By The Herring
On Monday, 9 March, a last handful of students and staff take their seats in a crowded Common Room. A panel of AUC Taskforce leaders prepares to present their initial ideas for AUC’s future.
It is the first time that the Taskforce – a group recruited to help Interim Dean Bruce Mutsvairo develop scenarios for the college – will publicly share insights from its deliberations on AUC’s identity, values and direction. The Executive Boards of UvA and VU will ultimately select one of the Taskforce’s scenarios to serve as AUC’s new strategy.
Dora Achourioti, Head of the Academic Core, revealed one potential “North Star” for AUC: “Science and Technology in Society”. Though the implications of this reorientation remain unclear, according to Achourioti, the vision could transform AUC into a BSc-only programme. Dr. Marianne Riphagen, Director of Education, proposed replacing traditional majors with thematic pathways.
Similarly, recent initiatives at UvA, such as the launch of UvA AI Chat, suggest a desire to be at the forefront of technological innovation, possibly due to broader sociopolitical pressures. Meanwhile, VU’s institutional plan for 2026 to 2030 explicitly prioritises “value-driven science”. In this context, Dr Maarten Boerlijst, Head of Sciences, noted that “Science and Technology in Society” is likely to resonate with the Executive Boards of both parent universities.
Mutsvairo stressed that no vision is set in stone and no concrete scenarios have yet been developed. At the same time, he emphasised the importance of crafting a compelling narrative to attract prospective students. While a focus on science and technology is not guaranteed, he admitted that targeting Sciences students should be seriously considered given the potential for higher rates of government funding.
The proposals were met with criticism. “Is ‘Science and Technology in Society’ our new motto?” Mariëtte Willemsen, a Humanities lecturer, asked. “I would never opt for AUC as a Humanities student if that were the slogan.” One Sciences student identified AUC’s flexible curriculum as its main selling point, cautioning that strictly science-focused messaging would have discouraged them from applying.
Beyond future directions, the meeting also brought present frustrations with AUC’s programme to light. One student expressed disillusionment with AUC following recent course cancellations in the Humanities. Riphagen stressed that the thinning Humanities offering is a consequence of low student numbers, not strategy. She underscored AUC’s commitment to safeguarding all majors, at least until the class of 2028 graduates.
At 13:45, the discussion hastily wrapped up, leaving AUC’s future direction – and its appeal to current and prospective students alike – largely ambiguous until the next progress meeting on 12 May.
The Herring 