{"id":118406,"date":"2020-10-08T11:03:57","date_gmt":"2020-10-08T09:03:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=118406"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:25:07","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:25:07","slug":"lets-talk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2020\/10\/08\/lets-talk\/","title":{"rendered":"Let’s talk! About the need for more debate at the university"},"content":{"rendered":"

She enjoyed the discussions with students, academic colleagues and the members of the Executive Board. Above all, she learned a lot about journalism in general and the balance journalists have to find at EM: being independent and at the same time being part of the Erasmus University. Gabriele Jacobs looks back on her time on the editorial board<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Gabriele Jacobs<\/span><\/p>

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The beautiful autumn floral arrangement that I received for my farewell as chair of the editorial board of Erasmus Magazine brightens up my home office. I look back on my five years of serving EM with a lot of pleasure. First as member, and then as chair of the Editorial Board. I enjoyed the intense discussions with students, academic and administrative colleagues as well as the external experts on the board. I learned a lot about journalism in general and about the delicate balance journalists (particularly those at EM) have to strike. As in, being independent, and at the same time, being part of the Erasmus University. One of the missions of EM is to provide a platform for free exchanges on current topics at the university. This aspect of the work of the EM was my main reason for joining the editorial board. I wanted to help facilitate a true debate culture within Erasmus University.<\/p>\n\n\t

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\n\t\tI certainly wish for a more open conversation and brave debate within my university when it comes to pressing questions involving racism, sexism, homophobia and class discrimination\n\t<\/blockquote>\n\n\t<\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n

Respect and Fingerspitzengef\u00fchl<\/h2>

Looking back, I feel a little melancholic. On the one hand, I was impressed how openly and courageously some colleagues and students contributed to certain debates. On the other hand, I also experienced how reluctant colleagues and students across all functions and roles were to share their opinions and insights. I certainly understand this hesitation, given that the price for expressing yourself outside the safe, formal lines of your function and direct expertise can be high. Superiors or colleagues might feel that the opinion you express could damage the reputation of your department or faculty, official guidelines might be misrepresented, or sensitive internal discussions might be harmed by outside interference.<\/p>\n

All this is very true and important, and certainly forms part of the fundamental rules of organisational citizenship for handling public debates with care, respect and \u2018Fingerspitzengef\u00fchl\u2019. Nevertheless, in order to trigger innovation and change at our university, another form of organisational citizenship is needed. Namely, claiming a place for diverse perspectives and flagging problems and failures.<\/p>\n\n\t

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Lees meer<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t