On Friday, March 6, the CLEAR Kick-Off Symposium took place for CSE students and lecturers from the University of Twente. The symposium marked the start of the CLEAR project (Chemistry Learning for Environmental Action & Responsibility) and offered an inspiring afternoon full of collaboration and ideas centred around the question:
“How can CSE future-proof the programme, remain competitive, and deliver exceptional alumni?”
The event was made possible in part by the prize money from the NOP Award and demonstrated how the CSE programme aims to integrate sustainability and systems thinking further into the curriculum.
The afternoon began in an informal setting during lunch, where students and lecturers met and exchanged ideas. Leonie Krab, together with Rector Magnificus Tom Veldkamp, opened the symposium and set the tone for the day. Leonie emphasised that students play an active role in shaping future modules and projects, and that sustainability will be further continuously embedded as a core component of the programme.
Insights and panel discussion
Several speakers shared their insights. Cindy Anderson from Engineering for One Planet and Jon-Erik Dahlin from King's College London demonstrated how sustainability can be effectively integrated into higher education and offered an initial look at the preliminary results of the Sustainability Readiness Levels. It became clear that CSE already has many strengths, while there remains scope for further innovation and practical application.
Onno de Vreede (ChemistryNL) also contributed an industry perspective with his talk “Systems Thinking from an (industrial) career point of view.” He previously provided an important contribution to the CLEAR proposal on the importance of systems thinking and essential skills.
During the interactive panel discussion, students, lecturers and management came together to speak openly about opportunities and challenges. The students’ enthusiasm was evident; many appreciated being heard and having the opportunity to influence their own degree programme.
We asked Ilse Alfrink, a CSE student, what she will personally take away from this session. Ilse: "What I will take from this session is how the topic of sustainability influences our study, but also our future, and that it's continuously developing and requires continuous development also in future life."
Award ceremony: CLEAR challenge
One of the highlights of the afternoon was the presentation of the CLEAR Challenge: CSE Sustainability Innovator 2026, a €2,000 prize made possible in part by the NOP Award. The winners, Marcel Kohli Miró and Alexandros Panagiotou, presented an innovative project, Sustainability Evaluation Labs, which was recognised for its practical application and its potential to strengthen sustainability within CSE.
The afternoon concluded with an informal drinks reception, live music and further opportunities to exchange ideas. Students and lecturers continued their discussions about what they had learned and how they could put these insights into practice.
The CLEAR Kick-Off Symposium demonstrated the strong enthusiasm and commitment to sustainability within CSE. With the insights gained today, the ideas contributed by students, and the support of lecturers and management, the programme is well on its way to remaining future-proof and innovative.
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