BUas opens academic year 2024: Innovation and Ethical Responsibility in the spotlight
Breda University of Applied Sciences (BUas) opened the academic year on 10 September 2024 with the theme ‘Balancing Innovation and Responsibility’. This year's event featured Omroep Brabant's Nina van den Broek as the special day chair. The programme began with a unique twist, as a digital AI version of Nina introduced the event, marking the first time an AI presenter opened an academic year in the Netherlands. This highlighted not only BUas’ innovative spirit, but also its close cooperation with Omroep Brabant, which has been located at the Innovation Square on the BUas campus since this academic year.
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The event discussed the moral implications of artificial intelligence (AI), with lectures by Dutch philosopher Maxim Februari and BUas professor of Applied Data Science & AI, Carlos Pereira Santos, among others. Februari stressed the need for ethical reflection at a time when AI is increasingly influencing our society. He called for an ethics department within BUas . ‘We need scientific knowledge in the field of ethics not in morality or techniques and we need to rethink our behaviour,’ said Februari.
Santos outlined the future of AI and the role BUas intends to play as a pioneer in AI education. ‘Everybody is using AI for improvements in work. We have to better facilitate the new generation that is coming to us in a good way’. Carlos stressed that BUas is preparing for this future by integrating AI education into its programmes, creating a platform for AI research, and establishing a professorship in Applied Data Science and AI. He emphasised that the institute is positioning itself as a pioneer in AI, giving high priority to ethical considerations. ‘Finding the right balance between technological progress and ethical responsibility is essential to our success,’ Santos said.
This was followed by an interactive panel discussion with alumni Irina Bănoiu and Steven Feenstra and student Jonathan van Santen who, together with Maxim Februari and Carlos Pereira Santos, discussed the ethical dilemmas of AI in education and society. A musical interlude was provided by student Myrthe Hendrix, who sang a beautiful song about dreams.
Investing in the future of higher education
Jorrit Snijder, President of the Executive Board, spoke of the need to keep investing in innovation and higher professional education and called for action against the planned budget cuts by Dutch politicians. ‘Higher education is going through tough times. BUas has to go all out. It is time to stand up for the importance of the innovative power of higher education for the Dutch economy and productivity as well as the undeniable role of international students within it,’ Snijder said. ‘We will not tamper with our international profile but at the same time we are not blind to the challenges posed by internationalisation, such as housing’.
At the end of the programme, the academic year was officially opened with the push of a button and an explosion of confetti, preceded by a joint countdown with the entire BUas community. The students and special guest Carla Kranenborg from the Municipality of Breda had the honour of performing this ceremonial act.
During the networking drinks reception that followed, with AI-inspired snacks, the BUas community had the opportunity to make their voices heard against the planned governmental spending cuts to higher education. A protest banner with the slogan ‘Korten op kennis geeft later stennis’ #MeerHBO’ers was displayed. This roughly translates as ‘Cutting back on education leads to trouble down the road’.
With this opening, BUas not only emphasised the importance of innovation and ethics in AI, but also the need to invest in higher professional education. ‘Higher education is the backbone of the Dutch economy,’ Snijder stated. ‘We train tens of thousands of professionals every year who are of immediate value to the labour market. Now is the time for action, and we call on the cabinet to invest in the future of higher education.’ With this powerful message, BUas looks ahead to a new academic year, full of innovation, ethical reflection and political engagement.
Additionally, this opening highlights BUas’ strong commitment to innovation and ethics, while continuing to strengthen its position as an international knowledge institute.
