The university will launch the University College ATLAS in 2013. There are also far-reaching plans for improving the quality of education further, lowering the dropout rate and providing more challenging programmes for highly motivated students.
The UT’s University College plans to open its doors to students in 2013. The Academy of Technology and Liberal Arts & Sciences (ATLAS) offers an intensive Bachelor’s programme to highly motivated and talented students. The University College ATLAS focuses on students who feel that monodisciplinary programmes are too highly specialized. ATLAS students are interested in both technical and social developments, and they wish to be involved in societal innovations while making use of the latest technologies. They will develop a thorough understanding of technology in relation to the relevant social, economic, cultural, ethical and political context, and they will learn how to apply their knowledge to devise effective solutions. ATLAS graduates can then continue their studies in both technical and social science Master's programmes at home and abroad. In 2013, UT hopes to welcome sixty students to the new University College, with annual new enrolments growing to more than 100 in the years to follow.
The High Tech Human Touch student
ATLAS focuses on ambitious students who want a broad programme of education and who also want to have an impact on the society of tomorrow. The programme is built around solving problems. This requires more than just knowledge and understanding: students will also learn to take account of developments in society and to respond to them appropriately and effectively using the latest available technology. This is essential to get change going. The entire programme is taught in English and it is organized by theme. Each semester targets a specific societal issue. Engineering and technology development are crucial for addressing these issues effectively. Whether the issue is one of food, water or energy supplies in the future, or of liveability in the global society, or the effects of social media on our security, the programme examines it from both a technical and a societal perspective. In addition, students choose their own topic, known as the ‘personal pursuit’, allowing them to indulge and develop another side of themselves, for example in music, drama, sport or development aid
Dean announced
The American Jennifer Herek, Professor of Optical Sciences at the University of Twente, has been appointed as the first Dean of the University College. The Dean serves as the academic ambassador for the University College. Prof. Herek will combine these responsibilities with her work at the MESA+ institute. Kees Ruijter, the coordinator during the start-up phase, will remain involved in ATLAS as the University College’s programme director.
Educational renewal
All Bachelor’s programmes at the University of Twente are currently being redesigned from the ground up. The programmes will consist of full-time modules in the future. The module structure entails that students will engage in independent research or design from the very beginning. Students will be able to follow their own interests while working on these projects. The final choice of a specialization will be made later in the student’s career, reducing the likelihood of dropout due to poorly considered choices. The university hopes that this approach will not only improve education, but that it will also significantly reduce course duration and dropout rates. The new programmes will start all at once in 2013.
On 29 February the University of Twente will present its strategy for the Bachelor’s phase to Halbe Zijlstra, State Secretary of Education, Culture and Science. Mr Zijlstra will be paying a working visit to the university.
Further details
More information on the University College is available here: www.utwente.nl/bachelor/atlas/.
