UM Magazine June 2013 by Maastricht University

magazine 02/June 2013

About education and research at Maastricht University

The

Robots are

marching on

Discussion between Gerhard Weiss and Tsjalling Swierstra – p 17

Female professors in the spotlight – p 14

“Lift the ban on

growing embryo cells

for science”

Farewell interview with Joep Geraedts – p 12

Content

Further 04 Leading in Learning - Marketing-Finance: an especially successful mix 06 Clinical research - Ruud Halfens: Prevalence monitor: annual snapshot of healthcare problems

Human Brain project

According to Rainer Goebel, professor of Cognitive Neuro-

science, our brain is a universe, and that universe he wants to understand. Now, thanks to a green light and a €500 million grant for the Human Brain Project, the chances of his dream coming true have significantly increased.

08 Research and society - Jan Willems: “Attachment security is a human right” 12 Farewell interview - Joep Geraedts: “A suitcase full of memories” 14 Female professors - Jenny Slatman, Karin Bijsterveld and Madelon Peters on AcademiaNet 17 Debate - Gerhard Weiss and Tsjalling Swierstra on the robotisation of society 20 Professor–Student - Wim Gijselaers, Mien Segers and PhD student Martin Rehm 22 Region - Fred Grünfeld: From victim to survivor 26 Skills - Ana Menendez: Creative writing for academics

32 Alum Helmut Warmenhoven Helmut Warmenhoven graduated from Maastricht University in 1996 as a business economist specialising in international management. But he is far from your traditional manager. By way of Palestine, Brussels and Thailand he made his way to China, where he teaches English and German at a university and is about to start a PhD in … anthropology.

30 Off the job - Johan Vlaeyen: “Fortunately, sheep don’t bark” 34 Alumni - Esther Tromp: Building bridges across borders 36 University Fund - New named funds - News News 10, 11, 25 and 38

Column

Maastricht reflections in Ghent At Ghent University last month, I delivered the keynote speech during the annual conference of the European University Association (EUA); an association of some 850 European universities, including UM. That I was able to give the speech was entirely coincidental, as the planned guest speaker, from the US, was unable to attend. And so, following Androulla Vassiliou, the European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth, I found myself giving a speech on the future of the European university in the auditorium of my very own alma mater, exactly 40 years after graduating. Now as rector magnificus of a different, foreign university: Maastricht University (UM). Fortunately, UM had given me enough food for thought to shed some light on the challenges facing Europe to this illustrious audience of university administrators. Another happy coincidence was last month’s publication of the European Innovation Union Scoreboard 2013. Compiled by the Maastricht researcher Hugo Hollanders, this report identifies how EU member states are doing in terms of knowledge and innovation. This year’s report, based on data from 2010 and 2011, reveals a significant difference in the knowledge performance of EU member states. According to the British development economist Paul Collier, this process of divergence can be attributed to the development of ‘submerging’ economies in Europe. Unlike the emerging economies we have seen in developing countries over the years, these ‘submerging’ Eurozone economies are characterised by decline. Over the past five years, as the figures from the Innovation Union Scoreboard reveal, these countries have seen a selfreinforcing process of decline. Typical of this process – the mirror image of what is happening in emerging countries – is increased unemployment among educated youth. In the face of increased competition from emerging countries, high labour costs in an ageing population and the imposed fiscal ‘consolidation’ of government deficits, it is proving extremely

difficult for this generation to find work. They may have higher education levels than their parents, but they are losing some of this educational advantage every year they are unemployed. The tragedy of high unemployment among educated youth is the root of the downward spiral in Europe’s ‘submerging’ economies. The ensuing ‘talent drain’ flowing out of these countries – and into our universities – forms as it were the ‘real’ adjustment to this downward dynamic. Naturally, this raises many questions. How do universities in these countries deal with this downward dynamic? And how do universities in wealthier European countries respond to it – as a competitor or as a partner? Will concepts like ‘teaming’ and ‘twinning’, as proposed in Horizon 2020, the EU programme for research and innovation, facilitate inter-European university cooperation? Or are we in need of a European policy, and if so, what role would the EUA play in this? In short: enough ‘thought for food’ that, noblesse oblige, was present in abundance in Ghent. Luc Soete Rector Magnificus, Maastricht University

Luc Soete

Leading in Learning

Nikos Kalogeras, Arvid Hoffmann and Joost Pennings

Marketing-Finance:

an especially successful mix By Jos Cortenraad

In 2007, Professor Joost Pennings and his colleagues Arvid Hoffmann and Nikos Kalogeras launched a special master’s track at the School of Business and Economics in Maastricht: Marketing-Finance. At first sight, these are two vastly different disciplines. But the programme has been a resounding success, not least because of its practical orientation and academic relevance, as reflected in the recently established Marketing-Finance Research Lab. Pennings is quick to acknowledge that corporate marketing and finance departments are often at odds with one another. “The marketing people want to spend money, the controllers look at the budget and asks themselves what returns are achieved through advertising campaigns”, he says. “We developed this track to bridge that gap. Marketing and

finance are becoming more and more intertwined. In this programme, we bring them together. Students gain insight into product development, relationship marketing, shareholder value and financial decision making. The mixed backgrounds of our students and the broad approach to cases yield new insights that can be readily applied in practice.”

Need The first year of the programme came to a close in 2008 with a successful symposium that brought together businesspeople as well as students and academics. “There was a lot of interest”, says Hoffmann. “We also had no trouble at all getting enough students to enrol in the programme. On the contrary, every year 50 to 60 people sign up from both the Netherlands and abroad. There are now around 300 graduates of the programme and as far as we know they all found a job quickly. Clearly there’s a need in the business sector for people with knowledge of both marketing and finance. Our graduates serve as bridge builders within companies.” Spin-off A direct spin-off of the programme is the Marketing-Finance Research Lab. “The programme is all about sharing knowledge”, explains Pennings. “The Research Lab gives concrete shape to this. We work with concrete assignments from companies big and small, which serve as graduation projects for the students. The knowledge acquired is then immediately accessible; the students get a toolbox, as it were, that helps them put what they have learned into practice as employees or entrepreneurs. The second pillar of the lab is research. We study market processes, consumer behaviour, the background to financial decisions, the introduction of new financial products, the effects of marketing and so on. We publish in authoritative journals, and of course this knowledge is then also accessible.” The business sector too, Hoffmann emphasises, is more than welcome to profit from the knowledge gained. “Companies can approach our Research Lab for advice and help. To this end we’ve set up the MF Company Circle. Members can call on our students and tutors to conduct research and get involved in projects. But there’s also scope to give guest lectures or seminars. We’re non-profit, so besides an annual contribution our services our free. We learn from one another and the students get the chance to come into direct contact with practice. Over the last five years we’ve developed a number of directly applicable products, including a futures contract focusing on risk management which is now widely used by businesses.” Network The Marketing-Finance Research Lab collaborates with large multinationals like Procter & Gamble and Deutsche Bank. “That also makes it interesting for SMEs. You’re joining a network that gives you access to research, practical knowledge and motivated students. Euregional SMEs in particular can make good use of this.”

“Unique combination” “I chose the Marketing-Finance track because of its unique combination. Personally I’m more oriented towards finance, but in my bachelor’s I also looked at media and marketing. In this programme I learned to draw connections between the two fields. Marketing can be quantified and has an impact on financial results. It was also interesting to see how human behaviour was driven by general market performance and development. I designed my research project together with my thesis supervisor Arvid Hoffmann. Thanks to the collaboration with the Marketing-Finance Research Lab, we were also able to publish an article based on my thesis very quickly. Now I’m working as a trainee at ING in Frankfurt where I’m mainly involved with mortgages. The Marketing-Finance track gave me a better appreciation for the bigger picture – I now understand what effect decisions made by the bank have on clients.” Cornelia Birnbrich is a graduate of the Marketing-Finance master’s track. In 2012 she received the Student Prize from the Maastricht School of Business and Economics for her research, entitled ‘The consequences of fraud prevention in bank–client relationships: An empirical study in retail banking’.

Symposium

On 3 October the Marketing-Finance Research Lab will organise a major symposium in Maastricht with top international speakers from academia and industry. For more information or to register, please visit www.marketing-finance.nl/mfconference.html Joost Pennings Joost Pennings (1971) studied in Wageningen, graduating cum laude for both his economics degree in 1994 and his PhD in 1998, focusing on marketing and consumer behaviour. Pennings publishes in international journals in the fields of economics, marketing and finance. He holds professorships in Maastricht, Wageningen and Illinois and is an adviser to the European Commission in Brussels. Arvid Hoffmann Arvid Hoffmann (1981) studied business administration in Groningen, graduating cum laude in 2003. He also obtained his PhD there in 2007 for his research into the social dimensions of investor behaviour. He has been an assistant professor at UM since 2007. Hoffmann publishes in diverse journals both in the Netherlands and abroad.

Clinical research

Ruud Halfens

Prevalence survey: Annual magnifying glass of healthcare problems By Loek Kusiak

The LPZ is an annual snapshot of healthcare problems, focusing on the treatment of pressure ulcers, malnutrition, incontinence and other issues. For 15 years, it has been an indispensable monitor of quality improvements for institutions. Dr Ruud Halfens, the Maastricht creator and project leader of the LPZ monitor, is now fielding increasing interest from abroad. “Measurements are nice, but by holding a mirror up to institutions you also want to improve the quality of care. We’re now seeing a significant decrease in pressure ulcers, malnutrition and the use of physical restraints compared

to 15 years ago, but there’s still room for improvement. I figure that by the time I’m in a nursing home myself, I want all the problems we’re monitoring now to be solved”, says Halfens, spiritual father and project leader of

the National Prevalence Survey of Care Problems (LPZ), an initiative by the Department of Health Services Research at Maastricht University. Since its launch in 1998, the LPZ has grown to become the national monitor for care

providers, policy-makers and politicians, and is now being used in other countries too. Halfens developed the method based on his experiences as a nursing scientist. He wanted to know how what was really going on in primary care when it came to pressure ulcers; wounds that patients develop after lying in the same position for a long time. “I just didn’t believe the claims that the problem of pressure ulcers had been solved for years. In our first study, at 89 institutions, it proved to be much more common than first thought: pressure ulcers were reported in one third of nursing home residents and 20% of hospital patients. After that, the institutions said they wanted to go on measuring care problems. The first measurement of malnutrition, in 2004, showed that one third of nursing home residents were malnourished. That came as a shock.”

From bed to bed On one day in April each year, armed with registration forms, nurses, carers and doctors go in pairs from bed to bed to examine patients and residents in hundreds of nursing and care homes and hospitals. The monitor has a general, mandatory part, and optional modules for institutions to choose from on pressure ulcers, malnutrition, incontinence, intertrigo, falls, restraints, infections and chronic wounds. “All problems that can be reduced through adequate nursing, care and treatment”, says Halfens. “The study records not just the numbers of clients involved, but also what the institutions are doing to prevent and control care problems as well as what is still lacking.” The institutions, which participate voluntarily in the LPZ, have come to

see the importance of an objective measurement. “Using these figures they can establish benchmarks and compare themselves with other institutions. They enter the data themselves into a web-based program. The next day they get the information back in the form of tables. There’s now also what we call a dashboard, where they can view their results from the past years as well as the national figures. And our research group publishes the overall figures in a national report.” Political attention

The LPZ reports help to bring healthcare problems to the attention of politicians. “Because we came up with hard numbers, pressure ulcers were put on the agenda in The Hague and became an important quality indicator within the healthcare system. In 2006 the health minister declared that all nursing homes had to have an anti-pressureulcer bed, and the combating of pressure ulcers was embedded in national projects like ‘Sneller Beter’. Unfortunately, though, you don’t do away with pressure ulcers just by having a better bed. You have to turn people over continually, at least once every four hours. But because wards can be so hectic, this is something that’s often neglected.” Improving the care of pressure ulcers goes hand in hand with strong systems, Halfens emphasises. “And I see too little of that. Many institutions do publish pressure ulcer protocols on their intranets, but you only achieve real results by implementing these protocols at department level. So I’m a staunch advocate for a return to the head nurse, a position that, unfortunately, has been abolished in the Netherlands. The head nurse stays on top of everything and makes sure the protocols are implemented.”

Decision tree Although the prevalence figures for

pressure ulcers and other care problems have been dropping, according to Halfens we still have a long way to go. “It’s often a struggle to translate the measurement results into steps for improvement. Even if clients are not screened for malnutrition upon admission, you can still motivate staff to change things. That’s why we’ve added a decision tree to the LPZ with best practices. For example, there’s a decision tree for malnutrition that can be used by dieticians.” The benefits of the LPZ monitor are also recognised abroad. For instance, Halfens assisted a colleague in Berlin in rolling out the method in German nursing and care homes. “The measurements have shown that Germany has a lower prevalence of pressure ulcers than us, partly because they still have head nurses. All hospitals in Switzerland and 50 institutions in Austria are now working with the LPZ, and the module for pressure ulcers has been translated for Brazil. A Maastricht University PhD candidate also piloted the LPZ at four institutions in Indonesia. It will be rolled out there soon, with training from the coordinators in Maastricht.”

Ruud Halfens Ruud Halfens (1952) studied psychology in Nijmegen, obtaining his PhD in 1985. He has been assistant professor in the Nursing Science section at UM’s Department of Health Services Research since 1990. In addition to being founder and project leader of the LPZ, Halfens is co-founder and director of the Maastricht– Berlin–Graz PhD programme for nursing scientists. He has authored many international publications on pressure ulcers, malnutrition and falls as well as on the knowledge transfer of nursing guidelines.

Research and society

“Attachment security is a human right” By Hans van Vinkeveen

“Every year we expose thousands of newborn babies to inhuman treatment.” This is the legal opinion of Jan Willems, a researcher on the structural prevention of child abuse. The main reason: the sacred cow of automatic parental authority. Willems calls for a different approach to dealing with the perils of unprepared parenthood. “Rather than child protection via postnatal intervention, we should be focusing on prenatal care and parenting education.” The figures are hard to believe: every year, around 10% of children in the Netherlands – more than 300,000 in total, and that in a highly developed country – are subject to neglect, sexual abuse or physical and emotional violence within the family. A former professor of Rights of the Child, Willems has long claimed that “Given its scale and consequences, this is a serious violation of human rights.” A violation, he says, that can be attributed to an old tradition: automatic parental authority. “We take as our starting point the traditional rights of parents, and not the right of the child to have competent caregivers.” But what about child protection? “That’s part of a culture of waiting until predictable traumas have led to problem behaviour, and of only intervening when the issue is becoming a problem outside of the family. As a result, the parents are stigmatised and the children are damaged for life. It’s clear from the high incidence rates and the billions of euros spent each year on the most problematic families that this approach just doesn’t work.”

From postnatal to prenatal Willems calls for an approach to child abuse that is rooted in a very different paradigm. He wants to shift the protection of the child from postnatal intervention to prenatal care and protection. To this end, the starting point has to be the fundamental right of every child to develop a ‘secure attachment’; that is, a sound relationship with at least one primary caregiver. “That right obliges us to guarantee that every child’s basic need for love and guidance is met by ensuring that parents can play their proper role as caregivers. Where this is not possible, arrangements need to be made with expectant parents prenatally as to how and where proper care for the baby can be arranged. Without this, a child has no or drastically reduced chances in life. With one in three children not able to develop a secure attachment, we have to start seeing attachment security as a human right.” The rights of the child form a normative framework to put an end to what Willems calls “the perils of unprepared parenthood”. His practical proposals include parenting education (as a school subject and in the form of courses for parents), the introduction of a minimum standard for

Jan Willems

competent parenthood (e.g. mandatory rehab before parental authority is granted), and the guarantee of a professional care continuum to support parents. “The bottom line is that, from the very moment someone decides to have a baby, the child has a proper chance of developing a secure attachment, be that as it may in a foster or adoptive family in or outside the parents’ immediate families. Of course, this should always be arranged in close consultation with all parties involved, first and foremost the expectant parents. What is now an exception – prenatal care and protection – is becoming the rule. That’s the change here.” Action groups According to Willems, it is the government’s duty to tackle child abuse at its roots, drastically reducing incompetent parenting and improving services and facilities for parents and parents-tobe. “We can’t hand people over to situations of inhuman treatment. As a principle, this needs to apply first and foremost to the babies in our country. But in practice, this fundamental human right is not applied to newborns.” Why not? “Politicians seem to show little ambition or sense of urgency to reduce the high figures of insecure attachment and child abuse. What’s more, parental authority is such a sacred cow that there’s little pressure from society to really do something about this. When it comes to child abuse, we’d rather stick our heads in the sand.” In his view, action groups should be formed following the example of the women’s movement. But who will stand up for babies? After all, they can’t do it themselves and they have no voting rights. “Maybe those adults who were themselves abused as children will form action groups and come out with their stories.”

Sales approach Child abuse is a blatant injustice, and Willems is spurred on by the hope of reducing it. If this can’t be done by way of the “preacher’s approach” – an appeal to the rights of the child – then it will have to be done through the “salesman’s approach”. “Child abuse leads to enormous health and social costs. Billions of euros are spent on problem families, therapies and treatment programmes for young criminals and perpetrators of domestic violence. These are essentially attempts to change the brain. But findings from neuroscience suggest that this doesn’t work after the first few years of life. By investing in an early approach, we could save a great deal of money. Hopefully, this economic story will be accepted more readily.”

Jan Willems Jan Willems (1952) is a researcher on the structural prevention of child abuse at the Department of International and European Law and the Centre for Human Rights at Maastricht University. He served as professor of Rights of the Child at VU University Amsterdam from 2002 to 2009, and has authored numerous publications in the field of children’s rights and the prevention of child abuse. Willems was a co-founder and board member of the Reflection and Action Group to Combat Child Abuse (RAAK) and is currently a board member of the foundation No Kidding – Stop Child Abuse!

Appointments De Wilde to fully implement the policy changes initiated in accordance with the faculty’s strategic plan ‘Coming of Age 2011–2015’.

Economics. The appointment is for a period of four years, effective from 1 September 2013. Vergauwen succeeds Professor Jos Lemmink, who has been the SBE dean since 1 February 2006.

Rein de Wilde

The Executive Board has reappointed Professor Rein de Wilde as dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. De Wilde has been dean since October 2005; as of 1 October 2013, his appointment will be extended until 1 January 2016. This reappointment will allow

Philip Vergauwen

The Executive Board has appointed Professor Philip Vergauwen as the new dean of the School of Business and

According to the selection committee, Vergauwen has an outstanding track record in education, considerable international experience, a clear vision of internationalisation and a solid international network. In addition, he is involved in several Limburg projects, such as the Smart Services Hub in Heerlen and Maastricht University’s Campus Venlo.

Two new quality marks for UM ment of Quality Assurance’, which focuses on university-wide internal

quality assurance for study programmes. The second is the ‘Distinctive Quality Feature for Internationalisation’, which UM is only the second university in the Netherlands – after Wageningen University – to receive. Maastricht University has received two important quality marks from the Accreditation Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders (NVAO). The first was for UM’s ‘Institutional Assess-

Internationalisation has long been a key point of attention for UM. The majority of UM programmes are taught in English, and almost half of its 16,000 students and a quarter of its staff come from

abroad. The ‘International Classroom’, in which small groups of students of different nationalities work together within the framework of ProblemBased Learning, further contributes to this international atmosphere. According to the NVAO, internationalisation is anchored in UM’s very DNA. The review committee also praised the university’s alumni policy and the international orientation of its graduates. The two quality marks are important in terms of UM’s future plans.

“Unrestrained” care: possible and necessary It is estimated that 12% of nursing home residents in the Netherlands are subjected to physical restraint, a practice that should and could be abolished. This is the conclusion of Math Gulpers, director of the Luckerheide nursing home in South Limburg. Gulpers recently ob-

tained his PhD at Maastricht University with a longitudinal evaluation of the

implementation of the ‘EXBELT’ method in nursing homes. This method, developed by UM researchers, seeks to reduce and ultimately do away altogether with the use of physical restraints. The results

show that the method works well in practice, and does not lead to an increase in falls and ensuing injuries among nursing home residents. Both staff and relatives of the residents involved were positive about the approach.

Master’s Choice Guide 2013:

Eight UM master’s programmes in first place As in previous years, Maastricht University is the highest scoring general university in the 2013 Master’s Choice Guide (Keuzegids), leaving Nijmegen, Groningen and Rotterdam behind. Of the 34 UM master’s programmes evaluated, eight were ranked first within their categories: Media Culture, the Research Master in European Studies, Financial Economics (joint first place), International Business (joint first place), Mental Health, Health Sciences, European

Public Health and Physician–Clinical Investigator. Three programmes were awarded a quality seal by the Centre for Higher Education Information (CHOI). This is a quality indicator granted to institutions and programmes deemed by the University Guide

as belonging to the top tier of Dutch university education. These are Management of Learning (79 points), Forensic Psychology (75 points) and the Research Master in European Studies (75 points).

Vici grant for Elia Formisano The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) has awarded a Vici grant to Elia Formisano, endowed chair of Neuroimaging Methods: Analysis of Neural Signals at Maastricht University’s Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience. He was presented with a € 1.5 million

grant to fund his five-year study. The Vici grant is one of the largest individual scientific grants in the Netherlands. Professor Formisano’s Vici project focuses on two core topics: understanding how the human brain identifies and pro-

Limburg invests over half a billion euros in knowledge The UM will earmark € 117 million for ‘Kennis-As Limburg’, a strategic programme aiming at strengthening and extending study programmes, research and valorisation activities in Limburg. ‘Kennis-As Limburg’ is an initiative of Maastricht University, Maastricht UMC+ and Zuyd Hogeschool. With the financial support of the Province of Limburg, the European Union, the Dutch Government and the business sector about half a billion euros will be available to strengthen the provincial knowledge

economy in the next ten years. This massive financial impulse will lead to multiple investments.

cesses natural sounds (e.g. during a conversation in a noisy environment); and developing computer programs that can imitate the functionality of the human brain. The results will be used to develop new technological applications, such as brain-operated hearing aids.

and Maastricht’s inner-city faculties, which revolve around business, law and culture. In addition, the Smart Services Campus in Heerlen – Limburg’s financial, administrative and information hotspot – will be further developed.

Playing a crucial role in this strategy are the ‘triple helix’ of educational institutions, business and government, as well as the various Limburg campuses: the Maastricht Health Campus; the Chemelot Campus in Sittard-Geleen, which focuses on materials; the Greenport Campus in Venlo, specialising in agriculture, logistics, food and health;

Farewell interview

Joep Geraedts

‘A suitcase full of memories’ By Annelotte Huiskes

This April, Joep Geraedts retired as professor of Clinical Genetics and Cell Biology at Maastricht University. In the 30-plus years that he worked at UM, the developments in his field have been spectacular. Take the unravelling of the mysteries of DNA, for example: “If you had asked me 30 years ago whether I thought I’d witness that, I would have said no. Something that used to take four years of PhD research can now be done in one afternoon by a computer. In terms of technology there are few obstacles left; the issues we now face are rather on the legal and ethical fronts. I think we’ll be dealing with those for the next 30 years.”

Having repeatedly encountered these legal and ethical obstacles over the years, Geraedts knows what he is talking about. The Maastricht academic hospital (azM) is the first and still the only hospital in the Netherlands to use embryo selection, a technique that continues to spark heated reactions in the media and political sphere. The debate on using embryo selection in breast and ovarian cancer reared its head again in 2008, with Geraedts wading in to share his opinion with newspapers and on television. He has personally met with many politicians over the years – anything for a good cause, he says. “The positive effect of all this media attention was that it put Maastricht on the map as the only centre for embryo selection. Breast and ovarian cancer are our main motivations for conducting this research. I also think it’s important to shed light on exactly what this research is all about. Journalists and politicians – granted, with some exceptions – tend to form opinions based on zero knowledge. I’ve always said that we reserve

embryo selection for serious hereditary diseases, as an alternative to prenatal diagnostics and abortion. I still stand behind this 100%.”

Embryo selection Originally trained as a biologist, Geraedts has long been interested in human genetics and reproduction. So it made sense when, in the mid-1980s, he started working on IVF in his laboratory. “In those days, if you wanted to know whether a child had any birth defects you found out by way of prenatal diagnostics, which meant you sometimes had to terminate a pregnancy that had come about through such pain and struggle. There was no method to examine embryos back then. And that’s exactly where I saw opportunities. No-one had done this before and I knew

it had a lot of potential. But it took a long time before embryo selection became possible not only technically, but also legally and ethically. Fortunately, it’s now well-regulated by an independent national committee that determines which diseases are eligible.” Taboo Less well-regulated, however, is the cultivation of embryos for scientific research, another topic Geraedts is heavily involved in. Looking back, one of the few frustrations he encountered during his career is the ongoing taboo surrounding this topic. “We can use surplus embryos for scientific research,

but we’re not allowed to cultivate them. I don’t think people realise how important it is to conduct careful scientific research before you get to the application stage in healthcare. I also think it’s hypocritical that the Dutch government objects to cultivating embryos for scientific research, but sees no problem with IUDs, where the egg is actually fertilised but not implanted. This results in tens of thousands of embryos that are not needed. I recently read that D66 is looking to get a House majority on allowing embryo cultivation for scientific research, so we’ll see how that goes.” Pioneering Geraedts can justifiably be considered the founding father of UM’s Department of Clinical Genetics. When he started there in 1982 there was nothing: no lab, no building and a department that consisted of just two people. What began as the Limburg Foundation for Clinical Genetics has since developed into a department with 175 employees at locations in Maastricht and Veldhoven, recently incorporated into the azM. “Those pioneering days were good. I had to build everything from the ground up; something I could never

have imagined when I came from Leiden to Maastricht as a young researcher. I guess I’ve always been a bit of an entrepreneur.” The important question now is: who will be replacing him? “It’s not set in stone, but probably the head of the Department of Clinical Genetics at Radboud Hospital in Nijmegen. The idea is for the two departments to work together to become more specialised, focusing on cardiovascular diseases in Maastricht and cancer in Nijmegen. The workload is too big for Maastricht to handle alone, so I’m very happy with this partnership.” Content Now that Geraedts has retired as

department head, he can turn his attention once more to matters of content. “I chair a European project that is currently underway in seven countries. We look at polar bodies in egg cells; something that’s not being done in the Netherlands at the moment because it’s not allowed. I’m also involved in the Evolution section of the International Museum of Family History, which will open in Eijsden next year, and a suitcase full of memories is waiting for me. I’ve already written about the first 25 years of the Department of Clinical Genetics. Now I have to write about the rest – because those who write, live on.”

Joep Geraedts Joep Geraedts (1948) was the first professor of Genetics and Cell Biology at Maastricht University. He recently retired as head of the Department of Clinical Genetics at the Maastricht academic hospital and chair of the Genetics and Cell Biology group. He is also the former chair of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE).

Female professors

Madelon Peters, Karin Bijsterveld and Jenny Slatman

Turning the spotlight on excellence By Jolien Linssen

Who would nowadays dare to claim that science is still a man’s world? It is, after all, 2013. Yet on closer inspection, you don’t have to be a rampant feminist to make this claim. Women continue to be underrepresented in academic leadership – across the European Union, only 18% of full professors are women. There is some good news though. In the online database AcademiaNet, excellent female researchers are deliberately put in the spotlight. Because in addition to a lack of women leaders, we are wanting in the tools necessary to identify outstanding women academics. AcademiaNet strives to fill that void. 14

AcademiaNet was established in 2010 by Germany’s Robert Bosch Foundation in collaboration with the publisher Spektrum der Wissenschaft. The site was launched by the German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who holds a PhD in physical chemistry. Initially focused on German-speaking women academics, the portal is now expanding its scope to include profiles of female scholars from abroad. Recently, the profiles of three of Maastricht University’s outstanding academics were added to the website. “You can compare it to a version of LinkedIn with a selection procedure attached to it”, says Jenny Slatman, associate professor in the Department of Health, Ethics and Society. “You put your profile online and indicate which positions you’re interested in.” Together with professor of Experimental Health Psychology Madelon Peters and professor of Science, Technology and Modern Culture Karin Bijsterveld, Slatman was nominated for AcademiaNet by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO). This was no coincidence, explains Bijsterveld: “All three of us have received grants from the NWO’s Innovational Research Incentives Scheme. This means that, as a researcher, you’ve successfully come through a strict selection procedure.” Such grants, in short, are benchmarks for academic excellence – exactly what AcademiaNet is looking for.

perception by making ourselves, as women academics, more visible. Only if we get the opportunity to increase our media appearances and participation in scientific committees, as AcademiaNet strives to accomplish, will our role in science become apparent to the wider public.” “Even today, we should not underestimate the workings of the traditional ‘old boys network’”, Bijsterveld continues. “When looking for candidates for leadership positions or scientific bodies, the search committees naturally tend to opt for people who are familiar to them. A network like AcademiaNet, as well as the Dutch Network of Women Professors, can help them to broaden their horizons and take other possible candidates into consideration.” Moreover, Slatman says, “I find it important to set an example for aspiring women academics. When I was a student, I had trouble identifying with my professors because all of them were men. I knew I wanted to pursue an academic career, but I had no evidence that this was actually a possibility for me. Now that I’m an associate professor myself, I’m aware of the fact that I’m setting an example for others.”

Visibility It may seem somewhat of a contradiction: if the women profiled on the AcademiaNet portal have abundantly proven their outstanding academic qualifications – and hence have already made it to the top – then why do they still need to be put in the spotlight?

Talent Their sense of responsibility to encourage female talent transcends their participation in AcademiaNet; it is also clearly felt in the workplace. “I have two PhD students who are both very gifted”, Bijsterveld says. “The male one used to submit his work for awards. The female one, who is equally competent, felt that this was ‘not done’. While she was trying to be modest, he was awarded an important prize. So I took the initiative to discuss this with her. It seems to me that men, in general, are more aware of the fact that it’s important to get recognition for their work.”

“The idea that a professor is a man is still deeply ingrained in our thinking”, say Peters. “I believe we can change this

“I haven’t had the same experiences in psychology, as the vast majority of my colleagues are women”,

Female professors

Peters says. “But I do think it’s important to give young researchers a push in the right direction, and perhaps women need this more than men do. I remember I was quite satisfied with my job until someone suggested that I apply for the position of associate professor. In that sense, I believe the ‘glass ceiling’ is something women create for themselves by being too reserved about their capacities and ambitions.” Happiness Does this mean that women academics simply need to behave like their male counterparts? Slatman: “In my area, philosophy, it’s extremely important to make your voice heard, literally. Speaking up is considered a virtue in itself, even if there’s nothing new to add. Although it’s not really my style to do this, I realise that sometimes it’s necessary to conform in one way or another. Still, I’ve always tried to make my own rules. I never go to networking drinks. And if I really don’t feel like interrupting during a conference, I can always send an email afterwards.” “Everyone who wants a promotion is dependent on the goodwill of others”, Bijsterveld adds. “Your colleagues need

Karin Bijsterveld Karin Bijsterveld (1961) studied history at Groningen University, She obtained her PhD in Maastricht and is now professor of Science, Technology and Modern Culture. In 2010, she was awarded an NWO Vici grant for her project ‘Sonic skills: Sound and listening in science, technology and medicine, 1920s–now’.

to be able to rely on you, and that holds for men and women alike.” When it comes to the future of women in science, she is quite optimistic. “At the Maastricht Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, 40% of the professors are women. We have made great progress here, which will have a catalysing effect.” According to Slatman, however, “The bottom line is that the position of women in academia is still an issue. That fact in itself saddens me. This conversation could just as well have taken place thirty years ago. Seen in this light, not much has changed since then.” Suddenly the psychologist in Peters speaks up: “I’m not sure if it saddens me”, she says. “At the moment I’m conducting research on happiness. From our findings it appears that being happy doesn’t necessarily depend on pursuing goals in your professional life. Instead it’s a choice you make.” That said, she adds: “But if you do opt for an academic career, you should never be impeded by a lack of equal opportunities. That’s why I support initiatives like AcademiaNet.” So did the invitation to join Academia-Net lead to an increase in happiness? “Yes, I felt honoured”, Bijsterveld says. “I’ve also put it on my CV.”

Jenny Slatman Jenny Slatman (1969) studied philosophy in Amsterdam and Paris after completing her studies in physiotherapy. She currently works as an associate professor in the Department of Health, Ethics and Society. Since 2011, she has been managing the NWO Vidi project ‘Bodily integrity in blemished bodies’.

Madelon Peters Madelon Peters (1962) studied psychology at the University of Amsterdam. She obtained her PhD in Maastricht, where she set up her current research line on vulnerability and resilience to chronic pain in 1997. Now professor of Experimental Health Psychology, Peters received a NWO Vici grant in 2008.

Debate

Gerhard Weiss and Tsjalling Swierstra

The robots are marching on By Hans van Vinkeveen

“The future has already begun.” Gerhard Weiss, professor of Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence, prepares us for the coming onrush in robotics. Like his colleague Tsjalling Swierstra, professor of Philosophy, he thinks robots will make our lives more comfortable, but also more complicated. We should see robots as helpers, says Weiss, not as enemies. Swierstra is decidedly more reserved: we will need to control the new technology, lest it controls us. Robots that let dogs out, clean up waste and have a chat in the meantime – things haven’t got quite as far as the sci-fi film I Robot yet. But the automation of our society is progressing rapidly. “We are on the eve of a robot revolution”, says Weiss. “The future has already begun. There are already prototype robots that can act as though they have emotions. Artificial intelligence systems can reason independently, analyse situations, draw conclusions and provide new knowledge. Think of cars that are becoming more autonomous by helping the driver choose the right speed, specify a route and provide parking support. Who knows – in 20 years’ time driving a car yourself may be as old-fashioned as a horse and cart. The car will drive you.”

The new robotics will make life easier. Within 20 years or so, Weiss expects robots to play an important role in caring for elderly people, allowing them to live independently for longer. Medical robots will perform increasingly complicated surgical procedures, industrial and domestic robots will carry out most manual tasks at human level, and robot soldiers will operate autonomously on the battlefield. Some experts think there may even be sex robots, offering a technological alternative to prostitution. Weiss: “In time, robots will take over the dull, dirty and dangerous work of people.”

Neutral tools But the advance of new robots will also make our lives more complicated. With them come new threats as well as ethical, political and social questions. “Hundreds of thousands of people are perfectly happy with what we as academics might see as dirty and boring work”, says Swierstra, professor of Philosophy and director of the Centre for the Ethics and Politics of Emerging Technologies. “With manual work and simple administrative work disappearing, in the last 50 years or so a class of citizens has emerged who face the prospect of insufficient work. As things stand, we’re already grappling with how to give them a meaningful place in our communities. This urgency will only increase with the robots.” Whether robots will make life easier or harder, according to Weiss, depends on the user. “Robotics – technology in general – is in itself neutral. You can use a knife to slice bread or to stab someone; it’s what you do with the tool that counts.” Swierstra disagrees: “Technology always invites certain behaviour. For example, a vacuum-cleaning robot only works if you first clean up the house yourself. We should always first ask the question: how will this robot change our existing practice?” In his view, every technological device comes with a ‘script’ that in one way or another imposes a certain use. “Say someone is organising a party via mobile phones, and you don’t have a phone. You’re automatically excluded. Likewise, a health insurer can decide: you’ll get a care robot – the cheaper option – rather than a person. In short, society makes the choices invited by the technologies.” Autonomous robots What is difficult is that with scripts like this, no-one knows the ending. After two hundred years of industrial revolution, we have learned that few inventions are used as the designer intended. New functions are inevitably added later. “We’ve also learned how technology shapes the society that adopts it. We can’t predict the future, but we can at least plan for it”, says Swierstra. To this end, ‘real time technological assessments’ can be of help. “These are trials and experimental settings in which designers, potential users and scientists can play with new technologies to their hearts’ content, and so explore the various possibilities.” Whether robots will be able to think and feel independently remains to be seen, says Weiss. “In any event, they’ll think differently from people – more likely they’ll act as though they have real emotions. Of course, people do bond with such life-like robots.” We should already be preparing ourselves for the enormous social and economic impact that this will have. A robot ethics is urgently needed, the professors agree. Swierstra: “It may be that healthcare providers start to show less empathy

if we transfer care tasks to robots. I’m no technophobe, but we have to think about how we can use robotics in such a way as to improve healthcare.” Weiss agrees: “We have to see robots as our partners. In hospitals, patients are often treated as a number. If robots could take over routine tasks, doctors would have more time for their patients.” Still, Swierstra foresees a power struggle: “Technologies are always sold to us with the promise of saving time, but often the consequence is that we then feel even more time pressure.” Future scenarios Swierstra warns of the difficulties of developing a robot ethics for autonomous robots designed in our own image. “Our moral categories have simply not evolved to deal with such new issues.” Boundaries will be blurred – for example, with respect to liability: if a robot is guilty of the death of a patient, who is responsible? And with respect to behaviour: if we are constantly interacting with robot slaves, how will this affect our characters? “A slave invites you to play the role of master.”

But this, according to Weiss, is also one of the lessons we can learn from artificial intelligence and robotics. They make us think about who we are and what we expect from life. He is optimistic about the future: “Robots will free us from many chores and enable us to achieve things we never would have managed otherwise. We should see robots as helpers, not as enemies!” As for the replacement of people by robots, Swierstra is confident it won’t come to that. “What is often forgotten in future scenarios is that we’ll need to have many people dancing around the robots, making sure everything is working.”

Gerhard Weiss Gerhard Weiss (1962) is chair of the Department of Knowledge Engineering at Maastricht University, where he co-heads the Swarm robotics lab and the research group Robots, Agents and Interaction. He is an internationally renowned expert in the areas of intelligent systems, artificial intelligence and multi-agent technology. His current research focuses on the foundations and practical applications of cooperative and autonomous software and robotic systems. Tsjalling Swierstra Tsjalling Swierstra (1960) is chair of the Department of Philosophy at Maastricht University and director of the Centre for the Ethics and Politics of Emerging Technologies. His research focuses on philosophical, ethical and political questions concerning technology in general and the life sciences in particular.

Professorâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;Student

Wim Gijselaers, Martin Rehm and Mien Segers

Hierarchy: an obstacle or a boost to learning? By Isabel de Sousa

Although an increasing number of organisations are developing online training initiatives for their staff, participantsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; hierarchical ranks are hardly taken into consideration. Are we all equal when we learn or does hierarchy influence our network behaviour? For his PhD, completed under the supervision of professors Wim Gijselaers and Mien Segers, Martin Rehm undertook research into the impact of hierarchical positions within online Communities of Learning (CoLs). 20

For Rehm, focusing on CoLs was a natural decision. “As e-Learning project manager at the Maastricht Graduate School of Governance, I was exposed to Communities of Learning without even realising they were called that. I noticed that the assumptions about hierarchy and how hierarchies impact the way people behave and perform were mostly based on intuition, so I decided to research the subject myself.” This topic also appealed to Rehm’s supervisors. “When it comes to learning and development in the workplace, lots of companies are developing all kinds of learning systems based on gut feeling and on what technology can do.” But, according to Segers, taking technology as a starting point can be risky. “We shouldn’t forget that though technology is thriving, it’s only a tool.” A positive approach Opinions are divided when it comes to the role of hierarchy in CoLs. “Whether hierarchy has a positive or negative impact depends on your viewpoint and how you think CoLs should behave”, Rehm says. “I decided to take a more positive stance towards things. If top-level management behaves the way the group in my dataset did, I think it can have a positive influence on the learning of the online community. By actively sharing their knowledge and experience, they can foster discussions and help those holding lower level management positions understand and learn how to apply that specific knowledge.” According to Rehm, human resource managers might want to use the information about participants’ anticipated behaviour (higher level management taking the lead; lower level management observing discussions) to switch roles and change the group’s dynamics in CoLs. Throughout his career, Gijselaers has seen how hierarchy influences the way we learn. “In learning situations we tend to treat people as equal and don’t take each person’s background, experience

and status into consideration. What Martin clearly shows in his dissertation is that people aren’t equal and you can’t ignore that. It’s natural to impose one’s status on the learning setting.” Rising stars One of the most interesting findings of Rehm’s research was the emergence of the Stars cluster, a highly active group of participants who, despite holding lower hierarchical positions, make valuable contributions to their own learning and that of others. But how do these groups arise and why do they outperform their colleagues? “Further research on this topic has still to be done but it may well be that the distance from their headquarters works as a motivational boost; alternatively, these people may just be more driven, irrespective of their hierarchical position, and want to climb the career ladder.” A very special relationship Usually, PhD candidates have a first and a second supervisor or two co-supervisors, but that’s not how Mien Segers and Wim Gijselaers work. “Many PhDs think that either we have a relationship or we’re married”, Gijselaers laughs. Segers, who serves on equal footing with Gijselaers as main supervisor, sees this as a successful formula for working with PhD candidates: “We’re complementary while having our own style. For us, this is the best way to work as we’re both equally committed to the students.” During the interview, it is clear that the three get along very well. It’s a nice and relaxed atmosphere – they’re witty, open and passionate about education and research. “As a trained economist, working along the lines of educational science required a change of mindset and that’s something I had to learn”, says Rehm. “At first, I thought it was going to be easier than it turned out to be, but Mien and Wim fully understood this and supported me throughout.” Gijselaers adds: “We tried to help Martin put his economist perspective aside so that

people in our field, including journal reviewers, could value his work accordingly.” Rehm also appreciated the freedom he got from his supervisors: “You receive comments and feedback from two different points of view, which means it’s up to you to decide which direction you want to take.” Added value “In my opinion, hierarchy shouldn’t be seen as an obstacle”, Rehm says. “It should be taken into consideration when designing and facilitating CoLs so that both organisations and staff can get the most out of it. Having a level playing field for everyone would require participants to change their behaviour, instead of focusing on what really matters: the learning itself.”

Martin Rehm Martin Rehm (1979) is e-Learning project manager and senior researcher at the UNU-MERIT research institute and the Maastricht Graduate School of Governance. He studied Economics at Maastricht University and recently completed his PhD, entitled ‘Unified yet separated: Empirical study on the impact of hierarchical positions within Communities of Learning’. Mien Segers Mien Segers (1960) holds a master’s in Educational Sciences and obtained her PhD in Maastricht. She has been professor of Corporate Learning at Maastricht University since 2009. Segers’s research addresses tools and conditions to support learning in school settings as well as in the workplace. Wim Gijselaers Wim Gijselaers (1959) is full professor of Education at Maastricht University and Chair of the Department of Educational Research and Development. His current research focuses on the design of powerful learning environments, expertise development in management education and shared cognition in teams.

Region

Fred Gr端nfeld

From victim to survivor By Annelotte Huiskes

Marcelle Devries was 36 years old when she was murdered in Auschwitz in 1942. Last summer, a memorial stone bearing her name was unveiled in front of the Bosscherweg 185 in Maastricht, where she lived until she was deported. The house is now occupied by Fred Grünfeld, professor of International Relations at Maastricht University and initiator of the ‘Stumbling Stones’ project in Maastricht. “It all began in 2010, when I started investigating the history of the house I’ve lived in since 1984”, says Grünfeld. “Before the Second World War it was home to the Devries family: father, mother, two daughters and a son. When the war broke out, the son fled abroad and one daughter went into hiding in Haarlem. The group in hiding was betrayed and the daughter was the only one who managed to escape via Maastricht to Liège. Both this daughter and the son survived the war, but Marcelle, the other daughter, didn’t. She was among the first to be deported in 1942. Because the family had a hide-salting plant which the Germans could use for things like boots, they were able to stay here a while longer and even provided shelter to another Jewish family. Eventually they went into hiding in Liège. The house was confiscated by German soldiers and then used by the Americans after liberation. Once the war was over, the Devries family returned home.”

The Stumbling Stones project was founded by the German artist Gunter Demnig. Some 32,000 ‘stumbling stones’ have been placed all over Europe in memory of the victims of deportation and murder during the Second World War. Various Dutch towns and cities are now involved in the project, and their number continues to grow. Borne, in Overijssel, was the first Dutch city to join the project. Grünfeld: “That’s where my grandmother’s family on my father’s side comes from. Stones have been laid there in memory of relatives of mine who were deported – that’s how I came into contact with the project. And one thing led to another.” Recognition A total of 300 Jews were deported from Maastricht. On 22 June 2012, Demnig himself placed the first stones in Maastricht for 22 of them, including Marcelle Antoinette Devries. Her nephew was present at the

Region

ceremony. “It’s important to remember the victims and to give them a face. This raises awareness of what racism can lead to”, says Grünfeld. “But it’s not only about remembrance; for the relatives, public recognition is equally important. In my lectures I try to impress on students that only after public recognition can a victim become a survivor. That’s why

I thought it was important that two Maastricht city councillors also spoke on that day.” What started as a private fascination outside his work at the university is now an integral part of it. “I’ve been researching genocide and genocide prevention in an international context for years; to that end I’ve studied Rwanda, Srebrenica and Darfur. I’ve always been involved with international relations, but with questions relating to war and peace. And now all of a sudden I’ve ended up immersed in the local. Now, UCM students are involved in the Stumbling Stones project as part of the Maastricht Research-Based Learning programme. Together with the Kidzcollege we’ve also set up an educational programme for advanced school pupils in years 6 and 7, in which children from the inner city primary school participated with great enthusiasm.” Third party As a researcher, Grünfeld is particularly interested in the role of the third party: the bystander. “In my international research I look at what these third parties do. Do they take action or not? What is the role of other states in a conflict? Now I’m doing the same at a local level. For example, I’m trying to find out exactly what happened to the 24 resistance fighters who are commemorated in a monument next to Maastricht University’s main administration building. In April 1942 they were imprisoned in the Franciscan monastery next door, where they were interrogated and sentenced to death by a ‘judge’. Then, in early May, they were taken to Sachsenhausen and shot. What intrigues me is: who were these people? How did they live? How did the Maastricht community respond to repression and resistance, with so many people being killed so early on? What happened in that mock trial? The Nazis also

used what is now UM’s main administration building as a prison for resistance fighters – so what went on in that building? I’d like to see stones in Maastricht not only for the deported Jews, but also for the people from the resistance and for the Sinti and Roma. I discovered that there used to be a Sinti camp in Maastricht, but the Sinti and Roma were deported in 1944 via Westerbork to Auschwitz. It’s important to remember them as well; especially since these days they still face serious discrimination in countries like Italy and France.”

Support Clearly, the project still has a long way to go. “Much research is still needed and many more stones need to be laid, at a cost of €120 per piece. The City of Maastricht is on board, but not in terms of funding. So we’re dependent on donations. In May a benefit concert was organised in the Theater aan het Vrijthof to raise money for 50 stones that we want to lay in October. Anyone can adopt a stone; every contribution is welcome. Ultimately, I hope we end up with all the stones we need, and that now and then local residents will come out and polish them so they can still be read.”

Fred Grünfeld Fred Grünfeld (1949) is professor of International Relations and the Law of International Organisations at the Department of International and European Law (Faculty of Law). He also teaches at the University College Maastricht and is affiliated with the Maastricht Centre for Human Rights at UM. For the last 10 years, he was endowed professor of the Causes of Large-Scale Violations of Human Rights at Utrecht University. More information about the Stumbling Stones project can be found at www.joodscultureelerfgoed.nl.

Advanced imaging techniques used to map auditory brain structure

Researchers from Maastricht University have shown for the first time in humans that a ‘tonotopic map’ exists deep in the brain, in the ‘inferior colliculus’. The research team used advanced

functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) techniques. In the future, high-resolution functional maps of the inferior colliculus may be used to optimise methods for placing implants in patients with impaired hearing. The research, conducted in collaboration with the Center for Magnetic Resonance Research in Minneapolis, was recently published in the online journal Nature Communications.

The researchers, led by Federico De Martino and Michelle Moerel, used a scanner with an ultra-high magnetic

field (7 Tesla) to study the inferior colliculus, an area in the middle of the brain measuring 8mm in diameter that processes auditory information. They measured subjects’ brain responses to simple sounds at different frequencies and to a broad range of natural sounds (such as human voices, animal cries, musical instruments and environmental sounds). The analysis of this brain activity revealed that the neuronal populations, which respond to different sound frequencies, are arranged in a specific order and thus form a ‘tonotopic map’.

UM joins Worldwide Universities Network Maastricht University has become the 19th member and first university in the Netherlands to join the Worldwide Universities Network (WUN). The network’s aim is to create new opportunities for international collaboration in research projects and education. The research themes addressed within the WUN are spread over five areas: Arts

and Humanities; Engineering; Medicine, Dentistry and Health; Science; and Social Sciences. Within these themes, attention is paid to issues such as sustainability, global health literacy, health systems and climate change. According to Professor Tom van Veen, dean of Internationalisation of Education at UM, “The research themes fit seamlessly with UM’s own research spearheads, Quality of Life,

Europe and a Globalising World, and Learning and Innovation.” The WUN consists of 19 research-intensive institutions spread over 6 continents, including renowned universities such as the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the University of Capetown, the University of Sydney and the University of Nanjing (China).

Dalai Lama presents Light of Truth award to Theo van Boven The Dalai Lama has presented Professor Theo Van Boven with the Light of Truth award for his dedication to the Tibetan cause within and beyond the United Nations. Van Boven is professor emeritus of International Law at Maastricht University’s Faculty of Law, former UN human rights director and special UN rapporteur against torture.

The International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) grants the Light of Truth award to individuals and institutions that have made important contributions to the public understanding of Tibet and the

struggle for human rights and democratic freedoms for the Tibetan people. The award, a Tibetan butter lamp, symbolises the light shed on Tibet by each recipient.

Theo van Boven

Skills

Putting pen to paper: creative writing for academics By Hanna Mclean

When given the opportunity to coordinate a fine art minor at Maastricht University and introduce one of the first academic creative writing courses in the Netherlands, the Pushcart Prize winning novelist Ana Menéndez couldn’t say no. “This was a chance to rethink things and take a more European approach. It was exciting to consider how we might offer this programme to people who are interested in writing, but who come from different academic or cultural backgrounds”, Menéndez reflects. A journalist and novelist born in Los Angeles to Cuban immigrants, Menéndez comes from a mixed cultural background herself and is no stranger to the power of creative writing. “I loved to tell stories when I was young. I would embellish them to make people laugh. Those who come to writing usually discover the power of storytelling early on.” Breaking the mould Coming from a family of doctors and lawyers, Menéndez followed a different path and chose to study English literature during her undergraduate studies in Florida. “I started to panic about what I was going to do with my degree,” she explains. “I took a journalism course and my professor recom-

mended me for a job at the Miami Herald. I applied and got it. It was with a lot of luck that I became a journalist.” But Menéndez knew deep down that it was fiction she loved. Eventually she left journalism to get her master’s degree in fine arts, a choice that would bring many benefits. Several years and four books later, Menéndez is at an exciting point in her career. Following a two-year period in Amsterdam where her partner was teaching as a professor, Menéndez found herself browsing online for work when she saw the job opening in Maastricht. “It sounded interesting”, she said. “We both loved the Netherlands and thought, ‘why not?’”

Creative writing at a glance

As a novelist, Menéndez applies her own experiences to create a unique teaching style that students appreciate. “I talk about problems and successes that I’ve had as a writer”, she says. “I think the students feel that this brings a new level of understanding that helps them in their own work. As a teacher it gives me humility and appreciation for how difficult the work is.” The course, however, isn’t all about writing. The students spend a large chunk of their time reading. “Learning how to read for depth is important. The first step towards being a writer is learning how to read and love doing it.”

Ana Menéndez

What is her goal for the course? “I want students to retain a sense of awe towards art, because it’s something that must be worked at. I’m a stoic that way, in that art is something that one works at with joy. I want students to come away with a sense of the effort that goes into writing and the understanding of why that effort cannot show.” “I also don’t want to harm the students”, she continues. “I don’t want to become so scholarly that students lose the ineffable joy that comes from reading and writing.” Come one, come all Along with a new approach to writing, the class also welcomes all students. “The only requirement is that students be interested. All of us working on this programme agreed there should be a component of translation involved and that it should be open to everyone. A classroom is more dynamic when you have people from a variety of different backgrounds.”

With these criteria in place, the class has proven to be useful even for scientists and researchers. Sharpening one’s critical reading skills, according to Menéndez, is something everyone can benefit from. “If you’re a researcher who loves to read then the course can deepen that love”, she explains. “Also, students will be able to clearly communicate their thoughts, explain themselves, and be precise. We stress concreteness. Avoid the abstract.” While scientific and creative writing are two different things and the course won’t make you a better scientist, it will help you organise your thoughts. “Writing is another way of thinking. I’d love to have more scientists in the class because there’s been this divergence of the sciences and arts for a long time and we need both sides to be informed about what the other is doing. I’d love to see scientists bring in different kinds of issues, problems and stories that we could work on together.”

Planning ahead With the first year of the programme behind her, Menéndez looks forward to continuing her work at the university and focusing on her own writing as well. “We had fantastic students this year. It was a diverse group with half a dozen native languages from all over Europe and the Middle East. I learned about the ways that language can unite and also divide. I also learned what it means to have a native language and what it means to take a course like this in English, which is interesting because I’m a hybrid myself.”

Ana Menéndez Ana Menéndez (1970) is the coordinator of the new creative writing course at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at Maastricht University. She has written four books of fiction and her work has appeared in various publications, including Vogue and Gourmet Magazine. She has a BA in English from Florida International University and an MFA from New York University.

Human Brain Project

Rainer Goebel

Understanding the human brain By Jolien Linssen

“Our brain is a universe, and that universe I want to understand”, says Rainer Goebel, professor of Cognitive Neuroscience at the Maastricht Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience. Recently, the chances of his dream coming true have significantly increased. The reason? A green light and hence a €500 million grant for the Human Brain Project, which was announced last January as one of only two Future and Emerging Technologies (FET) Flagship projects funded by the European Commission. The aim of the project is to unravel the secrets of the brain, and it is up to Goebel to represent Maastricht University in the endeavour. 28

Upon meeting Goebel in the brand new building housing the Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, it becomes clear that he is well equipped for this task. As part of the Brains Unlimited Project, Maastricht recently acquired a 9.4 Tesla scanner, the world’s most powerful magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine. “There are only four of these scanners in the world”, says Goebel. “Not many institutes can compete with the high level of research we can do at 7 and 9.4 Tesla. At the moment I can’t imagine a place where I could do the same things as I’m doing here.” These ‘things’ include the development of computer simulations of the brain – an important part of the research for which Goebel received the prestigious European Research Council (ERC) Advanced Grant in 2010. Not coincidentally, this is what the Human Brain Project is all about. Bringing together the efforts of 86 research institutes from Europe and around the world, the project aims to build the most accurate computer model of the human brain ever produced. In doing so it addresses one of the biggest challenges of modern science and simultaneously touches upon the very core of our being. Because, in the words of Goebel: “We are our brain.” Revolutionary The attempt in itself is nothing short of revolutionary. “Until now, our existing brain models have only been able to represent tiny parts of the brain, like language or vision”, says Goebel. “They’re what you would call toy models: too simplistic to be really interesting. Because what makes the brain smart is not a single neuron but the complexity of the interaction between billions of neurons.” The Human Brain Project thus strives to create a model which is as complex as the human brain itself. “If we really want to understand how the brain works, we need to comprehend how neurons interact and create something smart together. How do they bring forth thoughts, emotions and language? Where do things like persistence, attention and planning come from? How can diseases alter the brain, and what role do medications play in these processes?” The importance of answering these questions can hardly be overestimated. But is the goal, in addition to being ambitious, also realistic? “That depends on your criteria for success”, says Goebel. “We can only know if a complex

model of the full brain provides real insight into how the brain works after we’ve tried to make it. But because no single lab in the world has the power to model the whole brain, I’m convinced that the integration of our knowledge into one model is already a good thing in itself. The Human Brain Project will help us make substantial progress in our understanding of the brain. And it will push different research areas to the next level.” Computer These areas include the field of computing, as it is clear that only an enormous supercomputer will be able to simulate the neuronal activity of a human brain. Such a computer alone, however, is not enough. “Even though it has the possibility to simulate billions of neurons and their interactions, it’s still quite different from a thinking and learning human being. Our brain is not a tabula rasa at birth; instead, we’re constantly learning new knowledge over the course of our lives, and we’ve incorporated a lot of implicit knowledge from evolution. Think of a baby that smiles when it looks at something like a face. Babies do this from the moment they’re born.” In the absence of this evolutionary knowledge, the brain model is “just a machine without worldly knowledge, nothing more”. To solve this problem, content from real mind and brain research will be incorporated into the system. Goebel has received a € 1.2 million grant to carry out this work for the Human Brain Project. “By measuring real brains in our high-field MRI scanners, we can check whether the predictions made by the simulations actually correspond with reality”, he says. “If not, the model needs to be changed and improved. All in all, it’s very exciting to be involved in such an enormous project.”

Rainer Goebel Rainer Goebel (1964) studied psychology and computer science in Marburg and completed his PhD at the Technical University of Braunschweig, Germany. He has been professor of Cognitive Neuroscience at the Maastricht Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience since January 2000. He was appointed director of the Maastricht Brain Imaging Centre in 2005 and team leader of the Neuromodeling and Neuroimaging group at the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience in 2008. Goebel is internationally recognised for inventing and developing the software package BrainVoyager, one of the standard software packages for advanced data analysis in neuroimaging.

Off the job

Johan Vlaeyen

“Fortunately, sheep don’t bark” By Annelotte Huiskes

Back home after his two-hour train commute, the first thing Johan Vlaeyen does is visit his sheep. “It helps me switch off and unwind”, says the professor of Behavioural Medicine at the universities of Maastricht and Leuven. His home in the Belgian countryside overlooks a pasture on which his flock of 18 Mergelland sheep graze. It all started in 1991 when, as a gift for completing his PhD, he received two lambs from his colleague. The colleague was a member of Oos Mergelland

Sjaop (OMS), an association founded in South Limburg in 1978 to protect the local Mergelland sheep, then threatened with extinction.

The Euregion now has roughly 1500 Mergelland sheep and the association enforces a strict policy to ensure the breed remains pure and free of

‘defects’, such as horns or an underbite. “A team of inspectors comes by every year to check the sheep. Each sheep has to score at least 90 points to be officially certified as a Mergelland sheep. A typical characteristic of this breed is its smooth, oily fleece – we don’t want curly fleece, like you see on Texel sheep”, Vlaeyen smiles. The smell of sheep But why sheep? As befits a true scientist, he has a carefully prepared answer. “I expected this question”, he says as he reaches for his notes. “In my daily research I’m focused on very complex and abstract things. Sheep are the embodiment of simplicity – they graze, they chew their cud and they sleep. When I watch sheep graze I can’t help but think how simple life really is. Second, it’s a matter of outside versus inside. In my work I’m usually stuck behind a computer. But the sheep force me to go outside. The same would be true if I had a dog, but that brings me to my third point: sheep don’t bark. They’re extremely quiet animals. If a sheep bleats it means there’s something wrong. When everything’s fine, you don’t hear a sound. But dogs bark even when they’re happy, and that’s just too much excitement for me. Unlike dogs, sheep need no attention at all. But they are social animals – herd animals – and can’t survive alone. I like watching them interact. Every sound they make has meaning. They bleat, but they also make this soft grunting noise, which means they’re happy. This is also how they call their lambs. Plus, I like the smell of sheep wool. I think it ultimately comes down to the contrast with my work – together the two sides balance each other perfectly.”

Pain stimulus At work, Vlaeyen is a chronic pain

researcher. “There’s no curative solution to 90% of chronic pain. People take all kinds of medication, but it rarely helps. A recent European study revealed that 20% of the European population suffers from pain that lasts longer than three months. That’s one in five people. Our research has shown that the context of the pain stimulus is extremely influential; even more so than individual differences. The same stimulus may be experienced as more painful in one context than in another.” Vlaeyen hopes to use this knowledge to develop new cognitive treatment methods that do help to alleviate pain, such as the successful Exposure Method developed in his behaviour laboratory and tested on patients at the Maastricht academic hospital. “This method was specifically designed for people who have developed a debilitating fear of their pain. Reducing this fear helps them better manage the pain. One of my PhD candidates recently conducted a second trial on this method among dystrophy patients, and we’re seeing great results there too.” Teeth grinders How do sheep experience pain? “I’m not sure whether they experience chronic pain, but I do know they grind their teeth when they’re sick or in pain.

As it happens, I recently read an article in a veterinary journal about fear of pain in sheep. Apparently, when an owner hurts a sheep, it quickly generalises this experience and develops a fear of all people. The article also referred to our research. So it’s nice that sheep have ended up reflected in my work as well.” Vegetarians The oldest sheep in his flock is now 14. The wool – roughly four to five kilos per sheep – is sent to a factory to make insulation. The meat is also given away, as the family are strict vegetarCecile aan de Stegge ians. “One of my two daughters is quite the fanatic. She wants to become a Greenpeace activist and wears T-shirts with texts like ‘If it has a face, I don’t eat it’”, Vlaeyen laughs. The only exception is the occasional ram. “You can’t really keep a ram. If they can’t be used to breed, they’re usually slaughtered or castrated. I have two castrated rams in my flock that my daughters bottle-fed with milk after they were rejected by their mothers. Of course slaughtering them was out of the question, so we had them castrated. But the other rams are slaughtered and I always keep a bit of meat for myself. Ram meat is the tastiest and great on the barbeque. And for that very rare occasion when I do eat meat, the family turns a blind eye.”

Helmut Warmenhoven

An eventful career By Jos Cortenraad

Helmut Warmenhoven graduated from Maastricht University in 1996 as a business economist specialising in international management. But he is far from your traditional manager. By way of Palestine, Brussels and Thailand he made his way to China, where he teaches English and German at a university and is about to start a PhD in … anthropology. Looking back at his eventful career, which kicked off almost immediately after high school, Warmenhoven laughs heartily. “It’s safe to say I’m not a planner”, he explains from Zhuhai, the

city where he currently lives with his Chinese wife and daughter. “I never have been. I decided to study in Maastricht in 1991 because Problem-Based Learning appealed to me. But choosing

a programme wasn’t so easy. I ended up doing economics because I figured a broad basis wouldn’t hurt, and I specialised in international management because I was keen to go abroad.”

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Student days

Born in Germany and raised in Eemnes, near Utrecht, Warmenhoven has no regrets, certainly not about choosing Maastricht University. “I had a great study experience – all five years of it. I dived right in and joined Circumflex, a co-ed student association and a jaarclub. The first year was chaotic. We lived just over the border in a house with 40 people. After that I lived above a coffee shop in a room that measured just 10 square metres. Quite the experience, to put it mildly. I spent the last four years in a typical student flat and really enjoyed the city. But partying wasn’t the only thing I did in that first year – I studied hard and learned a lot doing different jobs for Circumflex. Mainly organisational stuff. That came in handy later, when I was wandering the world for different employers.” Before graduating, Warmenhoven traded Maastricht for Brussels to intern at the charity organisation Youth Action for Peace and to work on his thesis. Here, the seeds were planted of an eventful career that took him first to Palestine, where he spent almost two years organising trips and gatherings for young people from all over the world. “I was a peace activist; I truly believed that creating mutual understanding between Israelis and Palestinians would lead to lasting peace.” Society From 1999 to 2009, Warmenhoven worked for various NGOs and idealistic organisations in Brussels, Thailand and elsewhere. “I spent 10 years working in the upper management positions for which I was trained. I went to 60 countries. I’ve always

wanted to make some kind of contribution to society. I probably could have got a nice job at a bank after I graduated, but I figured there’d be plenty of time for that later. I wanted to see the world first. And I did see and do all sorts of amazing things, but I still found myself searching.” In late 2008 Warmenhoven was itching for something new when fate stepped in. “I was in China working for Greenway Asia, a company that specialises in intercultural travel, when I met my future wife. It was love at first sight for me, but it took her a bit longer. I moved to China in early 2009 and had no problem finding work. I wrote to two universities, was invited to an interview that same day, and found myself teaching English a day later.” PhD Warmenhoven has been teaching German at the United International College in the special economic zone of Zhuhai since 2011. The city lies on the southern coast of China near Macau, at the heart of one of the free economic zones. This is also where, at the age of 40, he will start his PhD at Radboud University this summer. “A total coincidence. I met a Radboud University employee in Thailand who encouraged me to do research. The idea started taking shape when I got to China. I find the consequences of the one-child policy really interesting. A professor from Nijmegen paid me a visit to see how serious I was. That’s when the ball started rolling and I wrote my proposal.” Specifically, Warmenhoven will study how happy Chinese university students are. “There are several

preconceptions that interest me. For example, the idea that young people are spoiled ‘little emperors’. Egoistic. I definitely don’t see that in practice. What I do see is the great pressure they’re under. They’re expected to take care of their parents and their families. At the same time, the doors to the West are wide open. They want to have a career, to make money, to be a success. Does this lead to disenchantment? I don’t think so. I actually think young people here are quite cheerful. I’m also interested in seeing how boys and girls build relationships. Girls are definitely not playing second fiddle anymore. And I want to find out whether there’s a difference between kids in the city and kids in the country, where families are often allowed to have two children.”

Helmut with wife and daughter

New step And so Warmenhoven has found himself in the field of development sociology and pedagogy. “True, but I see it as a new step. I want to be more than just a German teacher. Maybe one day I can serve as a pivot between China and the West. Either way, there are plenty of challenges ahead.”

Esther Tromp

Building bridges across borders By Graziella Runchina

Esther Tromp is a lawyer in the Netherlands and Germany. Her activities for the German Desk at Boels Zanders are often cross-border in nature. “I work on both sides of the border, trying to understand the two nationalities not only from a legal standpoint but also an intercultural one. Building bridges and helping people cross borders is what I do.” The daughter of Dutch parents, Tromp (33) spent her high school years in Germany. When her father was transferred by Philips, she found herself in the back row of a secondary

school classroom in a small provincial town in the German state of Hesse. “I picked up German quite quickly and had no problems getting through the Goethe-Schule.”

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Downside After she finished high school, the question arose of where to study. “I initially looked at the universities of Giessen and Frankfurt. They were both prototypes of the old social-democratic system. The underlying idea in Germany was that everyone should have access to education and so no-one should have to pay for it. Tuition fees, as we know them, didn’t exist. That may seem fantastic, but it has its downsides: overcrowded lecture halls, sporadic lectures, little to no money for books and completely outdated university buildings.” Focus on the Netherlands For the purposes of comparison, Tromp turned her attention to the Netherlands. “I went to Amsterdam, Leiden and Maastricht,” she says. “And I discovered right away that I wanted to study in Maastricht. Everyone was enthusiastic, the professors were passionate, the buildings were fresh and the PBL system with its practical approach really appealed to me.” Initially planning to study sociology, she ultimately opted for European Law. “Unlike sociology, law gave me a very specific idea of what I could become – a lawyer, for example. My student room was across the street from the courthouse and I often sat in on the magistrate hearings on Wednesday afternoons.” Client base After graduating, Tromp was offered an internship at Boels Zanders, which had branches in Venlo, Roermond, Maastricht and, at the time, Sittard (now Eindhoven). “Because our office deals with a lot of cross-border issues, we have a steady flow of German clients, many of whom are looking to do business in the Netherlands. But we also have plenty of Dutch entrepreneurs interested in entering the German market. Corporate law, business acquisitions, disputes and commercial contracts all belong to my field of expertise.” Back and forth

While her German language skills certainly came in handy at the law firm, not knowing the particulars of the German legal system sparked continuous back-and-forth debates with her German clients. “My weakness was that I didn’t understand the ins and outs of the German legal system. This really bothered me because I felt I wasn’t able to provide my clients with the best possible advice.”

exam, which she passed in April 2007. With the title Rechtsanwältin now stamped across her business card, she is allowed to practise law in both the Netherlands and Germany. “I can now explain the legal differences on both sides of the border, warn clients about potential problems and advise them on the best possible solutions.” Added value This advice concerns not just legal but also intercultural issues, because there are certainly differences between doing business in the Netherlands and in Germany. “These differences may seem subtle, but they often prove to be quite substantial. Say a German company produces and delivers a machine to a customer in the Netherlands. Then something goes wrong and a dispute arises. How do you solve this? Not only legally, but also on a personal level. The typical Dutch solution would be to sit down with the aggrieved customer, thrash it out and try to resolve the issue together. Germans would go about it in a different way altogether, safeguarding their legal position, thinking immediately of hiring a lawyer and heading to court. Because both sides have their own strategies, you end up just talking past each other and getting nowhere. My added value is in taking these different strategies into account from the outset, and making sure the situation doesn’t escalate as a result of cultural differences.” Fundamental values Fortunately, these neighbouring countries have plenty of similarities. “Both countries share similar fundamental values. Germany is a technologically advanced country; a true industrial nation. The Netherlands, on the other hand, is creative, innovative and commercial. These qualities complement each other perfectly.” Tromp therefore encourages graduates to cast their nets across the border. “Don’t just look to the border; try to look past it as well. European Law students in particular already have a certain curiosity about Europe, and often have an international orientation. And UM is strong when it comes to this international component. What are the rules and how can I use them to solve a problem? This is an important and recurring question. In the Euregion, you come up against all sorts of aspects that make our work extra interesting.”

To fill this gap in her knowledge, Tromp enrolled at a private training institute to prepare for the German bar

University Fund

Professors set an example

In late April, the Professors’

Fund was established under the auspices of the Limburg University Fund/SWOL. This

makes it the twelfth Named Fund to be established in under three years.

The Professors’ Fund was founded on the initiative of professors Piet Eichholtz (School of Business and Economics) and Nanne de Vries (Faculty of Health Medicine and Life Sciences). They were of the opinion that professors, given the special responsibility their positions entail,

should set an example by supporting the university and its academic community through fundraising. The response to their call for donations from fellow professors at all faculties was overwhelmingly positive. With their contributions, the professors are making a statement that, it is hoped, will encourage students and alumni to support their university and inspire external parties, such as companies and private individuals, to align themselves with UM research and education. The fund was established under the banner of the Limburg University Fund/SWOL, the university’s preferred fundraising body.

Chemistry between UM and the region On 7 March, the Limburg University Fund welcomed loyal donors from the business community at the Chemelot Campus in Geleen. This third event for regular donors (the College voor Vrienden) focused on the Maastricht Science Programme. Dean Thomas Cleij and managing director Fred Offerein explained how this multi-disciplinary natural sciences programme responds to the needs of multinationals and adds value to UM and the

region. The University Fund organises biannual meetings that give donors the opportunity to learn more about the special academic projects and pioneering research conducted at UM. The reactions to these meetings – which have so far focused on virtual reality, forensic psychology and the natural sciences – have been enthusiastic and the number of donors has grown. The next meeting is scheduled for October.

The Professors’ Fund is sustained by donations from professors of money they have received for their work for third parties, such as lectures or royalties. Its purpose is to provide the means to stimulate excellence in scientific research by UM students, PhD candidates and professors. These objectives will be further developed by an advisory board responsible for overseeing the allocation of funds. The board consists of representatives of all faculties, namely: Prof. Nanne de Vries (FHML), Prof. Rob Bauer (SBE), Prof. Madelon Peters (FPN), Prof Harm Hospers (FHS), Prof. Wiebe Bijker (FASoS) and Prof. Aalt Willem Heringa (Law).

Successful University Dinner 2013 The annual Maastricht University Dinner was held on 25 April 2013 in the provincial government building in Maastricht. This festive occasion brought together 200 guests, from academics to businesspeople and government officials. The dinner aims to strengthen the relationship between the university and its surroundings and to create opportunities for networking. The highlight of this year’s dinner was a speech by Dr Victor Dzau, Chancellor for Health Affairs at Duke University and CEO of the Duke University Medical Center (USA). Dzau is a former professor at Harvard Medical School and former chair of the Department of

Medicine at Stanford University. He is

also a board member at companies such as Pepsico and Medtronic. In his speech, Dzau discussed the risks and opportunities of close collaboration between the university, industry and government, and painted a picture of the interests that could play an influential role for each of these parties. He presented his audience with a model in which parties can work together and push one another to greater heights by focusing less on competition and more on a mutually endorsed ‘big project’. Large, complex projects pose a challenge for participants; they demand innova-

Victor Dzau

tion, encourage product development and funnel competitive feelings into productive channels. UM could not agree more with Dzau’s sentiments; it, too, aims to translate its contacts with companies and institutions into knowledge for the common good.

University Fund thanks private donors Some 30 private donors to the Limburg University Fund were recently welcomed at a special event at the inner city University Library. Leonie Cornips, professor of Linguistic Culture in Limburg, opened the event with a talk on the benefits of bilingualism, particularly among children. Ingrid Wijk, director of the University Library, then introduced the special

academic heritage collections – the Jesuit collection, the Charles Eyck documen-

tation collection and the Pierre Kemp Library – and gave the guests a chance to admire them during a tour of the archives. A new Named Fund, the Friends of the Maastricht Academic Heritage Fund, was recently established to manage, procure and make these special

collections available to a broad audience. With this event, the Limburg University Fund expressed its gratitude for the contributions and commitment of some 300 private donors. Guests included current and emeritus professors, employees, alumni and residents of Maastricht and the wider region.

Prof. W.A. Wagenaar Fund a success The Prof. W.A. Wagenaar Fund, established in January 2013 to support the two-year Master of Forensic Psychology, has so far met with great success. The fund was

initially made possible thanks to a substantial donation from the Josteba foundation, and has since received generous support from the Van Rinsum-

Ponsen foundation as well. Fundraising for this good cause is set to continue in the future.

The logos of members of the Limburg University Fund Curatorium are shown below. These companies and private individuals are highly respected for the support they give to academic research and education. The Limburg University Fund/SWOL is very grateful to its Curatorium members for their commitment to Maastricht University.

LIONS CLUB MAASTRICHT

‘Psychiatry should abandon age boundary of 18 years’ The psychiatric care system urgently needs evaluating. In particular, the strict age boundary of 18 years that divides child and adolescent psychiatry from adult psychiatry needs to be abandoned. This was proposed by Professor Therese van Amelsvoort, extraordinary professor in Transitional Psychiatry, in her inaugural address ‘Transitional psychiatry – bridging the gap’. Van Amelsvoort further argued for specific care programmes for 15- to 24-year-olds. Transitional psychiatry research focuses on the area between child and adoles-

cent psychiatry on the one hand, and adult psychiatry on the other. The formal age boundary between these two domains is 18 years, but Van Amelsvoort believes this is unreasonable: “Over 25% of the global population consists of young people between 10 and 24 years of age. It is people in this very group who suffer most from illnesses caused by psychiatric disorders.” In practice, the transition to adult psychiatry at the age of 18 is not always smooth. “Quite often, when an adolescent turns 18, they are referred to a com-

pletely different organisation, in a different location, where everyone is new to them. This is not easy for people with autistic spectrum disorder, for whom changes cause distress; or for people who are paranoid and have trust issues.” Furthermore, different diagnostic and measurement instruments are used before and after the age of 18, which makes it difficult to coordinate treatments. Van Amelsvoort therefore calls for the establishment of special psychiatric youth programmes.

Rob Bauer among top ten most influential academics in institutional investment Rob Bauer, professor of Institutional Investors at Maastricht University, has been named by the international investment periodical aiCIO Magazine as one of the ten most influential academics in the field of institutional investment. The magazine recently published the list Professors 2013, which identifies those academics worldwide who have made important contributions to pension and investment funds. Bauer is in the good company of colleagues from business schools in Oxford, Cambridge, New York, London and Boston. As Bauer told the magazine, “I like to put research to practical use.” Bauer is the founder and director of the European

Centre for Corporate Engagement (ECCE) of the UM School of Business and Economics and the director of the International Center for Pension Management at the University of Toronto. “I want to show asset managers what power and responsibilities they have and do not use. It is not just about managing money, it is also about engaging with companies where it makes sense to do so. I would like pension funds to be well-governed pension delivery organizations that operate in the true interest of their beneficiaries – that should be my legacy.”

Rob Bauer

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