. Her appointment is for a period of two years. De Waal is a legal philosopher, associate professor of Legal Theory and director of the Amsterdam Honours College of Law at the Faculty of Law.

Agenda committee

The subjects to be discussed at the meetings of the University Forum will be determined in collaboration with an independent agenda committee (consisting of the CSR, COR, UCO, UOC and student assessor, etc.). Its members will choose a theme that is relevant to both students and employees.

Origin

The University Forum was established following a recommendation from the Democratisation & Decentralisation Committee to set up a ‘broad-based deliberative forum’. After an evaluation of the forum’s first few years (2018-2023) the Executive Board decided that the University Forum will continue - in an adapted form.

  • Meetings 2024

    1 October: The resilient university in times of political upheaval

    The second edition of the 'new style' University Forum took place on Tuesday, 1 October. The topic was 'The resilient university in times of political upheaval'. After a plenary introduction, the participants discussed various subtopics related to the role of universities in a changing political landscape. The discussions dealt with not only the announced cutbacks, but also issues such as academic freedom (and how it is under pressure). The evening was concluded with a plenary discussion.

    16 April: The university as a degree mill?

    The first meeting was on 16 April 2024 at public debate centre De Balie. The thema was ‘The university as a degree mill?’. One hundred students, employees, researchers and other representatives of the UvA community had been invited to attend after their names were selected by drawing lots. Following a plenary introduction, they were split up into small groups to discuss various subtopics related to education at the UvA. For example, critical thinking and the increasing regimentation of university education. The evening ended with a plenary debate about the main points of discussion. 

  • Reports of the forum meetings 2018-2023

    Reports of the forum meetings in the pilot phase, in both English and Dutch, can be found on the Dutch web page about the University Forum.

  • Contact

    The secretary to the University Forum can be reached via email: universiteitforum-bb@uva.nl.