University Forum
For dialogue and discussion
What an evening at the University Forum looks like
- A speaker opens the evening. This may be, for example, a researcher specialising in the topic of the evening or someone who can offer a thought-provoking perspective to start the discussion.
- Participants then discuss the topic of the evening in small groups, using a set of propositions as a basis for discussion.
- We conclude with an open discussion involving all participants.
In addition to the one hundred randomly selected students and staff, the deans and the Executive Board (CvB) are also present.
Discussing important topics within the UvA
Examples of topics that have been on the agenda include:
- Generative AI
- The University, Democratic Values, and Academic Freedom
- The university as a degree mill?
Democratic advisory body
The secretary of the forum compiles the main conclusions of the dialogue and discussions into an advisory report. This report will be shared with the university’s Executive Board, published on the website and included in the staff and student newsletters.
Chair
As of 1 September 2024, the University Forum is chaired by Tamar de Waal. Her appointment is for a period of two years. De Waal is a legal philosopher, associate professor of Legal Theory and director of the Amsterdam Honours College of Law at the Faculty of Law.
Due to her leave of absence, Niels Graaf has been temporarily appointed chair of the University Forum. His appointment runs from October 1, 2025, to September 1, 2026. Graaf has academic roots in both history and constitutional law and is an assistant professor of Constitutional Law at the Faculty of Law.
Agenda committee
The subjects to be discussed at the meetings of the University Forum will be determined in collaboration with an independent agenda committee (consisting of the CSR, COR, UCO, UOC and student assessor, etc.). Its members will choose a theme that is relevant to both students and employees.
Origin
The University Forum was established nearly eight years ago following a recommendation from the Democratisation & Decentralisation Committee to set up a ‘broad-based deliberative forum’. After an evaluation of the forum’s first few years (2018-2023), it has taken on its current form.
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Report of the forum meeting November 6, 2025
Generative AI
The current and rapid advancements in generative AI (GenAI) confront the university with existential questions, ethical dilemmas, and practical problems. Various core functions of the university, including teaching and fostering critical and independent thinking, are at risk. This is due not only to the ways in which GenAI works, but also to the actors and methods involved in the development of it. Yet, GenAI also offers opportunities for research and education.
Moreover, it appears inevitable that students will (have to) use GenAI in their future careers. Although the UvA has worked persistently in recent years to develop a framework for GenAI use, the rapid rise of GenAI often still feels overwhelming. How can we ensure that we use GenAI responsibly in both research and education?
Read the full report on the meeting about Generative AI.
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Report of the forum meeting 24 April, 2025
The University, Democratic Values, and Academic Freedom
We see that authoritarian regimes worldwide increasingly target universities — putting pressure on academic freedom, undermining critical scholarship, and restricting institutional autonomy. How should Dutch universities, including the UvA, respond? What role do they play in protecting and strengthening democratic values and academic freedom, both within and beyond the academic world? In other words, how should universities shape their position and responsibilities in an evolving political landscape. The participants of the University Forum discussed the university’s role in the protection of democratic values and, more specifically, academic freedom.
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Meetings 2024
1 October: The resilient university in times of political upheaval
The second edition of the 'new style' University Forum took place on Tuesday, 1 October. The topic was 'The resilient university in times of political upheaval'. After a plenary introduction, the participants discussed various subtopics related to the role of universities in a changing political landscape. The discussions dealt with not only the announced cutbacks, but also issues such as academic freedom (and how it is under pressure). The evening was concluded with a plenary discussion.
16 April: The university as a degree mill?
The first meeting was on 16 April 2024 at public debate centre De Balie. The thema was ‘The university as a degree mill?’. One hundred students, employees, researchers and other representatives of the UvA community had been invited to attend after their names were selected by drawing lots. Following a plenary introduction, they were split up into small groups to discuss various subtopics related to education at the UvA. For example, critical thinking and the increasing regimentation of university education. The evening ended with a plenary debate about the main points of discussion.
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Reports of the forum meetings 2018-2023
Reports of the forum meetings in the pilot phase, in both English and Dutch, can be found on the Dutch web page about the University Forum.
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Contact
The secretary to the University Forum, Nienke Booij, can be reached via email: universiteitforum-bb@uva.nl.