1. The Miraculous Rise of Liberal Arts & Sciences in the Netherlands Unica Conference Budapest Fried Keesen Directeur of Education University College Utrecht

2. Increasingly complex world End of an Era? Complex problems Complex solutions Technical problems Technical solutions Major breakthroughs at the interfaces of disciplines Specialization: solution or problematic artifact?

3. Artes Liberales: the free mind Antiquity – middle ages: Homo Universalis (literate and numerate) Early modern times: replaced by Humboldt University: specialization LA&S today: full range of academic disciplines

4. Problems in Dutch Higher Education in the late 20 th century Discussions about the quality of Higher Education: Mass education Unification > aimed at average High attrition rates Budget constraints Bologna upcoming

5. Kromhout Barracks HA

6. University College Utrecht Resistance: Budget Disbelief in LA&S concept Competition for students Competition for teachers Support: Personal commitment key players (notably SCI!) Invitations Bologna process Outside world

7. University College Utrecht: Different Big Five: 5 major differences Liberal Arts & Sciences Selective International Residential Performance

8. 1. Artes Liberales: timeless A concept, not a content: Train the mind to think Curiosity Respect for facts New perspectives Explore and discover Engage and develop Broad & deep Make life interesting Outreach and responsibility

9. 2. Selection in the Netherlands? Dutch context: Selective secondary education (4, 5, 6 years) Open Access to University (diploma based) Egalitarian Culture Equal Opportunities <> Equal Talent > Permission for experiment, laws adapted now

10. 3. International Intercultural exchange World citizenship Preparing students for a globalized world

11. 4. Residential LA&S concept goes beyond what happens in class

12. Absence of selection > 6 is enough mentality Best efforts Continuous feedback Support No resits

13. Selection at UCU > 850 applicants 225 spots The Big Four Letter of motivation Transcript Recommendation Interview Individual <> Cohort

14. UCU Succes (Dutch Quality Newspaper)

15. UCU as UU “R&D” facility Utrecht University Elsevier ranking Lessons Learnt: Student choices Active learning Interdisciplinarity Promoting excellence, honours Reducing atrition International Classroom

16. LA&S Colleges in the Netherlands 2015 All Comprehensive Research Universities except one One Technical University (LA&S??) Yearly enrollment now 1250 -1500

17. Meanwhile in the US

18. Different Debates Netherlands: Uniform system: LA&S = quality Liberal Arts & Sciences for top 5% only Quality Brand: –Skills & Knowledge –Broad & Deep –International United States: Differentiated system: Institution = quality LA as one option Career perspective? Return on investment?

19. Present Debate in the Netherlands Democracy put to challenge Secularization Decline of Ideology driven Politics Moral Debates Responsible Citizenship, Integrity New Roles of University in Dutch Society: End of value-free Science & Education? The LA&S concept as a role model again?

20. Thank you!