Two USO projects granted: about neurodiverse education and AI supported learning materials |
| To continue to renew and improve education, Utrecht University makes funds available each year for innovation projects that contribute to the development of academic education. The assessment committee of the Utrecht Education Incentive Fund (USO) has awarded funding to two projects focusing respectively on neurodiversity in education and AI-supported learning materials for programming education. |
What does an AI-rich learning environment look like? |
| During a brainstorming session on 13 April, students, lecturers, educational experts and colleagues from Campus & Facilities explored how AI and the learning environment could reinforce one another. This resulted in four concepts that can serve as a stimulating starting point for further discussion on the role of AI in campus education. |
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Educational Scholarship and Research |
Scholarly snacking: critical thinking in the age of AI |
| In this session on 4 June, Maarten van der Smacht will present the initial findings of his research. In an era where disinformation is spread via social media and generative AI, developing genuine critical thinking skills is more important than ever. Through his research, Maarten is developing a tool to assess the extent to which students can ask critical questions of an avatar about real-world issues. |
Join our writing retreat for educational researchers |
| Ready to make real progress on your writing? Join our next writing retreat for educational researchers from 6 to 9 July. Step away from your daily routine and spend a few focused days writing in a supportive environment. Surrounded by colleagues and guided by an educational advisor, you’ll find both inspiration and structure to move your project forward. The writing retreat is open to anyone researching (their own) education! Please note, you need to register per day. |
Develop yourself as a teacher with our diverse offer |
| Throughout the academic year, the Centre for Academic Teaching and Learning organises interesting sessions designed to help you develop as a teacher. These include, for example, a short workshop on engaging teaching methods, a course in which you’ll explore the design principles of the education model, or an e-module that teaches you more about educational research, which you can work on in your own time. Curious about the full range of options available? Sessions for the new academic year will soon be available. |
Event: Learning in Society |
| How do you help students shape their careers? |
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| Utrecht University is committed to strengthening its links with society, and this quest for connection appears to be mutual; social partners, government bodies and local initiatives share the same ambition. Are you working to connect education with society? Would you like the opportunity to meet other stakeholders, exchange ideas and create new opportunities together? Then come along to the Community Engaged Learning event ‘Learning in Society’ on 25 June. |
| | On 16 June, Educational Development & Training (O&T) is organising the workshop ‘Guiding (academic) career development’. The workshop is aimed at tutors, academic advisers and career counsellors. In 2.5 hours, you will be introduced to practical models relating to career development and employability, and you will get to work with teaching methods that you can immediately apply in your guidance. UU teachers and UMC staff can participate free of charge. Registration is open until 10 June. |
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| Community Engaged Learning (CEL) offers space for connection, reflection and social engagement. But how often do we really take the time to reflect on our work and the values that drive it? This interactive event, taking place on 23 September from 9:00 to 15:30 at the Playground (Princetonlaan 6), invites lecturers, researchers and community partners to engage in dialogue about how CEL challenges can become sources of creativity, resilience and meaningful collaboration. |
Event: Sustainability in UU Education |
| During this interactive session on 23 June, Tim Stevens will share the key findings from his research project on sustainability in UU education. Which expectations, needs and challenges are there to integrate sustainability into education in a more meaningful way? Based on the findings, you will engage in discussion with colleagues and students and have the opportunity to contribute ideas on how to strengthen sustainability in education at UU. |
Evidence-based teaching using data – how does it work? |
| The Learning Analytics team has developed a teacher dashboard that provides insight into students’ activities in Brightspace at a group level. For example, this allows teachers to monitor students’ progress and adapt their teaching strategies. This enables teachers to make better-informed decisions in their teaching: evidence-based teaching in practice! Would you like to use the teacher dashboard or do you have an initiative related data use for evidence-based education? Email us learninganalytics@uu.nl or check out our website. |
From the Teaching and Learning Collection |
SoTL project: Open Pool Exams |
| The Open Pool Exam format involves students being presented with a set of exam questions at the start of the course, some of which reappear in the final exam alongside new questions. The project investigates the extent to which, and the ways in which, the Open Pool Exam intervention helps students who struggle with the subject matter to achieve the intended learning outcomes in a course with complex and abstract mathematical content. Interested in this project? |
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| Monday 1 June 2026 from 11:00 to 13:00 |
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| Thursday 4 June 2026 from 14:00 to 17:00 |
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