Erasmus+ Crossroads Staff Week on Bridging the Generation Gap in Higher Education

Setting the Scene

The first day began with a very insightful presentation from Aleksandra Stuip on understanding different generations. Another highlight was the student panel featuring Gen Z voices Chris Klarenbeek (Erasmus Pride), Nicolas Künzli (ESN Rotterdam), Ana Dziman (Erasmus Sustainability Hub), and Defne Giray (ISR) —hosted by Tessa Hofland from Erasmus Magazine. 

Addressing the Generation Gap in Communication

The second day was all about communication, starting with a unique teaching session in the wild at Trompenburg Tuinen & Arboretum led by Ana Uribe Sandoval. Ernst Bakker from EUR's marketing department and Snip Snap shared strategies for creating the perfect content for different generations. Shen Liu (Community for Learning & Innovation) facilitated an engaging design thinking workshop, putting the group to work. The day ended with a visit to Kinderdijk, a UNESCO World Heritage site – a must visit in the Netherlands.

Acknowledging mental health & wellbeing

Student host Perry warmly welcomed all participants in the student living room, Up next,Marilisa Boffo and Danielle Remmerswaal from Student Wellbeing shared valuable insights on integrating wellbeing and personal development into the university's ecosystem. Maria Carmen Punzi discussed the challenges faced by young people and her work in coaching them, while Bente van den Akker introduced the soon-to-be-launched ROOM app, focusing on student wellbeing. Participants also had the chance to unwind- themselves, with a yoga session at Erasmus Sport, many trying yoga for the first time.

Innovation in education

The week concluded with a visit to the Euromast for stunning views of Rotterdam. Afterwards the group was welcomed by the Community for Learning & Innovation. Mirjam van de Woerdt, Ivar van de Loo and their team prepared workshops about blended and online education and introduced the group to their professional studio. The final session of the week was about Generative AI - a hot topic, led by Sandra Lousberg and Tess Ravensberg from Risbo.

Celebratory conclusion

As the week wrapped up, participants headed to the Heartbeat Festival, part of Erasmus University's lustrum celebrations, to enjoy live music, food, and good company. The week has been an inspirational experience where amazing connections were forged, best practices were shared, and new knowledge was gained. The success of International Staff Week was made possible by the enthusiasm and contributions of our participants and speakers! Thank you to everyone who participated and helped make this event a memorable and impactful experience.