YAG ECR Lunch: The Length of the Academic Year

The Dutch academic year is a remarkably long one and no fewer than 70% of the staff at Dutch universities feel that the work pressure is so high as to be unhealthy. With a length of 40 weeks, the academic year in the Netherlands is about 10 weeks longer than at most UK Universities, for instance. Although additional funding remains neccessary, we may be able to find part of the solution elsewhere, namely by looking at the length of the academic year. It would mean more recovery time for staff and students, less fragmented time and effort, less administrative work and stress and more time for research. That in turn can structurally improve teaching. The newspaper Trouw ran an opinion piece by the National Young Academy concerning the length of the academic year (only available in Dutch).

The national Young Academy has set up a survey to get more input on the issue. Please take a few moments to fill in this survey in Dutch or English.

During this ECR lunch, prof. Lisa Herzog and Prof. Marleen Kamperman will reflect on the planning of the academic year in the Netherlands, as compared to countries such as Germany and the US. Former UG rector Prof. Elmer Sterken will offer his perspective as a policy maker.

12.00 - 12.10 Opening (Bettina Reitz-Joosse and Han Thomas Adriaenssen)

12.10 - 12.20 Prof. Elmer Sterken (Faculty of Economics and Business, former UG Rector)

12.25 - 12.35 Prof Lisa Herzog (Faculty of Philosophy)

12.40 - 12.50 Prof. Marleen Kamperman (Faculty of Science and Engineering)

Short break

13.00 - 13.20 Discussion

13.20 - 13.30 Conclusion (Bettina Reitz-Joosse and Han Thomas Adriaenssen)

When: 18 November 12.00-13.30

Where: Online

Participation in this event is free but registration is required. Please register below! And feel free to bring your lunch!