‘Empathy for students is the number one priority’ In 1982, Corrie Huijs started her career at the UT. After some forty years of service, she retired earlier this year. The main topic of all these years of service was educational development. Her advice? ‘I hope lecturers continue to pay attention to students’ views.’
L
ooking back at forty years of the UT, she says educational development is the common thread. ‘And especially education that activates. The issues at stake now are different from those back then.
What society expects of graduates, for example, or what the labour market expects of students. Responding to that as an educational institution is the stable factor in all these years. I see education as creating an environment where students develop professionally and personally. It is up to teachers to provide a challenging and consistent environment.’ Huijs cites digitalisation as the biggest change during her career. ‘It offers more opportunities, but the facilities in my early years were also excellent and often already digital.
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