End-of-Year Message from our Chair
BA International Studies Chair, Joost Augusteijn, shares a christmas and end of year message to all our students and staff.
Dear International Studies Community,
When reading this you are hopefully able to wind down from studying, examining or taking them, marking or working on those beloved administrative duties. As Chair I, of course, have to thank you for all your efforts and energy to make International Studies what it is, a beautiful thriving programme, and express the hope that you can find some rest and wisdom during the break.
It has been an eventful year. The programme had to find large savings in running it and a threat of forced redundancies was hanging over us for a long time. I am very happy with the way we have come through this together. Fortunately extra money was found so as to avoid a formal reorganisation, but we did have to make painful decisions on the way we teach and organise the programme. Some of this pain will however only be felt in the next few years, as most changes will take time to take effect, while the pressures coming from not replacing colleagues that will retire or leave will only mount in the coming years. So we are not out of the woods yet.
For me this was a challenging situation to come to, but also the main reason why I again became chair. One of the additional issues that seemed less pressing than normally was the reaccreditation process we had to go through in the last few weeks. As this formally decides on our future, I am very happy to report that the accreditation committee was very complimentary about us. In their informal conclusion they remarked on the quality of our programme and particularly on the enthusiasm of our divers student community. We are all responsible for this result but I want to thank especially those of you who were involved in the preparations and the meetings with the accreditation committee.
A diverse community also comes with its challenges both among students and staff. It requires all of us to question our own behaviour and the interpretation of that of others. The meaning of acts, words and silences are all culturally determined and often not fully realised. Becoming aware of this is an enriching insightful but also at times challenging process that needs constant attention. Although a learning process we are actually pretty good at it.
Let me end with expressing the hope that you will forget about most of the ambitions for the break; researching and writing an overdue essay or article, rebuilding your home, living healthily, but instead will enjoy a break and catch up with friends and family.
Fortunately, we can return refreshed in the new year to a university where we can again more freely enter and leave our buildings including the new Spuistraat premise, that promises to be a beautiful addition to our facilities, and welcome the outside world into or midst without too many impediments or under the watchful eyes of extensive security.
Wishing you a very happy productive and rewarding new year,
Joost Augusteijn