UT philosophy professor Mieke Boon to give keynote at the celebration of 20 years of the UT Women’s Network

It is a great honor and joy to deliver a keynote at the celebration of 20 years of the UT Women’s Network. As the founder of the Female Faculty Network Twente (FFNT), now known as WANT, I have been invited to share the story of its inception: What drove the initial group to this new initiative? What is my personal view on where the UT stands now? What do I wish for its future??

In this talk, I will share personal anecdotes from the early days, offering a glimpse into the cultural and institutional landscape at the time. I will also reflect on where the University of Twente stands today. While we have seen significant progress—more women in leadership and academic positions—there are still deep-rooted aspects of academic culture that remain unchanged.

This leads to a broader question: Can women make a difference? I will explore ideas on the role that our university might (or should?) play in current society, and why I believe that women can take the lead in this transition.