Word of the Chair - Attitude of Gratitude
As Prof. dr. Isabelle Duyvesteyn concludes three dynamic years as Chair of the International Studies programme, she takes a moment to reflect on the journey—one marked by collaboration, innovation, and a deep commitment to students. Read the full farewell message and look back on a term of leadership, growth, and gratitude.
Three years ago my term as chair of the International Studies programme started. Now at the end of my incumbency it is time to look back. In August 2022 I gave an interview to the Faculty Newsletter. The article that was eventually published carried the title ‘I want to do things that will benefit students’. Indeed, the primary responsibility of a programme chair is to ensure the smooth running of the educational programme, and the process for doing this lies largely behind the scenes. Even though I recognized at the time that International Studies was ‘a well-oiled machinery’, I formulated two ambitions: to work on integrating digital humanities more strongly in the curriculum and to showcase more the research-led teaching that is taking place at International Studies. On both these ambitions I am happy to report progress. First, we are developing a digital skills learning pathway in the curriculum, thanks to the input from the Digital Skills working group and the Learning Pathways working group. As a matter of fact, the Faculty will be introducing a course across all Bachelor programmes on ‘Humanities in a Digital Age’. Second, the Mid-Term Review in 2023 offered us an opportunity to put research-led teaching into sharper focus. The committee that conducted a site visit in April 2023 strongly recommended to work with the core themes that International Studies has identified, to bring all the different International Studies scholars closer together.
I look back on three very busy years. Just to give you an idea what a programme chair at International Studies does; I have chaired over 120 Management Team meetings, 30 Programme Board Meetings, 30 Bilateral Meetings with the vice-dean for Bachelor education, 6 General Staff Meetings, 3 International Studies Days. All this on top of regular meetings with the Track or discipline Leaders in the International Studies programme, the Exam Board, the Educational Board, the Educational Directors of the Faculty Institutes, the Community Building Committee, and several other ad hoc committees.
I have written 21 speeches, 23 newsletter entries, contributed to delivering a series of reports, notably about the future of International Studies, a response to the Mid-Term Evaluation report, and a report about the smaller languages in the programme. I contributed to discussions about the cutbacks in the Faculty and the reform of the teaching programmes. And I started up a Leiden University Press Series for International Studies, which has published 2 books so far.
None, indeed none, of this I have done on my own and it could not have been possible without the great team with whom I had the privilege of working. The support, energy and great collegiality kept me going, in particular during the difficult days when a student passed away, when there were tensions and protests on campus, which directly affected students and staff. A huge thank you to: Dr Jaap Kamphuis (programme manager), Stans Willemsen (programme management assistant), Dr Paula Jordao (tutorial-lecturer team coordinator), Dr Jochem van den Boogert (tutorial-lecturer team coordinator), Ariënne de Bruin (team leader educational administration), Anne van der Jagt (internationalization officer), Dr Elizabeth den Boer (team leader study advisers), Atse Fokkens (team leader career service), Marieke Oe (senior marketing adviser) and Dr Marlene Zijlstra (community building officer). And the student members of the Programme board, this year, Clara Gonzalez and Mikhail Polakov. It has been a great privilege working with all of you. Thank you also to all involved in the International Studies community at large, working with you and your many and diverse talents has been a true gift, which continues to fill me with gratitude.
I hand over the helm with confidence to the care and experienced hands of Dr Joost Augusteijn. As an alumnus-chair he will steer the large ship that is International Studies through the rough seas ahead, to hopefully calmer waters. In 2022 I wanted to focus on the students in International Studies and share my enthusiasm ‘about the fantastic programme that is International Studies’. I will continue teaching in International Studies and indeed continue working on spreading that undiminished enthusiasm. Therefore, it is not a good bye but rather, see you later.
Wishing you all a good summer, relax and recharge, and I look forward to meet again in the autumn, inside and outside of the classroom.
