“If it is one thing you get to learn in ATLAS it is that feedback is a priceless commodity in the academic sphere.”
Within ATLAS students are encouraged to take the reigns of their learning and be active in the shaping of the study program. To give this process of student feedback and input the Educational Committee(EduCo) was set up. The EduCo is a group of students that act as a voice for the entire student body and give solution-oriented feedback to teachers. The EduCo also reflects the community aspect of ATLAS, since it promotes communication and exchange between students and staff.
The EduCo structure
For the student involvement in educational affairs, in the spam of all three years of ATLAS, to function properly, structure is needed. The EduCo is thus subdivided in three Sub-EduCos representing each ATLAS class, an EduCo Umbrella and a Commissioner of Educational Affairs. The Sub-Educos are the committees that handle the day to day tasks of collecting feedback, keeping contact with teachers and staff and supporting individual projects concerning course-creation. The EduCo Umbrella and the Commissioner of Educational Affairs function primarily as a committee that keeps an overview of what is happening in all the years and facilitates communication between the years.
People in the EduCo
As mentioned the EduCo’s main functions are to facilitate the giving of feedback and proposing ideas for improvement of the program. As the nature of these tasks require allot of communication and openness to various opinions the EduCo offers a unique opportunity to students who want to actively represent their peers and develop their communication skills.
EduCo members also often have a good overview of the semesters and the courses due to their constant involvement in the processes within the program.
Communication for all
Not only does the EduCo communicate the opinion of the student body to the staff, they also communicate information between years or organise events which are centered around the different special aspects ATLAS education. The EduCo thus often takes an active role in organising a Personal Pursuit Market where 2nd and 3rd year students present their Personal Pursuit experiences or a Semester Abroad Market when the 3rd year students have returned from their Semester Abroad. The EduCo also communicates changes that have been made based on the feedback from students and general developments for the upcoming weeks in bimonthly newsletters.
As ATLAS evolves and adapts so does the EduCo, the dynamic of the committee is caused by student input and centres around continuous communication, which in this community is seen regarded as invaluable for the improvement of the educational experience of the ATLAS community as a whole.
Xavier Boekhoudt
University College Twente offers a unique bachelor’s programme, Technology, Liberal, Arts and Sciences, to top students. Visit the University College Twente website for more information about the college and Technology, Liberal, Arts and Sciences website for more information about the bachelor program. Or visit us during the open day, a student-for-a-day or an insight-day. For more information and stories about personal pursuits visit our personal pursuit website.
