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Live magazine: work conference FEM 15/01/2013, utrecht

report of the day: 15/ 01/ 2013

Live Magazine: HU Work Conference FEM The Work Conference ‘Join us!!’ was

organised by the Faculty of Economics and

Management at the Hogeschool Utrecht on

15 January. The event took place in Stadion Galgenwaard in Utrecht.

This Live Magazine® is an atmosphere report of the day.

Graphic design, publisher and editor O.K. PARKING Texts Nynke de Jong Photography Masha Bakker

Translation (English version) Zeena Price

Rights

Acquisition texts only in agreement with the publisher. The contents of this magazine are not legally binding. Articlenumber FEM_eb_0113_hslm

About Live Magazines Live Magazines ® is a concept whereby, during a conference, event or workshop we make magazine live on the site that is done on the same day. Live Magazine is a registered trademark and concept of OK PARKING. www.livemagazines.nl

Live Magazine: work conference join us! FEM january 15th 2013

report

Large on a small scale

Broad work conference of the FEM A room full of tables, chairs and set places. It feels more like the dining room of a big wedding reception, but it is instead the Work Conference concerning the future of the FEM. Around 250 employees from all levels of the faculty are gathered to discuss the dot on the horizon: where should the FEM be going? Where will it stand in 2020? And how do we ensure that that the dot on the horizon stays a dot and does not become a black hole?

Live Magazine: work conference join us! FEM january 15th 2013

‘De handen aan het bord’

Where does van Lambalgen himself

This has to be discussed. We do this

want to go? What is his dot? “We’re

under the guidance of Rob de Wilde

now a Business School. And becoming

and his people from Sigma - Real

an excellent Business School is the

Time BV. The very first question on

dot on the horizon beckoning me.

the agenda is what the challenges

To achieve that we must choose for

for the future are. These challeng-

quality in place of quantity. Our school

es touch upon very different areas,

is not a factory. We have a societal

as we discover by working our way

function. We want to educate people

around the tables. “We must nudge

who can have some significance in

students to improve their decision

society.

making process,” proposes a teacher.

“We must nudge students to improve their decision making process”

“We have a vast consultation struc-

What is also important is a connec-

ture, which could in theory be made

tion with the regional economy. We

smaller,”proposes an administrative

now have substantial ties to regional

employee. Teachers also consult to a

schools. But students from the whole

large extent, which leads to the con-

country want to come to Utrecht. Not

clusion: ‘we moeten de handen weer

only for the lively city life, but also for

aan het bord krijgen’.

the high quality of education.”

Another point which is dissected is

But what to do with these graduates?

the bureaucracy. One teacher thinks

What is to be their role in society?

that this has simply gone too far.

Van Lambalgen has an idea about

“That a student has to inform us three

this: “Entrepreneurs are extremely

weeks in advance about their absence

important. They can potentially help

from a test drives them crazy.” The

us overcome this economic crisis.

teacher gets an immediate response

And it has been scientifically proven:

from the administration. The bureau-

entrepreneurs both think and act

cracy might be vast, but cooperation

differently than others.” But the en-

depends upon good communication.

trepreneurial aspect has been given a

“It has to come from both sides.”

low priority within the FEM. How can we integrate entrepreneurship more into our education?

The dot on the horizon Rob van Lambalgen, the director of

“Even though this is a large school,

the FEM, is a huge help in steering us

we must start working on a smaller

in the right direction of that dot on

scale,” states the director. “Working

the horizon. He shows us a cartoon

in a small group that you can stim-

depicting four little boats. “We’re

ulate, inspire, with whom you can

sitting with the HU in a rowing boat.

discuss things. Successful businesses

We’re moving, we’re going in the

seem to operate by working on a

right direction. We’ve all got big

small scale. Perhaps in the future we

smiles on our faces, we’re proud

at FEM will be a cluster of small busi-

of our school. But we’re not yet a

nesses who all share the same goal.”

speedboat.”

Live Magazine: work conference join us! FEM january 15th 2013

Nobody can do it alone Enough to discuss. And this has been carried out enthusiastically at all tables. There is much talk about the atmosphere at the school, the small scale, the connection to universities and ties to the business world. But what can be heard at every table is that nobody is capable of achieving this alone. If the FEM wants to change, wants to offer better education and become a better school, then everybody must contribute. Those changes require an open and honest atmosphere, with employees who want to collaborate. In this respect, everyone is in full agreement.

What does the labour market want? And what does the student want? The director can have a vision of the future, and the employees can put forward their opinions, but what do businesses actually want? What sort of graduates do they want to hire? And what do FEM alumni really think of their alma mater? Do they have any tips? Perhaps these questions can be illuminated by two former students and two employers, who have been invited to share their insights. Martijn Goudswaard and Dennis Stokman, the former active in a recruitment and selection agency and the latter at Zwitserleven, see the same problem with those who have just graduated: they want everything too fast. “You have to construct a course based on the expectations of the labour market,” suggests Martijn. “Starters expect far too much too soon. They think they can become managers immediately. They are disappointed with their starting salaries and the work they are expected to perform as well.” Dennis thinks that

Live Magazine: work conference join us! FEM january 15th 2013

students should learn to get their

In 2020

One table up students are also the

hands dirty, to be thrown in at the

After lunch we are, with full stom-

topic of conversation, but the empha-

deep end. It is only by starting at the

achs, able to enthusiastically continue

sis is slightly different. “Education as

bottom that you really get to know

talking about the future of the FEM.

it now stands is not personal. It is not

a business. “As an intern supervisor I

What should the focal points of the

set up for personal development! You

spend a large amount of time and en-

FEM be in 2020? Which topics will

want to flourish during your studies,

ergy trying to get students to realise

be important seven years from now?

to bloom!” A young teacher becomes

just how unrealistic these expecta-

Each group is instructed to come up

quite agitated on this point. “How

tions are.”

with a Top 3. “E-learning,” calls one

can we as teachers enable this flour-

immediately. “Digitilisation will ensure

ishing?” A group member remarks

Lieke de Jonge-Dressler and Jantien

more focus from students. Anything

drily that we are starting to sound like

Geerlink, two alumni of the FEM, have

that can be organised online must

Montessori advocates.

quite different recommendations for

be done so. It saves an enormous

those present. Lieke pleads primar-

amount of time.”

ily for a stricter check on those who

But it is not just about the students having to learn; also important is that

have gone astray. “We could mislead

And becoming smaller? Is that a

the teacher is a “learning profes-

supervisors into believing anything

solution? “The organisation can

sional”, as we hear from another

during tests. Some students would

remain large, if you can work on a

table. “We should be observing each

use graphic calculators in place of

smaller scale within.” The man who

other in class much more,” suggests

normal ones. You can store much

makes this point gets an enthusiastic

one of the men. “Every teacher has

more in those types of calculators. It’s

response. “You can see it happening

blind spots, but you only see them

so demotivating when you study so

already,” affirms another, “the smaller

by receiving feedback.” This group

incredibly hard, only to see someone

courses get better results.” “Students

is strongly in agreement. A young

sitting next to you doing the test in

have to know who their teachers are

teacher nods furiously. “I enjoy work-

that way.” Jantien focusses more on

again. We can create more of a con-

ing on myself, but not as punishment.

entry into the labour market. “You’re

nection and we can tailor our work

We as teachers hear far too often

not a competent professional when

specifically around them.”

what we aren’t doing right. That’s

you’ve just graduated. You’re a starter

fine, but I would prefer to work on

who can learn in their first position.”

my skills from a much less negative

Jantien did learn a lot during her com-

standpoint.” “And that requires creat-

pulsory internship. “I can see now in

ing a safe environment,” proposes a

my economic studies at the University

colleague. “An environment in which

of Utrecht that bachelor students

you dare to give feedback.”

don’t have any experience, that this is something they strongly lack.”

And thus a list of the Top 3 most important points for the FEM in 2020 is compiled. Next, members are invited

“How can we as teachers enable this flourishing?”

to walk up to the flip-charts and place stickers next to the points they find most significant- stickers which will be taken as part of the research that the people from Sigma - Real Time BV are conducting here.

Live Magazine: work conference join us! FEM january 15th 2013

Chatting and outlining

No, that is not helpful at all. Taking

If all these new ideas and opinions

your own responsibility, that does

haven’t made your head spin yet,

help. And formulating a clear vision.

this will: employees are then asked

Organising feedback. Conducting

to pitch a theme on which they want

research. There are, then, enough

to brainstorm with colleagues. And

things that do work well.

these themes are highly complementary: from the appearance of the new

Almost all the paper is gone from the

FEM building to the strengthening of

flip-charts. Tongues are left dry from

trust within the FEM. Groups can be

all the talking. But the FEM employ-

seen next to flip-charts everywhere

ees leave the Galgenwaard after Rob

you look, busily chatting away and

van Lambalgen concludes the session

outlining their ideas. These discus-

feeling inspired. The idea that the

sions occasionally become heated.

FEM has ‘gold in its hands’, as the

For how can you ensure that less stu-

director tells us. That gold can be put

dents drop out? Should the selection

to many uses. And after today the

be stricter? Or the financial pressure

FEM has a few more hundred golden

greater? These questions are not easy

ideas to its name.

to answer. Eventually all discussions are presented, in which employees

Evaluations appear to show a great

have difficulty in keeping to their two

need to hold on to and act on the

minute time slots.

yield. Here and there are glimpses of a feeling that people have been here before; this is evidenced by declara-

What helps and what doesn’t?

tions that it is now time to hold on to

All this input can be classified in

and act upon these golden ideas.

another way as well. The people from Sigma - Real Time BV leave to process the findings. Rob de Wilde comes up with two more categories: what helps and what doesn’t help? A flood of observations are unleashed. Working too slowly doesn’t help. Or in too vague a manner. Only talking and not acting, failing to discuss things thoroughly with one another.

“The idea that the FEM has ‘gold in its hands’”

Live Magazine: work conference join us! FEM january 15th 2013

want more discussion on the change process?

www.doejemee.hu.nl

Live Magazine: work conference join us! FEM january 15th 2013

questions

What are you taking to work tomorrow?

Liesbeth Nederlof (Teacher ‘Bedrijfskunde’)

Martin Veldhuizen (Teacher ‘Commerciële Economie’)

“What inspired me was the solidarity of today. It is rare that all of us at FEM are together. That really only happens at the Christmas party. Sitting together like this is something else entirely.”

Live Magazine: work conference join us! FEM january 15th 2013

“It was incredibly enjoyable to discover that there are so many entrepreneurial teachers among us. Together we have decided to stimulate the students more intensively to become entrepreneurs. How? By doing it ourselves! They should go to the Chamber of Commerce!”

Ralph van Mechelen (Teacher ‘Bedrijfseconomie’)

“Today I have gotten a better idea of where the HU and the FEM are going. And in this new course I also see a role for myself, for example in the communication between lecturers and education.”

Björn van Rozen (Teacher ‘Bedrijfseconomie’)

Astrid Bolland (Project manager / Teacher)

“How wonderful that regional economic development was so strongly emphasised. I’m already working on this, but today I have seen that this development will be continued.”

“Today I have gotten to know many colleagues. I’ve only worked at the FEM for a year and I have now finally spoken to people who I’d normally just say a quick ‘hello’ to in the hall.”

Live Magazine: work conference join us! FEM january 15th 2013

This is a selection from a large number of findings. A full report is available at www.doejemee.hu.nl

Live Magazine: work conference join us! FEM january 15th 2013