Joris Larik, new Director of Education at LUC: ‘Keep growing in quality’
Interview
Joris Larik has been appointed Director of Education at Leiden University College The Hague (LUC). The timing is perfect: this year marks his tenth anniversary at LUC. After a decade full of experiences and challenges, he now looks ahead. ‘How do we keep innovating?’
How have you experienced the past ten years?
‘They have been challenging at times. When I first joined LUC, FGGA didn’t even exist yet. Since then, a lot has changed within Campus The Hague: there has been enormous growth, but also several rounds of budget cuts - the most recent only a short while ago. The main challenge, especially at LUC, is how to keep providing excellent teaching while continuing to innovate, particularly in a demanding environment. There is now a much more critical view of internationalisation. You have to keep explaining what we do and why it matters.’
You’ve had several roles at LUC, how do you look back on those?
‘I’ve always greatly enjoyed teaching at LUC, and in recent years also at the Faculty of Law. But I’ve been teaching some courses for ten years now, so it makes sense to hand them over. I was also the convener of the International Justice major for seven years, which I truly enjoyed. But again, it’s good to pass the baton to someone with fresh energy and new ideas.’
This new position will be a completely different challenge.
‘The role of Director of Education is a major administrative responsibility, but fortunately the university has prepared me well for this step. I’ve served as a member or chair of several committees - which I highly recommend for anyone wanting to gain administrative experience. Initiatives such as Young Academy Leiden have also been extremely valuable. You learn a lot about higher education policy, about how to support early-career academics, and you build a broad network. That’s particularly useful in a position like this, since we work closely with colleagues from across the university. Roughly half of our lecturers come from outside LUC. That’s special and enriching – we can draw on expertise from the entire university.’
The past few years haven’t been easy. Has that brought you closer together as a community?
‘I think it has. We’ve had some truly existential moments – for instance, during the debate on teaching in foreign languages. You can’t simply turn a programme about global challenges and a “global classroom” into a Dutch-taught degree. The fact that this proposal has now been shelved, at least for the time being, is a relief. And there are already some great reforms underway. Since this academic year, all our international first-years take a course on Dutch language and culture, as they will be living here for three years. That’s useful for their career prospects but also for integration: it helps them connect more with the city and local community - and that’s something they actually want. I think it’s a wonderful addition to the programme. Full credit to colleagues like Jacqueline Hylkema and Ann Wilson, who made it happen.’
'All our international first-years take a course on Dutch language and culture'
How do you view the wider debate on internationalisation?
‘It remains an important issue. We’re, of course, relieved that the review of foreign-language teaching seems to have been put on hold, but the discussion about internationalisation is rightly continuing. There’s definitely room to strike a better balance between international, national, and local perspectives – but ideally without taking a sledgehammer approach. Does focusing on global challenges mean turning your back on local issues, or can you show how they are interconnected? That’s a legitimate question, and it’s one we need to address – in our own way.’
And what about the budget cuts?
‘That’s one of the major challenges. We’re expected to deliver high-quality teaching on a shoestring. Everyone feels the pressure, including in terms of workload. It’s vital to keep a balance between the wellbeing of our colleagues and maintaining the standards of our honours education. I see that as one of my core responsibilities. Only when people enjoy their work and feel supported can you continue to innovate.’
‘Core task is to continue delivering honours education’
You’re following in strong footsteps. How does that feel?
‘It’s a big responsibility, of course. Both Hanne Cuyckens and Lieke Schreel played crucial roles in moving LUC forward, each taking it to a new level. I want to build on that. We’re not growing in student numbers - we deliberately remain small-scale, with around 200 students per year - but we are growing in the quality of our teaching and programme. It’s important that LUC stays relevant and forward-looking.’
What are your goals for the coming years?
‘Maintaining excellence in teaching, first and foremost. And ensuring that colleagues have the space and energy to keep innovating - that has to go hand in hand with educational quality. I also want us to communicate more clearly to society and policymakers about what we do. We need to speak up more confidently about what Liberal Arts & Sciences really is. It’s sometimes still dismissed as a 'fun' degree (pretstudie in Dutch) - which is a serious misconception. Thirteen cohorts of LUC graduates have now entered the world. When you look at what they’re doing – working in ministries, international organisations, NGOs, and companies – you can clearly see their societal relevance and local impact. In their own ways, they’re all contributing to solving global challenges.’