{"id":119627,"date":"2020-11-12T09:30:54","date_gmt":"2020-11-12T08:30:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=119627"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:25:14","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:25:14","slug":"multidisciplinary-honours-programmes-allow-students-to-learn-to-know-their-place","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2020\/11\/12\/multidisciplinary-honours-programmes-allow-students-to-learn-to-know-their-place\/","title":{"rendered":"Multidisciplinary honours programmes allow students to learn to know their place"},"content":{"rendered":"

Erasmus University offers dozens of honours programmes, but only two of them involve more than one faculty.Tackling Inequalities<\/em>\u00a0will kick off for the second time this month, and the revised Grand Challenges<\/em> is about to commence, as well. Students taking the programmes will conduct research on the problems currently faced by the city of Rotterdam, but they are not allowed to \u2018act like bulls in a china shop\u2019, says Jiska Engelbert, the academic director of Tackling Inequalities<\/em>.<\/p>\n

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In the last few weeks, the top-10-percent of EUR students have been invited to join one of these honours programmes. Tackling Inequalities<\/em><\/a> is offered to Master\u2019s students, while Grand Challenges is open to Year-2 Bachelor\u2019s students. In the invitation, the various degree programmes\u2019 top-scoring students were asked to apply for a spot on the programme. \u201cAlthough I have to admit I\u2019m more interested in the right motivation than in high marks\u201d, says Christian van der Veeke, the academic director of Grand Challenges<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n

Hip, but messy<\/h2>\n\t
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\n\t\t\u2018Collaborating with researchers from other disciplines is messy and more time-consuming. It takes a while to learn it\u2019\n\t<\/blockquote>\n\n\t<\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n

Both the Bachelor\u2019s and Master\u2019s programmes focus on multidisciplinary research. \u201cObviously, it\u2019s incredibly hip to take a multidisciplinary approach to research, but it\u2019s also very hard\u201d, says Engelbert. \u201cIn order to take part, you must be curious about other disciplines and willing to explore the boundaries of your own discipline. When you\u2019re working with like-minded people, it\u2019s easier to arrive at a particular point of view. Collaborating with researchers from other disciplines is messy and more time-consuming. It takes a while to learn it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Van der Veeke completely agrees. He believes that many researchers suffer from tunnel vision when it comes to science \u2013 a process that starts early. \u201cWe get wired during our first year at university\u201d, says Van der Veeke. \u201cOpinions on other disciplines tend to be very basic and full of prejudice. Students are taught superficial notions such as \u2018economists will only look at economic models\u2019. We wish to give our students a different perspective and teach them to respect other people\u2019s input. Guest lecturers are often asked questions here that they are never asked anywhere else, because they are faced with students from other disciplines.\u201d He believes this shows how people from different disciplines have different ideas on subjects.<\/p>\n

Grand Challenges<\/h2>

Both honours programmes will get students to conduct research on an issue currently faced by the city of Rotterdam. In Grand Challenges, students are mainly encouraged to reflect on the city\u2019s problems. \u201cSustainability has become a bit of a trite subject, but there\u2019s a lot more to it than just environmental issues,\u201d says the programme\u2019s academic director. The theme also includes issues such as a sustainable migration policy, a sustainable healthcare policy, etc. \u201cGiving back to the city sounds a little cheap, but the fact of the matter is, we are connected to each other. The city is connected to EUR, and EUR is connected to the city. Academics are part of the city, but right now, they are too far removed from it. We wanted to do something about that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\t

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\n\t\t\u2018Giving back to the city sounds a little cheap, but the fact of the matter is, we are connected to each other\u2019\n\t<\/blockquote>\n\n\t<\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n

Grand Challenges<\/em> will be taught for the seventh time starting from late November, but the programme has been revised. It used to have a Dutch-language component as well as an English-language component, but now the two have been combined into one single English-language programme. In addition, the final assignment has been overhauled, a fact of which Van der Veeke is very proud. \u201cYou see, the suggestion to do so was made by two alumni of Grand Challenges<\/em>. While they did think the honours programme was very useful, they also asked me: \u2018Isn\u2019t there anything you can do about that final assignment?\u2019\u201d In the old days, students were asked to write three essays from the points of view of three different disciplines. Now groups of students are asked to organise a workshop or teach-in . \u201cAnd the greatest thing is that the alumni who told me this, who have by now graduated, have become an integral part of the programme. They will be teaching our students how to host teach-ins!\u201d<\/p>\n

Tackling inequalities<\/h2>

The Master\u2019s honours programme not only encourages students to reflect on the city\u2019s problems, but to actively present potential solutions. The Municipality of Rotterdam will serve as a formal partner to the eighteen students who will be taking part in the programme. \u201cRotterdam has voiced the ambition to be the most inclusive digital city in the Netherlands by 2025\u201d, says Engelbert. \u201cThe digital world is no Valhalla. Digitisation may actually result in social inequality. Students will be asked to reflect on questions such as, \u2018how to protect residents\u2019 rights?\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

Engelbert explains that it is important that students remain unpretentious when they go into town to conduct their research. It is vital that they listen and learn, rather than impose their knowledge on the locals. \u201cRotterdam is not a lab. We don\u2019t want to stare at people who may be vulnerable from behind a fence. The last thing I want is for students to think after this programme: now we know everything we need to know. They shouldn\u2019t act like bulls in a china shop. One of the main messages of the programme is: know your place.\u201d<\/p>\n\t

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Applications for a spot on Tackling Inequalities<\/em><\/a> must be submitted on or before Monday, 16 November. The application submission deadline for Grand Challenges<\/em><\/a> is the 1st of December.<\/p>\n\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t

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De redactie<\/h2>\n\t\t\n\t\t
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