News from the faculty
United for education
On Monday, November 25, many of our colleagues traveled to The Hague to join 20,000 students and staff in a powerful protest against the disastrous education budget cuts proposed by the government. It was inspiring to see so many people stand up for the future of education! To the right of the text, you can see an image of an alternative protest held at VU Amsterdam, organized because the planned protest against higher education budget cuts in Utrecht on November 14 was canceled.
Meaningful work as the key to retaining healthcare professionals
Healthcare professionals who perceive their work as meaningful stay motivated and are willing to go the extra mile to make an impact. However, they face numerous obstacles in their daily roles. This is the finding of research conducted by organizational consultant Josine Janssen, connected to VU Amsterdam.
Discounts on products for stigmatized groups lead to negative reactions
Discounting products linked to stigmatized groups, such as “Black Lives Matter” merchandise, can backfire. This is highlighted in the Journal of Marketing Research conducted by VU Marketing Professor Aylin Aydinli, along with Kobe Millet (VU Amsterdam), Guanzhong Du (UBC Sauder School of Business) and Jennifer Argo (University of Alberta).
Inspiring afternoon on the future of Economics education
During the national university day of the Week of Economics Education on 19 November 2024, significant steps were taken towards shaping the future of economics education. On the VU Amsterdam campus, lecturers, deans, and other stakeholders discussed themes such as multidisciplinary teaching, climate, inequality and curriculum renewal.
Drug consumption rooms reduce crime and make neighbourhoods more attractive
Drug consumption rooms lead to a significant reduction in drug use and drug-related crime, as evidenced by research from VU Amsterdam professor of Urban Economics and Real Estate, Hans Koster, and Sofia Franco (University of California – Irvine). What’s also striking is that in neighbourhoods with these spaces, house prices increased by 2.5%.
'A healthy society requires more cooperation between different sectors'
There should be more focus on the broader aspects of public health in the Netherlands, beyond providing health care, according to VU professors Wendy Janssens and Pierre Koning. Together with fellow researchers from VU School of Business and Economics, they have launched the collaborative institute Health Economics Research Amsterdam (HERA).