UvA Education Day 2026

Academic education goes beyond knowledge transfer; we train students to become critical thinkers, ambitious researchers and engaged citizens.

UvA’s Education Day on 28 October invites us to reflect on how we navigate a complex and changing world as educators and members of our university. What compass helps us orient our work, our relationships, and our shared future in academia?

Plenary session: Navigating with an Academic Compass

The day will open not with a traditional keynote, but rather with a short lifenote, in which Dr Mieke Lopes Cardozo anchors the theme of the Academic Compass in lived experiences through storytelling. As Associate Professor in Regenerative Education and Development Mieke invites us to explore the interconnected paths of regenerative educatorship, through the inner, communal, and whole-system paths of learning. From there, we’ll gather around a campfire conversation on stage facilitated by Regenerative educator, action researcher and writer Dr Koen Wessels, inviting multiple voices from members of our academic community to hear new perspectives. Embracing the full range of experiences and viewpoints present. In this campfire conversation, the following participants will join:

• Lyuba Nicheva, research master’s student Child Development and Education
• Roshn Najmeddin, junior lecturer Human Geography, Planning and International Development
• Farid Boussaid, associate professor of Middle Eastern politics at the Department of Political Science, director of the Amsterdam Centre of Middle Eastern Studies (ACMES), awarded an UvA Education Award 2024, category Student Activating Teaching
• Nithya Subramanian, support staff, Finance & HR administrator at the Central Teaching and Learning Centre, co-organiser of the Special Interest Group Fair Resilient Inclusive Societies
• Christa Boer, dean of the UvA Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences (FMG)

These conversations will later ripple outward into smaller campfire sessions, where everyone can engage in dialogue revolving around UvA’s educational vision, in a more intimate setting. At the end of the day, after the workshops, we’ll return together for a reflective and activating plenary with Mieke Lopes Cardozo as inquiry host, weaving the threads of what has emerged.

Staying on course in a changing world: a new educational vision

Political, social, and technological developments have a direct impact on education. To prepare students for this complex and dynamic world, the University of Amsterdam launched the project ‘Towards a New Educational Vision’, which will be rolled out in the academic year 2026-2027. In this process, we have embarked on a collective quest for a future direction that aligns with our values and vision on education. Join in on 10 campfire discussions to explore whether the formulated educational themes meet the educational practice. And let us gather key considerations to further refine our academic compass. The themes consist of f.e. Healthy learning environment, Self-directed learning and Academic Citizenship.

Challenge your thinking in the group sessions

1. Yes, and… The Power of Improvisation in Shaping Adaptable, Aware Professionals
2. Designing the Academic Compass: A Sprint Toward Student-Centred Learning
3. Bridging Differences: Teaching Students to Collaborate Based on Roles
4. Authentic Assessment
5. Navigating an Uncertain Future: The Pedagogical Compass
6. Renewing Academic Education: Affective Learning to tune our Academic Compass
7. Exploring SoTL: A Compass for Evidence-Informed Teaching
8. Know Thyself: Cultivating Authentic Professional Growth in our Students— What Can I Do?
9. Working Together in Multi-Cultural Teams: Cultural Intelligence
10. The Impact of GenAI in Education: A 5-step Plan for a Future-Proof Curriculum
11. Using Data to Improve Student Succes & Student Experience

Awards for lecturers and students

Good and inspiring education is of great importance to the UvA. That is why we present the UvA Education Awards to exceptional lecturers and courses, education projects or -teams that contribute to this. In addition, the best and most original Master’s theses written at the UvA are rewarded each year with the UvA Thesis Prize. The jury judges the submissions by scientific quality and originality. At the Education Day you can attend a panel discussion with the faculty winners and research journalist and writer Simone Peek.

Programme

• 11:30 – Walk-in with brunch
• 12:00 – Opening of the UvA Education Day by Dr Mieke Lopes Cardozo
• 12:10 – Presentation of the UvA Education Awards and the UvA Thesis Prize
• 12:30 – Navigating with an Academic Compass by Dr Mieke Lopes Cardozo, including an interdisciplinary campfire discussion on stage, facilitated by Regenerative Educator Dr Koen Wessels.
• 13:15 – Coffee break
• 13:30 – Interdisciplinary campfire discussions centred around UvA’s educational vision or Panel discussion with UvA Thesis Prize faculty winners and research journalist and writer Simone Peek
• 14:15 – Coffee break
• 14:30 – A choice of 11 in-depth workshop sessions
• 16:00 – Coffee break
• 16:15 – Plenary closing
• 16:45 – Drinks

About the chairs of the day

• Dr. Mieke Lopes Cardozo is Associate Professor in Regenerative Education and Development at the Amsterdam Institute of Social Science Research, and part of UvA’s Governance and Inclusive Development Research Group. She is co-founder and director of the School of Regenerative Educators, a training and research organisation for professional development of educators and education leaders. Mieke’s transdisciplinary teaching, supervision, research and writing focuses on the role of education systems in processes of regeneration, peacebuilding, social justice and inclusive development. She is chair of the Fair, Resilient and Inclusive Societies (FRIS) education innovation scholarship programme, based within UvA’s Teaching and Learning Centre and the Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies. She co-initiated HOT – Hoger Onderwijs in Transitie.
• Koen Wessels is an educator, facilitator, and action researcher specializing in regenerative education. He is the co-founder of the School of Regenerative Educators and works as a core lecturer in Change Making at the University of Amsterdam’s transdisciplinary bachelor’s program in Computational Social Science.

How do we stay connected in times of academic transitions, such as hybrid learning, AI and the international classroom?

Keynote: Connecting the Dots

On Tuesday 23 May, the UvA Education Day 2023 took place at the Tolhuistuin in Amsterdam Noord, with Dr Maryn Wilkinson as chair of the day.

Practicing limitless thinking together, discovering the possibilities of imagination and stepping outside your comfort zone were the main focuses. Keynote speakers Prof Dr Finn Thorbjørn Hansen and Dr Kim van Broekhoven took participants into the world of creativity, imagination and ‘Deep Wonder’.

The UvA Education Day 2022 took place Thursday 6 October. This day offered lecturers and staff interdisciplinary live encounters and knowledge sharing across the university in light of the theme ‘Learning as a Community’.

The keynote of Dr David Kellermann’s showcased advantages and disadvantages of the hybrid campus. Lecturers and staff joined several community cafés and workshops, and the Central Student Council and ASVA Student Union announced the UvA Lecturer of the Year 2022.

The UvA Education Day is an event to share, discuss and anticipate inspiring ideas, projects and practical examples from education, and look ahead to the (near) future of education.

The UvA Education Day 2021 was an online event. Watch the full recording here.