The Leadership in Education Course (in Dutch: Leergang Onderwijskundig Leiderschap, in short: LOL) is designed for educational professionals who want to guide educational innovation and quality from their role. In the course, participants from Erasmus University Rotterdam, Delft University of Technology, and Leiden University (LDE) work on a concrete innovation project within their own educational context, while simultaneously reflecting on their leadership role, positioning, and influence within the organisation. LOL combines deepening of knowledge in education and learning with attention to organisational issues, strategy, support, and collaboration.
The course is part of a broader range of development opportunities, offered by the Community for Learning & Innovation (CLI). Joost Maarschalkerweerd, educational consultant and project leader of LOL from Risbo, is responsible for guiding participants from Rotterdam. The strength of this course lies in the combination of learning from and with each other, guidance by experienced trainers, and exchanging perspectives with participants from different faculties and universities. It is a great example of how we work in the LDE context to strengthen educational leadership, but also of how we contribute in Rotterdam to the strategic goal 'One connected EUR', where the development of leadership qualities is prioritized.
In this article, six teachers who participated in the 2024-2025 cohort share their experiences. Hanna Weijers, Gijs Elshout, Eva Klijn, Joris Meijaard, Maarten Knapen, and René Zeelenberg explain how the course helped them advance their educational innovation projects and act more consciously and effectively as educational leaders.
Reassessment of skills education at Erasmus School of Law
As the programme manager Skills Education at Erasmus School of Law (ESL), Hanna Weijers worked on a comprehensive reassessment project of skills education within the Leadership in Education Course. The focus was on updating course objectives for, among others, written and oral skills, argumentation and research skills, learning skills, and digital literacy. Development-focused assessment played an important role, with a portfolio where feedback from various sources converges and leads to a holistic evaluation. Additionally, critical and responsible use of digital tools and GenAI was explicitly addressed.
Hanna found the course to be very valuable because it helped her both zoom in on the content and complexity of the project, and zoom out and reflect on her role within the organisation. An important insight she gained, which is also relevant across EUR, is that successful educational innovation is not only about content but also about processes such as strategy, support, governance, and collaboration with educational administration, participation, and support. View the poster (only available in Dutch).
Implementation and evaluation of the new Bachelor of Medicine - ErasmusArts2030
As the program director of the Bachelor of Medicine, Gijs Elshout works in a complex environment where patient care, research, and education must be combined, all demanding attention. By participating in the LOL, Gijs hoped to gain additional tools to clarify and further strengthen his role and responsibilities. "Education is incredibly enjoyable, but many different forces are at play in a university medical center. I wanted to learn how to better manage that dynamic and shape education in the best way within this field of tension."
During the course, Gijs worked on initiating and implementing educational innovation within the renewed Bachelor of Medicine at Erasmus MC, using the PDCA cycle. The course provided him valuable insights into how he can do this as successfully and efficiently as possible. "Throughout this trajectory, I received many tips and advice regarding my role as an educational leader, where I often have to achieve educational goals together with others without direct line responsibility." View the poster (only available in Dutch).
Educational redesign for quality improvement in Intensive Care
Eva Klijn, Internist-Intensivist at Erasmus MC, worked on the project 'ICU Elevate - Educational redesign for quality improvement in intensive care' within the course, aimed at improving the quality of care and education in the IC of Erasmus MC. She achieved this by linking care protocols to educational modules, redesigning the education, dashboarding, and human factor monitoring. The project provided valuable insights into how bedside teaching, protocol usage, and behavioral change can be successfully and efficiently applied. This resulted in positive feedback from users and trainers and even recognition as 'state-of-the-art' by external visitors from various academic ICUs.
Participation in the course has also had a personal impact on Eva. She has developed personally, gained practical experience, and deepened her theoretical knowledge. All of this has helped her grow in her role. For Eva, educational leadership is a process of connecting, reflecting, and facilitating. It requires knowledge, courage, and humanity. Eva: "I believe that sustainable educational innovation starts with leadership that gives space to others, embraces complexity, and continually asks the question: what is needed here to improve together?" View the poster (only available in Dutch).
Passion, fun, and perseverance in the MSc Strategic Entrepreneurship
Joris Meijaard, academic director at the Department of Strategic Management & Entrepreneurship at Rotterdam School of Management (RSM), worked on the project Maximally engage students in their MSc learning journey for the MSc Strategic Entrepreneurship. His project focuses on creating a learning environment where students take ownership of their development, driven by heart, fun, and grit. These core values represent passion, fun, and perseverance and form the foundation for an engaging learning experience. In the program, attitudes, personal ambitions, and resilience are explicitly linked to academic learning, entrepreneurship, and societal impact.
Joris started the LOL on the advice of the vice-dean and was immediately enthusiastic about the setup with academic directors from different institutions. The course made him even more aware of his role as an educational leader and the impact that role has on the learning experience and future of students. He sees the way the learning journey in LOL was shaped, with room for experimentation, reflection, and ownership, as an important inspiration for further innovation within his master's program. View the poster.
Development of education block on reproduction and gynecology - ErasmusArts2030
Maarten Knapen, gynaecologist-perinatologist at Erasmus MC, started the LOL with high expectations, and those expectations were more than fulfilled. "I always find the programs from Risbo & CLI very professional and practically organized, and the guidance is excellent and always positive. This was also true for this course. You really get a better foundation in educational leadership through assignments that are directly applicable to your own role and help you refine it." He found the exchange with other participants from the LDE alliance to be very valuable. "The cross-pollination between 18 highly motivated participants, each with a different role, faculty, and organization, was incredibly informative and inspiring!"
During the LOL, Maarten worked on developing the education block 'Reproduction and Gynecology' in the new Erasmus Arts 2030 curriculum and on better positioning education within the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. He truly sees the LOL as a privilege, having already completed the BKO, SKO, BKE, and SKE programs. "With this solid foundation, I feel truly capable of fulfilling my role in medical education properly, with confidence and above all, with great pleasure." View the poster (only available in Dutch).
"The cross-pollination between 18 highly motivated participants, each with a different role, faculty, and organisation, was incredibly informative and inspiring!"
Curriculum change Master Psychology
With his project, René Zeelenberg, Associate Professor Brain & Cognition at Erasmus School of Social and Behavioural Sciences (ESSB), focused on the curriculum change of the Master in Psychology. The goal was a more attractive curriculum, greater student appreciation for education, better alignment with the professional field, and reduced study delays. While working on this project, René greatly benefited from the content of the course: "For me, the interesting aspect of the course was not that one topic stood out, but that several of the topics covered in the course were relevant (change strategies, curriculum development, assessment, project and process management, accreditation)."
René explains that when you start revising a curriculum, you might not immediately consider all these aspects. The course therefore helped him think about the content and plan the approach. In addition to the content, René is also very positive about the collaboration with colleagues during the LOL: "We [were] lucky to have a very nice group of motivated colleagues from Rotterdam, Delft, and Leiden participating in the course. It was not only very enjoyable but also useful to exchange ideas and experiences." View the poster (only available in Dutch).
