‘Of course you haven’t enrolled in TU Delft simply to study technological subjects. You want to know more. You want to know for example how the human brain works, how to think creatively, what Plato’s ideas were, what Time actually is, where your emotions come from..
. with Studium Generale, this is possible!’
Thus proclaims Studium Generale’s website, an assertion that’s largely true. Students, intellectually curious by nature, do want to know more and Studium Generale is the TU organization that offers to ‘broaden students’ horizons’ with knowledge of the latest, greatest cultural, artistic, social and scientific developments, organizing an impressive array of debates, lectures and workshops, ranging from a University of Amsterdam academic’s lecture on Monty Python’s comedic style to a discussion of that leviathan of philosophy, Thomas Hobbes
There is, however, one big problem with the above, (certainly for many readers of this Delta page): Most Studium Generale events are in Dutch, so it’s only “possible” to enjoy them if you’re Dutch is excellent, which is bad news for most TU Delft foreign students.
Given the fact that foreign students are now a well-established (and important) group at TU Delft and that “internationalization” of the university is trumpeted from the top down, from TU Delft’s Executive Office, which in fact funds Studium Generale, this is certainly problematic if not unacceptable for a university striving to treat its foreign and native students as equals.
Coen Vermeeren, who heads Studium Generale, its editorial board members, and, presumably, the TU Executive Board, are aware of this problem, or oversight, and Vermeeren confirms that ”we’re now discussing whether to have all events in English.” As it is, a few events will be in English this year, including a lecture by internationally renowned writer, essayist and chairman of the Berlin Arts Academy, Gyorgy Konrad. For Studium Generale, the “Dutch or English” issue is something of a dilemma, because foreign students are still a minority group and, as Vermeeren says, ”Dutch academics and students are already forced to do so much in English; therefore, it%s more inviting to them if our events are in Dutch, it’s easier for them to teach and learn in their own language.”
Vermeeren does stress however that Studium Generale welcomes input from foreign students: ”We’re certainly open to discovering new disciplines and subjects and do hope that foreign students participate. There%s an almost unlimited amount of energy among the students on campus and as an organization we want to access it all.” (DM)
For a free subscription to Studium Generale’s events program, email: StudiumGenerale@tbm.tudelft.nl,. Events programs are also available at TU faculties and the library.
‘Of course you haven’t enrolled in TU Delft simply to study technological subjects. You want to know more. You want to know for example how the human brain works, how to think creatively, what Plato’s ideas were, what Time actually is, where your emotions come from… with Studium Generale, this is possible!’
Thus proclaims Studium Generale’s website, an assertion that’s largely true. Students, intellectually curious by nature, do want to know more and Studium Generale is the TU organization that offers to ‘broaden students’ horizons’ with knowledge of the latest, greatest cultural, artistic, social and scientific developments, organizing an impressive array of debates, lectures and workshops, ranging from a University of Amsterdam academic’s lecture on Monty Python’s comedic style to a discussion of that leviathan of philosophy, Thomas Hobbes
There is, however, one big problem with the above, (certainly for many readers of this Delta page): Most Studium Generale events are in Dutch, so it’s only “possible” to enjoy them if you’re Dutch is excellent, which is bad news for most TU Delft foreign students.
Given the fact that foreign students are now a well-established (and important) group at TU Delft and that “internationalization” of the university is trumpeted from the top down, from TU Delft’s Executive Office, which in fact funds Studium Generale, this is certainly problematic if not unacceptable for a university striving to treat its foreign and native students as equals.
Coen Vermeeren, who heads Studium Generale, its editorial board members, and, presumably, the TU Executive Board, are aware of this problem, or oversight, and Vermeeren confirms that ”we’re now discussing whether to have all events in English.” As it is, a few events will be in English this year, including a lecture by internationally renowned writer, essayist and chairman of the Berlin Arts Academy, Gyorgy Konrad. For Studium Generale, the “Dutch or English” issue is something of a dilemma, because foreign students are still a minority group and, as Vermeeren says, ”Dutch academics and students are already forced to do so much in English; therefore, it%s more inviting to them if our events are in Dutch, it’s easier for them to teach and learn in their own language.”
Vermeeren does stress however that Studium Generale welcomes input from foreign students: ”We’re certainly open to discovering new disciplines and subjects and do hope that foreign students participate. There%s an almost unlimited amount of energy among the students on campus and as an organization we want to access it all.” (DM)
For a free subscription to Studium Generale’s events program, email: StudiumGenerale@tbm.tudelft.nl,. Events programs are also available at TU faculties and the library.
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