After obtaining my PhD in educational science, I developed myself as an experienced project manager in the educational domain. In recent years, I have initiated and developed various programmes at the intersection of policy and strategy and educational innovation. In doing so, I have built networks with stakeholders in the faculties and enjoyed connecting ideas and people. Paraphrasing Hannibal (without a cigar): “I love it when ideas/people come together”.

I am enthusiastic about EDLAB’s new path as Maastricht University’s Teaching & Learning Centre. Our university has all the ingredients we need for great education. My goal as EDLAB director is to find the best way to integrate these ingredients into a strong recipe!

I have been affiliated with Maastricht University as a managing assistant for more than 15 years. I am originally from the Limburg region, where I studied language (French, Spanish) and completed my secretarial training. Over the years I have lived in France, Belgium, Israel (becoming fluent in Hebrew). Before joining the University, I was an entrepreneur running a successful family restaurant. Over the past years, I have assisted the Management Board of FHS with all administrative, organisation and operational matters especially the dean and director.

Acting as a first point of contact for my managing team, as well as parties from both inside and outside this international organisation, is what I enjoy most.

I am the sr. coordinator education innovation at EDLAB and function as a mentor and tutor in the BA European studies at UM.

At EDLAB I coordinate inter-faculty education innovation projects, grant opportunities, consultations and knowledge exchange activities. I am also involved in strategic initiatives related to education innovation, strengthening the overall positioning of EDLAB within and outside UM. Throughout my work I have engaged with topics such as PBL, instructional design, constructive alignment, international classroom, groupwork, self-regulated learning, assessment, VR and AI & education. Before joining EDLAB in 2015, I gained substantial teaching experience in the European Studies Bachelor’s programme at the UM faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, allowing me to connect the above topics to practical experience and apply relevant innovation in my current teaching.

I believe in an educational culture that allows for incremental and sustainable development of education innovation, enabling the adoption of a broad spectrum of themes that ensures global citizenship education and individual bildung, based on mindful ánd critical reflection with regards to educational trends and global developments impacting higher education.

When growing up I was the “annoying” little kid who always kept asking questions. I asked questions about how thunderstorms were created, how planes fly, or why we must study for grades in school when all interesting things were happening right outside the school window. Now after a high school degree, a BSc. in Psychology, and a MSc. in the topic of Learning, I find myself keep asking questions. Questions on how we can make learning a collaborative effort, how we can support students in their learning journey and how we can bring the interesting things from outside the classroom into the classroom.

As a junior education innovation coordinator, I am inspired to keep asking the right questions to the right people, connect with inspiring educators and support projects that enrich education at UM. Hello, I am Lena and if you have any questions, ideas, or suggestions regarding education, please do not hesitate to write me an email.

I studied history and philosophy in Leiden, and joined University College Maastricht in the Spring of 2003, shortly after it was founded. Previously I had worked as director for a study abroad programme of an American liberal arts college, and as a free-lance editor for several publishing houses. At UCM I contributed to curriculum development, taught courses in the humanities as well as skills, and I was coordinator of its academic advising programme.

To me, the collaborative process of teaching and learning reflects the idea of scholarship as described by Ernest Boyer, in which the discovery and integration of new knowledge go hand in hand with application and teaching. In my current project I look at potential causes and solutions for student drop-out in the first year.

I am intrigued by the growth process students go though in University, and enjoy walking along next to them on their journey. After my own graduation, first from University College Maastricht and later Bio-Pharmaceutical Sciences in Leiden, I fulfilled several Education Development related roles in the (then new) Liberal Arts and Sciences programmes; Maastricht Science Programme and University College Venlo.

A red thread through those years, has been my coordination of the Offices of Academic and Student Advising of these colleges. In 2020 I became the chair of the UM network of student guidance staff, a role I now combine with the position of Project Manager UM Advising, a joint venture by SSC and EDLAB. I am curious, enjoy an innovative challenge, and love to connect ideas and people together. Feel free to get in touch about Student Success, Student/Academic Advising and related topics.

Via my linguistics studies and PhD, I came to Maastricht in 2008 to work as a forensic speech analyst for the Maastricht Forensic Institute. And as part of that process, I joined the forensic psychology group at Maastricht University’s Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience. Since then, my favourite research topics linger around the boundaries between linguistics and psychology, like earwitnesses, or cognitive bias in forensic experts. And I started teaching more and more, preferably about those topics.

Coming from the traditional teaching system as applied in Groningen, I soon came to know PBL as a great opportunity. I am especially drawn to the contextuality principle of it, and apply that, along with the other CCCS principles, to my own teaching. Now I grabbed the offered opportunity to work with EDLAB on a temporary posting, to turn the well-written EDVANCE report (‘Good practices in blended education within problem-based learning at Maastricht University’) into an easy to use information source for teachers.

I am very proud to be joining the wonderful EDLAB team as a PhD candidate! During my PhD I will be doing research on the transition from secondary school to higher education. I will see how Maastricht University can better facilitate this transition, but also what students need before starting at university. This topic is close to my heart, because I am originally from the Limburg area and was also a student at Maastricht University. Here, I obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Business Economics and a Master’s degree in Human Decision Science.

During my studies I discovered that I really enjoy doing research. I like finding new literature to read and talking to professionals in the field. I specifically gained an interest in the Dutch education system and social-emotional skills. I started my journey as a junior researcher at ROA where I focused on effective interventions for at risk students. Now, I look forward to working together with my EDLAB colleagues to deliver a strong PhD thesis!

I love learning new things in all avenues of my life. It helps me to see things from different perspectives, provides me with fresh ideas, and keeps me motivated to continually challenge myself. I’ve been lucky to have worked in a variety of roles at UK and Dutch universities in innovation, management, educational development and lecturing.

I’m delighted that in my role at EDLAB I have the opportunity to provide others with stimulating opportunities for their own development as I’m responsible for the Continual Professional Development training activities for university teaching staff. Get in touch to talk to me further about our offering or your training needs!

Education has always been a major passion of mine and quickly resulted in a bachelor’s degree in education as a primary school teacher. Driven to know more about learning, cognition and development of the mind I decided to study psychology at the Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience (FPN) at Maastricht University. After graduating with a Master’s in Developmental Psychology, I applied for a teaching position at FPN that quickly resulted in the merging of my major interests: education and psychology.

I have been part of the UM teaching community since 2016 and in my current position as Programming and Logistics Coordinator at EDLAB I am mainly involved in organising Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and Educational Services’ activities for university teaching staff. Please get in touch if you have any questions or suggestions for a workshop, training or other CPD activity.

I am a pro-active, hardworking, enthusiastic trainer with professional proficiency in coaching, counselling, project and programme management. I have taught classes in four languages in South Africa, Indonesia, Australia and Europe and thrive in international and multicultural environments.

I have a master’s degree in developmental psychology and see myself as an open-minded and culturally sensitive colleague.

As Coordinator of the Education Research Theme at EDLAB, my primary functions are maintaining an overview of education research at UM, connecting education researchers and education practitioners, and enhancing UM’s profile on education research both internally and externally. My diverse personal, educational, and professional background, which includes teaching experience and curriculum development, has fostered in me a passion for meaningful and inclusive education.

An attentive and observant listener, I enjoy learning through considering the perspectives and experiences of others. I thrive in situations that call for integrating insightful analysis and thorough attention to detail with creativity and innovation. In tandem with my role at EDLAB, I work as a research assistant for projects based in the UM faculties, and I find that my continued involvement in research hones my ability to communicate between the worlds of research and practice.

Educated to be an educational psychologist, I have been working in the field of instructional design and e-learning over 20 years. First as a researcher (focusing on how to facilitate computer supported collaborative learning), subsequently as an e-learning consultant. Until recently, I have also been part of the teaching staff in the master Health Professions Education (teaching on curriculum (re)design) and the Educational Sciences Curriculum.

Before joining EDLAB, I worked at the University Library -department of Education, Content & Support- with specific focus on curriculum (re)design with digital means. This meant supporting teaching staff to implement technology within their teaching practice. Another focus was on digital learning material: about digital accessibility of what teachers create and offer to their (sometimes disabled) students and how to share and (re)use educational material.

I hope to bring this expertise to EDLAB and contribute to the central hub for teaching and learning at Maastricht University we are building together with faculties and the library.

After obtaining my Master’s degree in Forensic Psychology, I joined EDLAB in 2022. Since I completed my university education in Maastricht and worked as a student tutor during my studies, I gained experience with PBL and am looking forward to contributing my ideas to its further development.

As a Project Leader, I coordinate and provide support for educational tools like Canvas and Toolwheel, focusing on their effective use in higher education. Moreover, I am closely working together with our Student Assistants at EDLAB, being their first point of contact and coordinator, and I am a mentor in Maastricht University’s Honours programme PREMIUM.

I am eager to be part of EDLAB as the central hub for teaching and learning at Maastricht University, involving and in close collaboration with all faculties and the library.

Growing up between different cultures in international communities, I have had the privilege of constantly being exposed to novel information and adapting to new environments. I joined EDLAB end of 2022 and in my role I am working on possible interpretations of hybrid learning spaces in a PBL setting. My tasks consist in processing results from previously collected data to build more expertise in this area. I will also look at impacts on didactic scenarios and organisational aspects together within UM faculties.

In my free time, I volunteer to facilitate sending young students from Sudan to finish their high school education around the world to indulge in the experience of a world class education. I look forward to contributing to EDLAB’s educational development and community building through innovation, exchanging knowledge and educational research.

With a background in hospitality and business administration, I see myself as a versatile, enthusiastic all-rounder with a no-nonsense mentality. Due to a very versatile job history in diverse and international fields of business, I have gained a lot of practical and hands-on experience in running projects.

My goal is to create an inspirational environment for our excellence students, that is conducive to a high-quality learning experience. Coordinating these programmes combines my passions for organising and being in close contact with talented students, staff, and companies. I highly enjoy the interaction with students and their drive to learn and excel. Their enthusiasm and motivation are contagious and something to be admired. You will find that I am a strategic planner with organisation skills, practical good sense, passion for my work and a lot of creativity.

Working with students has always been a passion of mine, and their ambition to learn and develop has quickly become my motivation to support them in their educational journey. During my Master in European Law at Maastricht University, I took part in PREMIUM, a stimulating and enriching programme that definitely broadened my area of knowledge and interest, as well as my network. Wishing to share my experience and encourage motivated students to challenge themselves, I became an ambassador of the programme, thus improving my organisational skills and the ability to communicate with students.

Now, I am glad to have the opportunity to continue promoting excellence at Maastricht University and support high-performance students go the extra mile. Feel free to get in touch if you have any questions about PREMIUM or Honours +.

To highlight my Brazilian mother’s Japanese ancestry, my parents wanted to give me a Japanese name, Kiyomi. At the registry office, however, my French father made a tiny typo which inadvertently changed my name’s meaning from “pure beauty” (Kiyomi) into “interest” (Kyomi) 😉

I think that this unusual appellation suits me well because for as long as I can remember, I have always had an inquisitive mind and multiple fields of interest. I feel a genuine eagerness to discover, observe, search for connections, understand, learn and share. EDLAB’s commitment to education inspires me. As Confucius said, “Never be tired of learning or teaching others!”

I am a very curious and open-minded person towards new things. I like learning new things. When I was 15 years old, I started working in the hospitality service as a waitress (and I still am). During the time working in this sector, I learned many new skills and improved the ones I already had. My job taught me how to communicate and collaborate with others professionally and efficiently, how to adapt a flexible attitude and how to respond professionally to feedback and questions.

When I started studying medicine here at Maastricht University, I also became a member of a committee of an international medical student association which organises the annual Teddy Bear Hospital at MUMC+. Especially during the COVID-19 pandemic this helped me with thinking outside the box.

In the same period, I also started working here at EDLAB. You can find me doing all sorts of things, e.g., designing posters, researching different topics, and creating a module in Canvas. The diversity of my tasks is what makes the job interesting. The thing I like most, is when I get the chance to be creative. I actually have been passionate about painting and drawing since I was little, so I’ll try to apply my creativity whenever I can 🙂

I joined EDLAB as a Student Assistant for the TEE (Technology Enhanced Education) research project. This work has allowed me to combine my academic skills in data science with my interest in education. I have supported the research project in tasks such as rebuilding part of the EDLAB’s website, performing a literature review for different research projects, and assisting the development of a pilot programme that focuses on hybrid education at Maastricht University.

What I love the most about this position is the opportunity to participate firsthand in the development and improvement of the educational offer at my learning institution.

I am a third-year student at University College Venlo undertaking a Liberal Arts & Science degree with a special interest in Nutrition, Health, and Disease. I recently joint the EDLAB team as one of the Student Assistants where I support research into education. I am mainly working on a pilot programme focused on hybrid education and the improvement of Canvas, its development and support to professors.

The best part of this job is to take part on the investigation of different methods of teaching and learning to improve and make the best education for Maastricht university.

My interest in education can be traced back to the beginning of my studies in Latvia – my home country. Not particularly happy with a certain course, I joined the Student Union hoping to create a change. I learned that things do not work out so fast, but little by little. Starting as an activist and a board member of the Student Union, I became a Student Expert at the Higher Education Quality Assessment Agency in Latvia. These experiences taught me a lot, but most importantly, showed me the importance of education and how even seemingly little things can influence its quality.

After moving to the Netherlands to obtain my Master’s degree in Biomedical Sciences, I am grateful to continue working in the field of education at EDLAB. My main tasks consist in helping the implementation of the UM-wide Canvas adoption project and providing Canvas support to academic staff members.

My name is Andrei Burlacu, and I am a student at the MA in Contemporary Literature and Arts: Cultural Interventions and Social Justice. You can find me at EDLAB in the Canvas team, where we promote the use of the Canvas digital platform to ensure the quality of the learning process. I also assist EDLAB’s communication team.

I am an organised person with extensive experience in education, both professionally and academically. Before coming to Maastricht to study, I worked as a teacher for almost 5 years in Romania. I was also involved in a project through the European Solidarity Corps where I worked as a copywriter to improve the image of VET high schools in Romania.

I want the work I do at EDLAB to be reflected in the educational process at Maastricht University and to help create an educational environment of the highest quality.

Cape Town, South Africa is where I finished my bachelor’s in financial accounting because that’s what I thought I was good at. Now, I’m completing a master’s in international and European Tax Law at UM because that’s what I know I love. I’m bent on doing more of what makes me happy. This includes eating ice cream. I enjoy playing tennis, going for walks and reading contemporary fiction. Having lived in multiple cities has made me a melting pot of various cultures and experiences.

Education has always been a number one priority in my family. For many where I’m from, it’s the key to escaping difficulty. Nelson Mandela once said, “education is the most powerful tool which you can use to change the world” – your world. I agree. Shortly before the pandemic hit, I became a primary and high school tutor. Being on the opposite end for once, was extremely eye-opening and fulfilling. It completely changed my perspective, which is something that has proved to be integral for the Canvas adoption project.