I am Veronique Schutjens, professor Experiential Education in Geography in the group Geography & Education, department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning, Faculty of Geosciences. With a background in economic geography and migrant entrepreneurship, I research life course developments; mechanisms of critical reflection on experiences; and its effects on learning processes and life skills in higher education. I am a team player, fascinated by learning processes in new and unfamiliar environments. Read more

I am Janneke van de Pol and I am associate professor at the Department of Education and Pedagogy, Section Education, Faculty of Social Science. I study teachers’ instructional support to children in reaching their full potential; the role of children’s socio-economic and ethnic background and gender in the (un)equal educational opportunities; and self-regulation as a crucial life skill. I am an experienced, open-minded, and flexible networker in and outside academia. Read more

Liesbeth Kester temporarily replaces Janneke van de Pol as DoY chair of the Youth Education & Life Skills community. Liesbeth Kester is professor Educational Sciences and chair of the department Education. Read more

I am a postdoctoral researcher affiliated with the Youth Education & Life Skills community. I have always had a passion for education, and have been a teacher at secondary school, hbo and university. In my research, I aspire to combine insights from sociology, pedagogy and educational science, and take a participatory approach. I am fascinated by the way people collaborate, especially in diverse contexts where perspectives can be very different. In what way can we optimize the opportunities that different perspectives brings, and in what way can the challenges this brings best be dealt with (both at the individual and contextual level)? In the context of education, I intend to look at collaborative learning processes, and the role this educational approach can have in equipping youth with the skills they need to live in a diverse society. Apart from my research, I am excited and hope to contribute to wonderful, valuable education by facilitating (new) collaborations between researchers, professionals and youth on the topic of youth education and life skills. Read more

My name is Elena Rodriguez and I am a fourth year student Human Geography and Spatial Planning. Aside from my interest in Tourism and Economic Geography, I have always been enthusiastic about education. I am the student assistant in the research community ‘Youth Education and Life Skills’ and I hope to learn much more about collaborative learning and the effect of unequal opportunities in the field of education.