The Humanities study the products of the human spirit like art, music, language, literature, theater, and texts in the broadest sense of the word. The Humanities consist of the disciplines of linguistics, literary studies (or literature), history, international relations, philosophy, art history, archaeology, musicology, theater studies, religious studies, and media/communication and information sciences.
These fields of study create knowledge and insight into all aspects of what it means to be human, thereby providing direction and substance to sustainable solutions for complex issues. Education in the humanities stimulates critical thinking and thus makes an indispensable contribution to a democratic, open society.
Council of Deans in Arts and Humanities
The DLG is made up of the deans of the ten Dutch Arts and Humanities faculties. The DLG considers political and administrative issues that affect the entire sector and discusses national developments in the sector. The DLG meets once every six weeks.
Strategic management of national programs to strengthen the arts and humanities
The DLG provides guidance for a number of national programs aimed at strengthening the humanities. See ‘Programs’ below.
Board of national research schools in the humanities
The DLG also forms the board of 15 national research schools in the field of the humanities. The national research schools offer educational programs for PhD candidates and research master’s students.
Societal challenges
The Netherlands—and the world—face major social challenges. These include the transition to a climate-neutral society, as well as issues surrounding equal opportunities, personal development, and full participation. At the same time, technological innovations such as digitization and artificial intelligence are radically changing the way we live and work. This raises fundamental questions about ethics, lifestyle, human values, and our view of humanity.
This is precisely where the humanities make a difference. They help us to give meaning to change, understand perspectives, and provide direction.
A sustainable future that puts people first
One thing is clear: if you really want to build a sustainable society, you can’t ignore people. That’s where the humanities come in. They show us how traditions can change, how we understand the world around us, and how we can think critically about what makes a good life—today and tomorrow.
In the Council of Deans in Arts and Humanities, various deans meet regularly to work on national coordination and impact.
Council of Deans in Arts and Humanities
Chair
Prof. dr. Thomas Vaessens (Universiteit Utrecht)
Members
Prof. dr. Martine van Selm (Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam)
Prof. dr. Jan Don (Open Universiteit)
Prof. dr. Paula Fikkert (Radboud Universiteit)
Prof. dr. Thony Visser (Rijksuniversiteit Groningen)
Prof. dr. Geert Vervaeke (Tilburg University)
Prof. dr. Henk te Velde (Universiteit Leiden)
Prof. dr. Christine Neuhold (Universiteit Maastricht)
Prof. dr. Marieke de Goede (Universiteit van Amsterdam)
Prof. dr. Gregor Halff (Vrije Universiteit)
Two student-assessors
