Faculty of Philosophy, Theology and Religious Studies

This section describes how the Faculty of Philosophy, Theology and Religious Studies shapes the implementation of the investments in educational quality according to the 2019-2024 Quality Agreements. It begins by explaining how the plan was drafted in 2018 and how it is revised annually. This is followed by a review of the activities carried out per theme. The section concludes by describing how student and staff representatives were involved in this process. The reflection of these representatives is also included.

From August 2018, the board, lecturers and students worked on the plan for spending the quality resources over the period from 2019 to 2024. Prior to that, starting in 2016, the university's pre-investments were used for three issues: (a) reducing group sizes in seminars and practicals; (b) increasing supervision hours for BA papers; (c) adding hours for supervision in Spiritual Care (SC). Within the framework of the quality agreements, the faculty is investing in five of the six themes defined by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science:

More intensive and smaller-scale education
Increased and improved guidance of students
Study success
Educational differentiation
Continued professional development of lecturers (lecturer quality)

With this first plan, a budget and activity plan were made for 2019 and for the period thereafter (2020–2024). This plan was submitted to the participational bodies, adopted by the faculty’s Executive Board, submitted to the Executive Board and presented to the faculty’s staff members. Twice a year, the plan is evaluated with a delegation from the participational bodies. During these meetings, the balance sheet is drawn up and the plan is adjusted where necessary. Reporting to the Executive Board takes place annually via the faculty budget and the reports in which the participational bodies also reflect on the implementation of the quality agreements.

The first quality agreements were included in the education section of the 2019 Budget Memorandum. It was discussed in the Faculty Joint Assembly on 24 September 2018. The Representative Council and Faculty Student Council unanimously approved the submitted plans, and they were sent to the Executive Board on 5 October 2018. The plan was based on the following principles.

THEME	FOCUS
1. More intensive and smaller-scale education	Smaller groups and more individual guidance and feedback
2. Increased and improved guidance of students	More hours for the study advisors and student assistance
3. Study success	More knowledge clips, web lectures and individual feedback, aimed at consolidating and further increasing the enjoyment and effectiveness of studying
4. Educational differentiation	More choices for students and attention for the teaching profession
6. Continued professional development of lecturers	Recognising and supporting (novice) lecturers

Not everything costs money

The faculty plan for the quality agreements is dynamic and – for the Faculty of Philosophy, Theology, and Religious Studies in particular – it is true that in the first years the resources were not yet substantial (slightly more than 1 FTE), and they were distributed among the various themes and over several activities. The faculty continuously works on improving its education, and this results in measures similar to those in the quality agreements. That is why the budget also includes a section for ‘own resources’. Furthermore, in practice, it regularly appeared that some proposed activities mainly involved a different way of working that did not necessarily have a financial consequence. The activities that, on closer inspection, had no or little financial impact have been included in this section because they illustrate the total quality improvement programme.

Table: realisations and current budgets

x €1,000
Expenditures per theme	Budgeted 2019	Budgeted 2020	Budgeted 2021	Budgeted 2022	Budgeted 2023	Budgeted 2024*
1. More intensive and smaller-scale education	61	95	160	254	289	298
2. Increased and improved guidance of students	24	24	24	24	24	24
3. Study success including admission and advancement	42	46	84	84	84	84
4. Educational differentiation	88	156	232	224	254	254
5. Appropriate educational facilities of good quality	-	-
6. Continued professional development of lecturers	-	17	34	34	34	34
Total	215	338	534	620	685	694

Realisation in 2019, 2020 and 2021, the current budget for 2022 and the estimates for 2023 and 2024

x €1,000
Expenditures per theme	Realised 2019	Realised 2020	Realised 2021	Budgeted 2022	Estimated 2023	Estimated 2024*
1. More intensive and smaller-scale education	60	98	157	254	289	298
2. Increased and improved guidance of students	25	21	24	24	24	24
3. Study success including admission and advancement	40	43	84	84	84	84
4. Educational differentiation	63	129	210	224	254	254
5. Appropriate educational facilities of good quality	-	-	-
6. Continued professional development of lecturers	-	20	35	34	34	34
Total	188	311	507	620	685	694

Notes on quality agreements expenditure per theme

Theme 1: More intensive and smaller-scale education

Theme 1: More intensive and smaller-scale education
Theme 1 actions	Budgeted 2019	Budgeted 2020	Budgeted 2021	Budgeted total	Realised 2019	Realised 2020	Realised 2021	Realised total
1. research method teaching B1	16	20	40	76	15	24	39	78
2. Project intensification B2	5	15	34	54	5	17	31	53
3. Extra tutorials BA B3	5	15	34	54	5	19	33	57
4. Extra supervision SC MA	15	15	22	52	20	17	20	57
5. Doubling courses SC	15	15	30	60	10	18	34	62
6. Extra hours for thesis workshop	5	10	-	15	5	3	-	8
Total	61	90	160	311	60	98	157	315

Explanatory notes on the actions

No. 1: Research method teaching is done in small groups (15–20 students per group) to optimise guidance and feedback. Due to the unexpectedly large student enrolment, the budgeted doubling of the PPS research method courses in B1 ultimately became a quadrupling in 2021.
No. 2: From 2021 onwards, four additional ‘project’ tutorials will be offered. These are highly intensive supervised courses in groups of no more than ten students. The extra tutorials will also increase the choice of themes.
No. 3: The previously budgeted hours for thesis and internship supervision have been fully used since 2020 for the extra supervision of final papers for the BA. Extra groups for the Bachelor’s paper proved more urgent than extra hours for Master’s thesis supervision. In the coming years, the number of hours of Master’s thesis supervision will also have to increase.
No. 4: The previously budgeted extra supervision for seminars and practicals was almost entirely spent on extra supervision in the Master’s programme in Spiritual Care. This was done because the number of students there had doubled in two years.
No. 5: Because of the large student enrolment in the Master’s programme in Spiritual Care, three courses are now offered twice. This keeps the group size reasonable to guarantee good supervision and feedback.
No. 6: Lecturers receive extra hours for thesis workshops. Because of the reallocation of teaching and research time (due to the NPO resources in 2021), lecturers have a fixed allowance of 5% of their time for administrative tasks. These extra hours are not included in the budget and realisation.

Theme 2: Increased and improved guidance of students

Theme 2 actions	Budgeted 2019	Budgeted 2020	Budgeted 2021	Budgeted total	Realised 2019	Realised 2020	Realised 2021	Realised total
1. Extra focus on students with mental health problems and students with disabilities	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
2. Fostering the educational community (combating exclusion and encouraging studying together)	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
3. Extra hours for academic counselling (renewed mentorship aimed at self-direction)	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
4. Extra study advising	24	24	24	72	25	21	23	69
Total	24	24	24	72	25	21	23	69

Explanatory notes on the actions

No. 1: A lot of attention is being paid to these problems because of coronavirus. When the quality agreements were made, it was assumed that this would only concern a small group of students. The pandemic has made this obsolete and now, in theory, this applies to all students.
No. 2: Encouraging students to study together has been rarely possible because of the pandemic. This is now mainly done in the ‘project’ (B2) and ‘Bachelor’s paper’ (B3), where giving feedback to each other has become an essential part of the education.
No. 3. This topic is a key part of the Student Guidance 2023 programme (personal and professional development). Therefore, it can remain outside the quality agreements.
No. 4. The extra hours for study advising were mainly dedicated to helping international students.

Theme 3: Study success

Theme 3 actions	Budgeted 2019	Budgeted 2020	Budgeted 2021	Budgeted total	Realised 2019	Realised 2020	Realised 2021	Realised total
1. Using knowledge clips	15	-	-	15	15	-	-	15
2. Expanding web lectures	7	-	-	7	8	4	-	12
3. Focusing on papers	-	40	76	116	12	32	76	120
4. (Bilingual) writing centre	15		-	15	-		-	-
5. Extra hours for student assistants	5	6	8	19	5	7	8	20
Total	42	46	84	172	40	43	84	167

Explanatory notes on the actions

No. 1: In 2019, a one-time sum of €15,000 was spent on the Developing Knowledge Clips pilot project. Clips were developed for four courses. The development of knowledge clips is now a standard part of lecture preparation.
No. 2: The number of web lectures has doubled, and all pre-Master’s courses are using them. This has considerably increased the feasibility of the pre-Master’s programme because many of those students have care- or work-related responsibilities alongside their studies.
No. 3: With the appointment of first one and then two PhD students with a 50% teaching appointment, feedback in phases was further developed (e.g., in the skills courses in the Religious Studies Bachelor’s programme, in the pre-Master’s programme, in the 120-EC Master’s programme in Philosophy, and in project and Bachelor’s paper).
No. 4: The original plan for an in-house writing centre was revised because the offering at the central level (in'to Languages) improved considerably. The academic skills lecturers integrate this central offering into their courses.
No. 5: To enhance daily guidance and feedback, courses with more than 50 students can use student assistants. The student assistants are particularly helpful in checking interim assignments and giving feedback to students who need it.

Theme 4: Educational differentiation

Theme 4 actions	Budgeted 2019	Budgeted 2020	Budgeted 2021	Budgeted total	Realised 2019	Realised 2020	Realised 2021	Realised total
1. Extra PPS modules	28	100	153	281	21	98	149	268
2. Facilitating modes of instruction	20	20	27	67	12	9	-	21
3. Two-year teacher training Master’s programme	20	20	28	68	23	21	33	77
4. New R&D division	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
5. Modern foreign languages	20	16	-	36	7	1	-	8
6. Extra hours for ICT support	-	-	24	24	-	-	28	28
Total	88	156	232	476	63	129	210	402

Explanatory notes on the actions

No. 1: A lot has been invested in extra modules for the Philosophy, Politics and Society (PPS) Bachelor’s programme. These also serve as minors for the B2 and B3 students. These modules/minors are aimed at philosophical reflection on current themes and use various modes of instruction (e.g., lectures and instructional lectures, seminars and practicals). Students who participate in these modules/minors learn to apply their philosophical knowledge and skills to current topics, such as environmental issues, the future of democracy and global justice.
No. 2: An annual call to give lecturers space for educational innovation has not taken place. Partly due to the new calculation of the teaching and research load, lecturers have already been given more room for educational development and experimenting with new modes of instruction. Moreover, the pandemic has caused lecturers to work much more with ICT applications.
No. 3: The teacher training Master’s programme offers Philosophy and Religious Studies students an excellent opportunity to get to know the teaching profession (Philosophy or Spirituality). For philosophy students, there is now finally a more career-oriented Master’s programme. For theology and religious studies, there already were study programmes in spiritual care and religion and policy.
No. 4: The new division of the education and research load (from 60/40% to 50/45/5%) reduces lecturers’ workloads. This new division is not in the budget for quality agreements, but it does improve quality because lecturers get relatively more time for educational activities.
No. 5: The extra-curricular attention to modern foreign languages has not been developed further. In the evaluations of the quality programme this appeared to be less urgent, partly in view of the university’s offerings.
No. 6: An employee has been appointed specifically for digital examinations (Cirrus). They are also responsible for ICT support. The faculty is now in a position to catch up. In three years’ time, almost all written exams will be digital, which will greatly improve the quality of assessment.

Theme 6: Continued professional development of lecturers

Thema 6: Verdere professionalisering van docenten
Theme 6 actions	Budgeted 2019	Budgeted 2020	Budgeted 2021	Budgeted total	Realised 2019	Realised 2020	Realised 2021	Realised total
Teaching-oriented lecturers	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Workloads of novice lecturers	-	17	34	51	-	20	35	55
Setting up an educational archive	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Training student assistants	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Total	-	17	34	51	-	20	35	55

Explanatory notes on the actions

No. 1: The valuation of teaching activities (in the framework of Recognition and Rewards) is not part of the budget for quality agreements. That has its own programme.
No. 2: Measures to reduce the workloads of novice lecturers were put into effect from 2019. In their first year, novice lecturers receive more hours per course in addition to active monitoring. This also gives them extra time to obtain their UTQ, if they have not already done so.
No. 3: The educational archive has not yet got off the ground. The idea is that it would be an archive where lecturers could share best practices with each other. The pandemic has seriously hindered the implementation of this idea.
No. 4: From 2022 onwards, student assistants will be trained using the free training offered by the TLC.

Proposed extra activities from 2022

Extra hours for ‘project’ B2 Religious Studies and Theology
Extra hours for thesis and internship supervision
Practical courses in Public Philosophy and Philosophical Tools
Extra hours for research method teaching in Religious Studies and Theology
Extra modules (minors)
Extra ICT support to develop the TIP

Notes on the realisation process and the involvement of the participational bodies

Every six months, the quality agreements are discussed with a delegation from the participational bodies. There is a work group made up of the education policy officer, the finance officer, the director of education and the administrative director, the student assessor and representatives from the Representative Council (OC) and Faculty Student Council (FSR).

The design of the expenditure plan started in 2018 with a brainstorming session about the actions per theme. In the following years, the progress and success of activities were discussed. Where the results were disappointing (e.g., theme 3, writing centre), an alternative plan was considered or the activity was discontinued. New initiatives (e.g., theme 1, intensification projects) were proposed and developments (e.g., the pandemic, extra NPO resources, student guidance project) were incorporated.

The results of these meetings are incorporated in the annual report or the budget. In addition to giving their input, the representatives of students and staff reflect on the course of this process.

Independent reflection from the participational bodies

On 22 August 2018, in consultation with representatives of the Representative Council (OC) and Faculty Student Council (FSR), a first plan was drawn up for the use of the extra resources in the framework of the quality agreements.

Each year, a meeting is held with representatives of the FSR and the OC to monitor the plans made in the context of the quality agreements and agreed to at the faculty and university level and, if necessary, to adjust or translate them to new situations. This meeting takes place with representatives of the educational management and the faculty’s Executive Board and a committee that includes at least two representatives of the FSR and the OC. The plans of the Faculty of Philosophy, Theology and Religious Studies are discussed at this meeting and updated if necessary.

Any adjustments to the plans are explained and adjustments desired by the FSR and OC that are within the scope of the plans are discussed. In addition, the quality agreements are explicitly discussed during the annual Faculty Joint Assembly meeting, which is entirely devoted to the budget. This meeting takes place annually at the end of September. (See Appendix E, 2021 Annual Report of the Faculty of Philosophy, Theology, and Religious Studies, for a more detailed explanation of the plans and their revision.)

The agreements were evaluated again on 16 February 2022. Ferhan Akin, Frank Hammecher, Jeroen Linssen, Carry Maathuis and Jasper Uiterwaal were present on behalf of educational management and the faculty’s Executive Board. Hanna Eisen and Rik Pulles were present on behalf of the FSR.

Jorien Copier and Halard Viersen were present on behalf of the OC. The link between the use of the study financing resources and the actions was made, and an explanation of deviations or additions to the original plan was given. The five spending themes the faculty used in the plans about the quality agreements were discussed per theme.

Although the constraints of the past year did not always allow for the additional resources for quality agreements to be spent and implemented as planned, the efforts of the faculty’s Executive Board received a positive evaluation. The FSR and OC have been sufficiently involved in the plans and are kept informed of the progress.

To continue the realisation and implementation of the quality agreements, we would like to ask that more attention be paid to more intensive and smaller-scale research method education (theme 1.1), room for and attention to educational innovation (4.2), more and better guidance of students (2.1) and the development of novice lecturers (5.2). We want to emphasise that the FSR and OC want to remain closely involved in the further implementation of the quality agreements.

In addition to the quantitative midterm review of the amounts spent from the additional resources, we would like to help think about a substantive evaluation or monitor of certain subprojects so we can gain a better understanding of the benefits.

REPRESENTATIVE COUNCIL (OC):
Antonio Cimino (chair)
Anouta de Groot
Lotje Siffels MA
Nina de Boer MSc MA
Jorien Copier MA
Lena Richter MA
Mathijs van de Sande
Harald Viersen

FACULTY STUDENT COUNCIL (FSR):
Rik Pulles (chair)
Paula Muller
Hanna Eisen
Pieter van Esser
Chloe Scanlan
Jasmijn Schillings

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