Dr. Barbara Oomen took office last week succeeding
Hans Adriaansens as dean of Roosevelt Academy.
The renowned human rights expert now talked to ScienceGuide about
the future of Dutch liberal arts and her academy's role in it.
With the next G20 of education coming up in the Netherlands,
Oomen emphasizes her vision on excellent teaching. Best
practices will then be explored at the Harvard-Roosevelt summer
seminar in June.
1.) How did you "find the courage" to succeed Hans
Adriaansens? Isn't it quite a daring challenge to follow in the
footsteps of such a Liberal Arts pioneer?
I really never considered it as a challenge, but rather as an
honour. Over the years, I have become very enthusiastic about the
value of Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS) education, just as I have
developed a great deal of admiration for Adriaansens' pioneering
work in this field.
I do see Dutch LAS-education moving into a new direction.
Whereas Hans always compared the university colleges to
Greenpeace boats trying to alter the course of higher education,
you now see that this has happened. The strategic agenda for Dutch
higher education is all about liberal arts and excellence, a trend
set by the colleges. At Utrecht University you now see the law
faculty opting for an organization with four colleges, each with
their own identity. In that sense, LAS colleges have the wind
in their sails and can decide on their own course, instead of
battling against trends in higher education.
2.) Roosevelt Academy is one of the pioneers in Liberal Arts
of Dutch higher education. Why do you think is this concept so
appealing to students and teachers? What makes you different from
traditional universities?
Certain features are unique to all university colleges, and
certain features make University College Roosevelt Academy (RA)
stick out from other university colleges. Unique features of the
university colleges include a broad liberal arts and sciences
background that truly allows students to explore many different
interests in great depth. I am convinced that the fact that so many
of our alumni do so well in master programs ranging from physics to
medicine to music and law, has everything to do with the fact that
they really opted for that master after thoroughly exploring many
options.
In addition, the program allows them to become well-rounded
academics, critical thinkers who pose life's big questions and have
gained the intellectuals tools to answer them. The small-scale with
no more than 25 students in a classroom (at RA) and a strong sense
of community amongst the 600 students who do their bachelor program
in Middelburg is a unique feature as well. This is a treat for
teachers as well: in a 30-session class they really get to discuss
the topic of their interest at depth, and engage with students on
the big questions in their disciplines.
There are students who do a track in virtually every field
offered here, and thus take 6-8 we courses and do independent
research. As a teacher this is great to see because this is howto
contribute to 3) The emphasis on excellence in the Dutch academic
culture. Many students and staff experience it as a relief to
actually be encouraged to enjoy learning and striving towards
greater understanding.
While this applies to all university colleges that I know, the
RA distinguishes itself in a number of ways:
Firstly, the dedicated faculty and staff: people actually move
to Middelburg to live and teach here, and are available on campus
for their students. To me, this explains our high rankings in terms
of 'accessibility of teachers', and why students miss us so much
after moving on to Oxford, Cambridge or other universities.
Secondly, the ability that students have to 'shape their world'.
Students not only get to put together their unique program, but
also contribute to a very lively community, in music, poetry,
sports, debating and a host of other societies. I understand from
students that the responsibility that they get - and take on - here
is much stronger than in other places.
Thirdly, our connections with the city of Middelburg, and the
province of Zeeland. We have a wide range of research projects,
internships and social projects with a variety of partners in
Zeeland. An example would be a research project on Alzheimer, or on
the life of lobsters, or partnerships with the local
anti-discrimination bureau. Our music and theater nights, and
culture week, are well visited by the local populace. To me, it is
not without reason that America's top colleges are always to be
found in small towns: here, one can foster those connections that
allow for intellectual growth and civic engagement.
Last but not least, our undergraduate research program:
over the past years, many of our students have engaged in original,
shoulder-to-shoulder research with their instructors. Our alumni
survey shows that 10 % of our graduates end up in a PhD program. I
believe that this could well be because they - as one alumnus put
it last week - 'got struck by the research virus' here.
3.) The Liberal Arts concept has been very successful in the
Netherlands with 6 university colleges already set up and at least
one more starting up in Rotterdam in 2013. Is there
something in the Dutch mentality, culture and higher education
development in the last 15 years that explains this
trend?
Why are other European countries slower at picking up this
idea?
You do find university colleges in other countries, from Sweden
to Slovakia. The Ecolas-network that we are part of brings these
colleges together. This being said, it is clear that many Dutch
students and academics are very enthusiastic about LAS; this might
have to do with our international outlook. The majority of our
graduates continue to a master program abroad (70 % at top-100
universities) and a LAS-bachelor, in many ways, forms a great
springboard for such a career.
4.) What is the role of Liberal Arts for human rights, your
area of expertise?
Classically, liberal arts colleges strive towards strengthening
critical democratic citizenship. Martha Nussbaum, in books like
'Cultivating Humanity' and 'Not for Profit' makes a strong argument
for this part of liberal arts and sciences. Students with a
LAS-background have learned to look critically at the world,
analyze it from different disciplinary perspectives, build strong
arguments and listen empathically to those of others. This also
makes them into the type of global citizens who play a key role in
the realization of human rights.
We explicitly seek to strengthen this dimension of our program
as well, next to merely offering excellent education. In the Going
Glocal program, for instance, our students teach about global
citizenship at schools in Zeeland, and - after an intensive course
- do a summer program in Namibia and Mexico. They include their
findings into projects to be set up with 'their' schools (see www.goingglocal.nl). In addition to that, we
organize lectures and an information market on education for global
citizenship and human rights education for teachers in Zeeland.
5.) At the moment Roosevelt Academy accommodates talented
Bachelor students. What are your ambitions to expand your programs
to Master and PhD tracks? Do you also consider expanding with
education offers abroad?
I would first want to consolidate what we do well here, before
looking into the possibility of opening other colleges or setting
up master programs. So much work can still be done in offering
excellent bachelor education, and it is really a forgotten part of
the academic formation (which is strange, considering that it
concerns three years). Of course, many of our professors supervise
PhD research, and are generally involved in research (80 % of our
instructors has a PhD).
6.) With the next 'G20 of education' coming to the Netherlands
next year, what do you think is Roosevelt Academy's main message to
the world what excellent teaching looks like?
Excellent teaching is engaged teaching, with engaged teachers,
engaged students and an engaged university.
7.) In June, you will organize the next Roosevelt-Harvard workshop on excellent
teaching and learning. What are your expectations for this year's
seminar?
There is already great interest of teachers in higher education,
and I expect it to be as inspiring a course as it was last year,
with lots of room for recent insights on what makes for student
learning, but also for the exchange of experiences between
dedicated teachers.