Honours+ Supervisors

Consult the supervisor handbook, sign up for the trainings, download the necessary documents, or contact Central Management.

Dear Honours+ Supervisor,

Thank you for your interest in joining the Honours+ community this year.

Honours+ is the Common Core for all faculty honours programmes.  In Honours+, 2nd-year bachelor students (1st year honours students) are challenged to work on an academic and interesting assignment (the so-called challenge) in groups of 4-6 students from different faculties.

Honours+ is organized by EDLAB, the Maastricht University Centre for Teaching & Learning.
Besides working on their interdisciplinary challenge, the students will partake in a series of workshops to work on their academic and professional skills.

If you would like to support and guide an interdisciplinary team of excellent Honours+ students during the tackling of their academic challenge? Please contact honoursplus@maastrichtuniversity.nl. Your participation is highly appreciated and we are looking forward to a successful Honours+ year together.

Warm regards,

The Honours+ Central Management Team

Honours+ Group Challenge & Role of Supervisor

Once entering the labour market, the majority of our graduates will have to work in an interdisciplinary context, whether it will be in academia or otherwise. Even more important, expectations are that your generation will be faced with unprecedented complex (global) challenges, such as energy use, health care, safety and security and climate change. Challenges that require an interdisciplinary approach and the involvement of multiple parties in order to be solved or at least dealt with. These complex issues are typified by conflicting values, mounting political pressure, and major economic interests.

In Honours+, we aim at offering our students a first learning experience to approach/tackle such (global) challenges in an interdisciplinary setting, under the professional guidance by staff members from Maastricht University, the so-called Supervisor.
The challenges you and the students will be working on are based upon and linked to the Dutch National Research Agenda, and the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and therefore also in line with UM’s core strategic programme.

An overview of the available challenges can be found on our website, and we can assign 2-3 teams/Supervisors per challenge (multiple teams will be working on the same topic).


A true Honours+ challenge:

  • Is a challenging, academic and current case, issue or problem, with societal relevance;
  • Is linked to UN’s SDG’s and the Dutch National Research Agenda;
  • Pushes students outside their comfort zone;
  • Calls for an innovative solution, exploration or approach;
  • Allows and facilitates an interdisciplinary approach, with an equal input of the involved disciplines;
  • Requires a time investment of 125 hours per student;
  • Can be approached along the lines of the scientific method;
  • Either calls for a solution (applied research), or aims to advance knowledge on the phenomenon (theoretical research).
  1. Because of the interdisciplinary character of Honours+, the main role of the Supervisor is to monitor an equal input from and interaction between the various disciplines and guarantee sufficient challenge and academic depth.
  2. The Supervisor doesn’t necessarily have knowledge to a detailed level on all disciplines, but needs to stimulate the students themselves to create links between the various disciplines in the team.
  3. The Supervisor is not the source of required knowledge, but a broker of knowledge throughout the execution of the challenge.
  4. Furthermore, throughout Honours+, the Supervisor will support the team in planning, developing, and completing the challenge. The Supervisor does not take over the role of the team leader. The students will be instructed to appoint a team leader in their team. However, the Supervisors is asked to intervene when the team doesn’t display enough initiative and stimulates the students to handle pro-actively.
  5. The Supervisor takes the role of steering and guiding the group and provide for a safe learning environment, and is sensitive towards team dynamics.
  6. The Supervisor also initiates and chairs the team’s kick-off meeting and midterm feedback session.
  7. The Supervisor is in close contact with the Honours+ Central Management Team, in order to assure monitoring of the overall programme process and team development.

 

The main concern of the Honours+ Supervisor should be the student’s learning experience.
More detailed information about the role of the Supervisor will be included in the digital course manual for Supervisors, and free training on team dynamics will be provided.

By working on the challenge during the Honours+ programme, following the scientific method, students will get a grasp on the interdisciplinary collaboration, together with all the opportunities and challenges it provides. This learning process is vital, and the results of it are to be put in an academic report.

Furthermore, Honours+ requests each student team to translate their findings into a presentation and poster during the Closing Event.

These formats aim at teaching students how to present results to non-expert audiences and peers.  This process of transfer of knowledge begotten during the Honours+ programme, and using it to make an impact and impression, is something we wish our Honours+ students to gain further experience in.

Additionally, since multiple teams will be working on the same challenge topic, it means that teams will be able to compare each other’s progress throughout Honours+, are able to exchange knowledge and experience on the topics during the events and will be competing for the most value adding findings during the Closing Event, thus creating a system of peer support.

Honours+ defines general guidelines for the outcome of the team challenge. The further refinement of the style of the academic report needs to be defined in close interaction between Supervisor and students. Honours+ requires the following outcome (1-3):

Outcome:

  1. Academic report, that displays an interdisciplinary understanding of the researched subject, reflecting all involved disciplines and clearly shows what the added-value was of every discipline involved in tackling the challenge;
  2. Based on the outcome of the scientific exploration of the team challenge, each team presents their outcome during a 5-minute pitch during the Closing Event;
  3. Based on the outcome of the scientific exploration of the team challenge, each team visualizes their outcome in an A0 poster, to be exhibited during the Closing Event.

For supervising the team of students the Supervisor will receive 30 hours. The standard compensation fee is € 75 per hour. The financial administrator of EDLAB will contact your department’s controller to accommodate the transfer of the compensation to the right UM budget numbers at the end of Honours+, following the faculty regulations in this.

We require an honours mentality of our students, and needless to say, we ask the Supervisors to display exemplary behavior. Meaning that you partake in the training programme, supervise the students to your best knowledge and communicate regularly with the H+ Central Management Team.

Because of the supporting role of the Supervisor and the safe learning environment they provide within Honours+, we require the Supervisor:

  1. To be physically present in Maastricht during November-May to regularly attend team meetings and be available for questions the students might have. We also recommend Supervisors to be on occasions available during some evenings, to help facilitating team meetings.
  2. To help getting the team off to a good start, we require all Supervisors to be present as well during the Honours+ Kick-off on November 1st 18.00-22.00 hrs.
  3. To help teams staying on track and propel them forwards, we ask all Supervisors to be present as well during the Honours+ Midterm Expert Discussions Evenings either on 06.03.2024 or 07.03.2024.  Supervisors are requested to be present to exchange experiences with other Supervisors as an intervision session, and to help teams with questions.
  4. To support Supervisors in guiding the team and their learning process, we have organized a training programme, which consist of multiple workshops and an intervision session. Having attended all trainings, a Supervisor will be granted an official by UM’s rector approved certificate. The trainings may also count towards a Supervisor’s CPD.

H+ Supervisor Training Programme

Every year, Honours+ organizes a special training programme for Supervisors, aimed at providing everyone with the knowledge and tools required for supporting our students the best way possible.

We would like to point out that we highly appreciate everyone’s attendance at these events since it assures a high level of supervision during the Honours+ programme. Next to that, these events also bring Supervisors together to share thoughts and experiences.

We will award an official Honours+ certificate, signed by UM’s rector to all H+ Supervisors that have attended at least 3 trainings (the intervision session is optional). Besides that, these trainings may count towards a Supervisor’s CPD, depending on their personal development goals, in discussion with their supervisor or manager.

"Teaming, hit the floor running", by Eric Koenen (CANCELED)

Monday 29.01.2024, 13:00-16:00 hrs @EDLAB

Teaming is a way of working together, described by Harvard professor Amy Edmondson (here is the link to her TED talk). She described teaming as the ability to work together quickly, flexibly and decisively, under the pressure of constant change, even with people you don’t know well yet, to achieve a common goal as best as possible in the process. Edmondson was particularly interested in teams that worked together successfully without much time spent on team building. So no extensive sessions to get to know each other better. Also no clear structure and certainly no time to talk in detail about the culture within the team. And then work well together, how do you do that?

An example  is the disaster involving a group of miners who got stuck in a deep mine. It seemed an impossible task to save these men. Nevertheless, a team of very different specialists who did not know each other at all finally succeeded. What was the secret?

During this session, we will discuss how you, as team coach/mentor, can immediately ensure that your team works energetically while they barely know each other and you? We will also discuss the upper current and undercurrent in teams and how can you know the undercurrent so early in the process and make it work for you.

We will also dive into the topic of collective intelligence and why it is so important especially in this setting where interdisciplinary teams of students solve complex problems. Collective intelligence is the process by which a large group of individuals gather and share their knowledge, data and skills for the purpose of solving societal issues. You could also say that collective intelligence is a kind of wisdom and knowledge that grows out of a group. The concept of collective intelligence states that when people work together, they form a type of intelligence that simply cannot exist on the individual level. During this session we will explore options on how to boost the collective intelligence of your group of students.

The follow-up of this session will be in April.

When: Tuesday 23.01.2024, 14:00-17:00 hrs

Where: Trainings will take place at EDLAB, Tapijn building X

Eric Koenen (Doorwerthgroep)


Eric Koenen has a background in behavioural science and business. He has worked at Philips and Price Waterhouse Coopers, and was a member on the board of Cofely Suez (previously GTI nv) in the Netherlands for almost a decade. During that time he started and led an integrated change process. His strategy was to invite and connect all talents in the organization and focus them on a common goal. Eric has written several books on leadership and organizational change.

"The Psychology of Trauma in the Body", by Adina Petre

Thursday 08.02.2024, 14:00-16:00 hrs @EDLAB

There has been so much talk about trauma lately that by now we’re all a little bit adverse to the overuse of the word. To shed some light on what actually is Trauma and what isn’t, and to better understand the mind-body connection which might play a role in your lives and in those of your students, we are organizing this workshop.
Facilitated by MSc Clinical Psychologist Adina Petre, who has been running her Trauma informed practice for over a decade, this workshop aims to debunk the most commonly vehiculated myths about trauma and give you some clarity in regards to the mind-body approach in trauma work and how to use it in relation to your students.

When: Thursday 08.02.2024, 14:00-16:00 hrs

Where: Trainings will take place at EDLAB, Tapijn building X

Adina Petre (Insights)


My educational background is in Psychology. After attaining my Master degree in Clinical Psychology, I worked as a career counselor and student psychologist for children and teenagers alike. I trained in Switzerland and my company in personal coaching started growing soon after.
I have been trained in dealing with psychological trauma both in a group and in an individual setting. Through my work with the “intention method”, I look at the ways in which trans-generational and personal trauma is impacting a person’s identity and life choices.

“Improvisation Theatre Techniques for Feedback”, by Annika Nübold et al

Tuesday 26.03.2024, 13:30-16:30 hrs @EDLAB

The curtain is just about to go up. The actors are calming their nerves as  the excitement in the audience builds. Just another “normal” day at the theatre. Except there’s no script: anything goes. This is improvisational theatre, and spontaneity is the name of the game.
Improv actors need to be constantly on their toes, ready to pivot and respond to ever-evolving situations. Working together, they juggle ideas, developing the scene as they go along. If one idea falls flat, they move on to a new one without any break in the flow of action.

The skills used by improv actors seem to align closely with what’s expected of a lot of teams in today’s world. In both cases, it’s about navigating uncertainty, constantly adapting to new challenges, trusting in one’s teammates, and working together spontaneously.

Another key aspect of improv theatre is that it sheds light on things that would otherwise remain hidden. Improvisation makes intangible things real. That’s why it can also be used as a tool for reflection. Improvised roleplays bring into the open things that are normally difficult to explore, such as communication, conflict, feelings and interpersonal relationships.

During this session, we will take you through certain techniques used in improv theatre and show you how you can use them as tools for feedback with your students and/or student team.

When: Tuesday 26.03.2024, 13:30-16:30 hrs

Where: Trainings will take place at EDLAB, Tapijn building X

Annika Nübold


I am an Assistant Professor at the Department of Work and Social Psychology at Maastricht University. I have obtained my PhD in Work and Organizational Psychology from Bielefeld University (Germany) in 2013 before joining Maastricht University in April 2014.

My research focusses on leadership, personality dynamics at work, and positive psychological interventions, such as mindfulness trainings. I am particularly interested in identifying the factors that make people flourish and grow at work. In my studies, I apply a variety of methodologies, including experience sampling designs, interventions, experiments, and qualitative interviews.

"Intervision session for H+ Supervisors"

Wednesday 06.03.2024 or Thursday 07.03.2024

We kindly invite all H+ Supervisors to participate in an intervision session, during the Midterm Expert Discussing Event for the students. This intervision session for Supervisor is aimed at exchanging experiences, ask questions, discuss team issues and network. Feel free to prepare an issue to discuss with your fellow Supervisors and gain new input. (can only go through if enough Supervisors are present)

When: Wednesday 06.03.2024 or Thursday 07.03.2024, from 20:30-21:30 hrs (part of the Midterm event for students)

Where: EDLAB’s Tapijn Building X;

We will send you an invitation in due time (attending the intervision session is optional, and not part of the certificate requirements)

“The magic and threats of the undercurrent”, by Eric Koenen

Wednesday 17.04.2024, 10:00-13:00 hrs @EDLAB

 

It is common knowledge that there is a lot more going on in teams than what is on the formal agenda. Team dynamics are invisible patterns of behavior that strongly influence the visible performance of a team. If you want to be an effective team leader, you need to get to grips with this otherwise elusive phenomenon.

Since the undercurrent is a largely invisible phenomenon we simply have to assume its existence. The undercurrent cannot be grasped or measured, yet it can a have a strong impact on team behavior and on the emotions of team members. Anyone who has ever been pushed out of a group knows how real that feels. And the glass ceiling in organizations has never been photographed, yet it has stopped many from advancing their careers. Once you try to discuss it, you may quickly drown in a swamp of individual abstractions, emotions and attitudes. So how can you talk about it with your student team, how can you get a grip on this undercurrent as a Supervisor, coach or mentor and have it work for you instead of against you?

When: Wednesday 17.04.2024, 10:00-13:00 hrs

Where: Trainings will take place at EDLAB, Tapijn building X

Eric Koenen (Doorwerthgroep)


Eric Koenen has a background in behavioural science and business. He has worked at Philips and Price Waterhouse Coopers, and was a member on the board of Cofely Suez (previously GTI nv) in the Netherlands for almost a decade. During that time he started and led an integrated change process. His strategy was to invite and connect all talents in the organization and focus them on a common goal. Eric has written several books on leadership and organizational change.

“Dealing with resistance”, by Ellen Schiffeleers

Monday 22.04.2024, 13:00-16:00 hrs

Resistance of participants towards learning/developing/opening up may trigger the group, its individual team members or the Supervisor, Mentor or Coach.

It is particularly useful to recognize resistance and to have a repertoire of responses available, keeping a positive effect on the final results and on the group dynamics in mind, and the personal growth of the students. We will explore where resistance comes from, how to recognize it and how to response to it.

When: Monday 22.04.2024, 13:00-16:00 hrs

Where: Trainings will take place at EDLAB, Tapijn building X

Ellen Schiffeleers (Barcavela)


I have been active as a trainer since 2006 and provide training in government, education, business, healthcare and the service sector.

I use training as part of development and change processes for organizations. My training courses are therefore always linked to the goals of the organization, and can be about leadership skills, communication, management or cooperation skills.

In my view, training is part of a larger set of instruments; from visioning and strategy determination, to team coaching, individual coaching and on the job coaching. Training is often given in a team, which makes it difficult to make the dividing line with team coaching.

Handbook & Documents

Honours+ Supervisor Handbook

Find everything you need to fulfill your role as Honours+ Supervisor.

Questions for Central Management?

Please feel free to contact Honours+

Are you interested in being an Honours+ Supervisor?

Please contact us through honoursplus@maastrichtuniversity.nl,  if you are interested in being a Supervisor.