Portret van Jana Schneider
Portret van Jana Schneider

Column Jana Schneider: The Strength of Collaboration in Times of Change

I quickly want to introduce myself: My name is Jana, and I’m excited to serve as the new student assessor for the Faculty of Social Sciences. I’m 23, studying Psychology, and two years ago, I served on the board of SPiN, which really opened my eyes to the value of student participation. As an international student from Germany, where this type of student engagement isn’t as common, I was initially surprised to see how active students are here. I often had to explain this to my parents and friends at home; it also seemed strange to them at first. But once I got involved, I realised how special and impactful this level of participation is.

Coming from a country where student participation is less visible, my initial reaction to how engaged students are at Radboud was one of fascination and, admittedly, a bit of confusion. Why are students so involved in decisions about their education? Why do they spend so much time on committees or boards? It took some time for me to understand it, but once I experienced it firsthand, it became clear how powerful this culture of collaboration really is. The fact that students can actively contribute to shaping their own education—alongside teachers and faculty—is something that I now see as a major strength of our community. 

This culture of participation isn’t just for Dutch students either. It’s encouraging to see that international students like me are welcomed and can play an active role in shaping the academic environment. We come from different backgrounds, but our perspectives can enrich discussions, making the whole process more dynamic and inclusive. I’m proud to be part of this, and I want to highlight how important it is that we continue creating spaces where every student, no matter their background, feels empowered to speak up and get involved. 

In times of uncertainty, such as the upcoming budget cuts, this collaborative spirit becomes even more crucial. We need to keep listening to each other. When students, teachers, and decision-makers come together to share ideas and genuinely listen, we create a stronger, more resilient faculty. A great example of this is the participation of student bodies and faculties in the upcoming demonstrations against education cuts in Utrecht on the 14th of November. It shows we can make a real impact when we unite around shared values. 

Let’s keep this spirit alive. By staying connected and open to each other’s perspectives, we can turn our challenges into opportunities for growth and change. Our faculty’s strength lies in its diversity of voices—let’s make sure we keep listening. 

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Organizational unit
Faculty of Social Sciences