Announcing the Societal Impact Days

The Societal Impact Days are more than just an event; they are a celebration of the strides we’ve made, a reflection on the challenges we’ve encountered, and an opportunity to equip our community with the tools and inspiration needed to contribute to our shared mission.

Embracing the Multifaceted Nature of Impact at EUR

Over the past few years, EUR has embarked on a transformative journey to integrate societal impact into the core of our academic mission. Strategy 2024 has been instrumental in steering this transition, prompting crucial discussions about what impact truly means. As we navigated these waters, it became increasingly clear that impact is not a one-size-fits-all concept. It is broad, multi-faceted, and involves contributions at various levels and through diverse pathways.

Yet, this diversity in impact is not always fully recognized. Many still view impact primarily as an outcome or a result, without appreciating it as an ongoing process that can manifest in various forms. The Societal Impact Days aim to showcase the wide-ranging nature of impact, celebrating the numerous steps taken over the past few years while also addressing the challenges we’ve faced. We will also use this platform to launch the Impact Report (October 15th), which will further highlight the broad spectrum of impact, our achievements, and the obstacles encountered along the way.

Connecting, Collaborating, and Contributing at EUR

This event promises to be a source of inspiration for the entire EUR community. It invites everyone—whether you’re involved in research, education, engagement, or operationalization—to reflect on how you can contribute to EUR’s mission of becoming an impact-driven university. Impact can be achieved or enabled in various ways. Academic staff, research support, and management teams all play crucial roles in this collective effort.

Participants can expect to leave the event not just with inspiration, but also with practical tools, guidelines, and support options. These resources, developed through various (strategic) initiatives, will help everyone take the next step in their impact journey. The Societal Impact Days also serve as a ‘hand-over’ moment, where we can collectively reflect on what we have learned and achieved with Impact at the Core, alongside our collaboration partners in the faculties.

Moreover, this event is an excellent opportunity to connect with other EUR colleagues, find allies, share stories, and learn from one another. The power of community and collaboration is central to our impact mission, and this event is a testament to that belief.

Collaborative Impact at EUR

Creating impact is inherently a team effort—no one can do it alone. Therefore, organizing an event that centers on impact for the entire EUR community must also be a collaborative effort. The collaboration between Evaluating Societal Impact (ESI) and Impact at the Core (IatC) is a natural fit. Over the past few years, we have worked together on various initiatives, such as exploring the impact of impact-driven education and fostering a shared language around impact.

With Professor Arwin van Buuren, our strategic dean of impact and engagement, serving as a shared academic lead, it was an easy decision for ESI and IatC to join forces in organizing this event. We are excited to see what we can achieve together as we continue to drive EUR’s impact mission forward.

Join Us

We invite all members of the EUR community and our external partners to participate in the Societal Impact Days. Whether you’re looking to be inspired, seeking practical tools to enhance your impact, or simply want to connect with like-minded colleagues, this event is for you. Together, we can celebrate our progress, learn from our challenges, and continue to make a difference in the world.

Mark your calendars and join us for this pivotal event in EUR’s journey toward becoming an impact-driven university.