UCANN unites a community of academics to further the mission of the liberal arts and sciences education in the Netherlands at the colleges and beyond.
As many UC academics know, the idea to launch a platform has been floating around for several years. In 2013, at a conference at Amsterdam University College on ‘Rethinking liberal education’, different colleagues from the UC’s expressed their appreciation about meeting colleagues who work in a similar interdisciplinary environment. This sentiment became more pronounced in 2016, during a conference at Utrecht University College, where the current chair initiated a conversation about setting up a network of UC teachers. In 2018, cosmic forces have aligned for the initiative to take off. During a warm summer evening, the founders of UCANN found themselves on a balcony in Amsterdam discussing the concrete steps needed to set up an association that could serve as a platform to facilitate exchange of information and experience, and as a social network and as a place for information on career development and empowerment. Wine flowed as liberally as our ideas, the BBQ provided much needed nourishment, and the result is the following:
As founders, we are very proud to present UCANN to you as a platform for networking with colleagues from across the UC’s, and as an organization that will help facilitate similar conferences, meetings, and events. UCANN will organize an annual conference that will bring together university college academics and members of the broader public. UCANN will also (co)organize, host, and/or support other events relevant to liberal arts and sciences education, research, and administration. With start-up funds from the deans we were able to create an independent association [in Dutch: ‘Vereniging’ – see here for the statutes] and a website.
We hope that you will help u to make UCANN a success and a benefit to all of us.
Yes, UCANN!
