Just society
As an international knowledge institution with one of the most diverse student communities in the Netherlands, we feel a strong responsibility to contribute to a sustainable and just world. On this page, we show how we shape this in our education, research, and organisation, as well as outlining our future plans.
Introduction
As a university of applied sciences, we are primarily responsible for high-quality education and research. However, our responsibility extends beyond our core tasks. As an international knowledge institution, with a highly diverse community, strong regional embedding, and a broad range of faculties and Centres of Expertise, we are in a unique position to contribute to a sustainable and just world. In doing so, we deploy all facets of the university: education, research, our buildings, our operations, and our behaviour.
Just society is about creating equal opportunities for everyone in a society that is increasingly at risk of becoming more unequal. This is not a simple task. The Netherlands Institute for Social Research (SCP) shows that inequality in the Netherlands is extensive, persistent, and deeply rooted. There are significant differences between people in: education, work, and income (economic capital); the social networks they can draw upon (social capital); knowledge of societal norms and the ability to navigate them (cultural capital); and physical and mental condition and attractiveness (personal capital).
Our ambition
Addressing this inequality is a complex challenge. Despite various policies, the SCP observes little change over the past ten years. (Urban) governments struggle to develop effective policy interventions. THUAS aims to actively contribute to successful solutions through a deeper understanding of metropolitan issues and, more directly, through conducting action research.
Our ambition is to significantly increase the societal impact of all the practice-based research we conduct and its impact on education. To this end, we have developed a substantive research agenda, and we are convinced that with the investments proposed below, the university’s impact on the theme of justice will increase structurally.
The substantive research agenda is structured along four dimensions:
- Political: democratic participation - how do we ensure that many more people can have a say in and help decide on matters that are important to their lives?
- Social: societal participation - how do we ensure that everyone can participate in society and that inequality in this participation is reduced (empowerment, talent development)?
- Public: public accessibility - how do we increase physical and digital access to facilities, information, and services in the domains of healthcare, housing, and education for all groups in society?
And one theme that is important for all three dimensions above:
4. Cultural responsiveness & diversity: how do we ensure that (future) professionals have the capacity to engage effectively with diversity, so that they genuinely contribute to opportunities and access for everyone?
Justice in our research
The involved Centres of Expertise develop in-depth knowledge and insight into the issues underlying poverty, health inequality, and inequality (in our region and within our institution). We develop these insights together with our stakeholders, lecturers, and students. We conduct action research in which our students directly contribute to projects in local communities. Together with our stakeholders, we develop a shared research and impact agenda, which we also co-finance, enabling us to work on projects in a long-term, focused, and well-coordinated manner.
Based on the Strategic Plan 2023-2028, Just society is one of the three main themes in our Knowledge Agenda, alongside Transition to sustainability and Digital Future. Wherever possible, we seek synergy between these themes. We undertake this transition together with our students, staff, and external partners.
Justice in our education
Education plays an important role in providing equal opportunities for marginalised groups in our society. However, education must be designed appropriately; otherwise, as a system, it can perpetuate or even reinforce inequality.
THUAS aims to educate critically thinking and learning global citizens who are equipped to contribute in their professional practice to a sustainable and just world. This is set out in our Educational Vision. For our students, this means we help them develop the knowledge and skills needed to make a meaningful contribution to this transition and to a just society.
We begin within the walls of THUAS: we expose unconscious biases relating to gender, socio-economic status, and ethnicity. We demonstrate how selection processes may reinforce biases. We make visible how existing cultural norms and expectations advantage certain groups of students while disadvantaging others. We also contribute to curricula that reflect the experiences and perspectives of marginalised groups, not just those of the dominant culture.
Justice in our organisation
We aim to increase equal opportunities within our organisation, including through fair recruitment procedures. We also seek to combat inequality and exploitation through careful procurement policies.
In addition, the research programme ‘The State of THUAS’ conducts statistical research into equal opportunities for students from the region, including access to the university, progression opportunities, graduation rates, and labour market prospects. Programmes can use these analyses to improve their education (policy).
Contact
Would you like to know more about research at THUAS focused on a just society? Please contact programme managers Elise Peters or Meike de Jong.