This was the national academics day 2024

This session focused on approaches to curriculum development. We discussed the ways in which curriculum renewal takes place, as well as successful and less successful experiences. We also discussed the role of different stakeholders, including students, coordinators and program management. In doing so, we discussed innovations not only at the program level, but also in individual subjects.

Good practices:

• Marc Kramer, University of Groningen, shared his experiences with the revision of the Bachelor of Economics and Business Economics at the RuG.
• Tjerk Budding, VU Amsterdam, shared his experiences in reviewing this program.
• Mathieu Steijn, VU Amsterdam, shared how curriculum renewal can take place in individual subjects. 
• Jorim Tielbeek, VU Amsterdam, presented how students can be involved in curriculum development.

The session was moderated by Tjerk Budding, program director Bachelor Economics and Business Economics (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam)

There is no question that universities want to have a meaningful impact on students. However, universities increasingly seek to extend this impact beyond the classroom and seek to make a more direct contribution to society through their educational activities. The goal is to provide students with a valuable learning experience while providing practical insights that can be applied in practice. Therefore, many economics courses include strategies to bring "the outside world" into the classroom. For example, students are involved in real-world cases so that they can apply theoretical knowledge directly in practice and are exposed to the complexity of real-world challenges. These experiences encourage students to gain a broader perspective on pressing social issues and look beyond a strictly economic lens.

In this session, we gathered examples from Maastricht University, Wageningen University, Open University and Erasmus University Rotterdam. We offered inspiration and engaged in a conversation about the value and dilemmas of impact-driven education.

Good practices:

• Prof. Mark Sanders, Maastricht University talked about his course Economics of Transition and Resilience, in which students work on a case brought in by the European Commission. Sanders led a dialogue on how to create a learning experience for students when they work on a case for which there is no "right" answer.
• Dr. Emiel Wubben, Wageningen University shared his experiences teaching the Circular Economy course, a highly interdisciplinary subject. Wubben also discussed the value of and struggles with student heterogeneity when working on cases in teams.
• Dr. Frank Hubers, Open University, brought another perspective: his students are professionals. Hubers discusses how to balance as an academic institution between being practically relevant and creating "consultancy-like" experiences, without losing the critical and objective standards essential to academic teaching.
• Marit Schouten MSc, Erasmus University, shared her experiences from the New Economic Thinking & Social Entrepreneurship course and the Economics of Sustainability master's program, in which students work on a case study of a case holder. Schouten led a dialogue about balancing the students' educational experience with simultaneously creating impact for the participating case holders.

The session was moderated by Marit Schouten, impact researcher at Impact Centre Erasmus, and teacher at Erasmus School of Economics (Erasmus University Rotterdam).

As economic issues become increasingly complex, so does the need for a broader perspective than just the economic. From an educational perspective, we explained the opportunities and challenges for multidisciplinary education. Two economists involved in multidisciplinary economics education then presented how they use insights from other fields in their teaching and educational programs to better prepare students for contemporary economic issues.

This session offered concrete examples for teachers and other educators who want to broaden economics education by complementing economics with insights from other disciplines. Examples include Utrecht University, VU Amsterdam, Leiden University and EUR. We invite teachers and educators to think along and engage in conversation about the added value of other disciplines within an economics education.

Good practices:

• Marjolein Vermeulen, Leiden Learning & Innovation Centre is an educational consultant and has extensive experience advising and developing multidisciplinary educational programs.
• Dr. Niels Bosma is professor of Social Entrepreneurship and education director at the Utrecht School of Economics where all economics students have the opportunity to supplement economics with a dedicated minor in various disciplines.
• Dr. Giorgia Romagnoli is an associate professor of economics at the University of Amsterdam and coordinates the Sustainability Track of the MSc Business Economics.

The session was moderated by Philippe van Gruisen, program director Bachelor Economics & Society and Jim Been, program director Master Economics of the Public Sector (both Leiden University).

In this session, we shared inspiration on the ways we integrate concepts such as sustainability, power, equity and inequality into economics education in academia. We discussed how power and (climate) justice are addressed in the economics curriculum and how we can improve the way we teach about them. We think this session is important because of the huge mismatch that exists between the diversity of research in the economics discipline and what is taught to students in economics and business courses. It is also important to prepare students for the challenges of this world, whether social, environmental or political.

As Rethinking Economics points out, "the world is beginning to realize in how many ways mainstream economic thinking has failed our societies. The climate crisis, pandemics and growing global inequality show that change is necessary."

Good practices:

• Rolf Groeneveld, Wageningen University & Research, is involved in their master's program on economics for sustainability, with the course Rethinking Economics for the Real World, which teaches pluralistic perspectives on inequality and power.
• Ivan Boldyrev, Radboud University, is working hard to make History of the Economic Thought a required course in undergraduate programs.
• Daniel Gallardo Albarran and Michiel de Haas, Wageningen University & Research, are involved in the first year required Economics and Governance in Historical Perspective
• Dr. Marije Schaafsma, Free University of Amsterdam, teaches various programs (and summer schools) on environmental justice.The session will be moderated by Juliette Alenda Demoutiez, Radboud University.

The session was moderated by Juliette Alenda Demoutiez, Radboud University.