What would you tell a future colleague at the start of their teaching career? We put that question to the 2025 Educators of the Year across the four 4TU universities. They responded with some beautiful advice and encouragement for the next generation of educators.
Although the winners from the four universities are from very different faculties, and the selection criteria are different per university (with some receiving funding prizes), their advice is pertinent to any educator.
Read what Janneke Alers (TNW) University Twente, Bas Flipsen (IDE) TU Delft, Loe Schlicher (IE&IS) TU Eindhoven and Anneke Valk - WUR, write in their letters to a future colleague here.
Dear future colleague,
Welcome to the educational community of TU Delft. My name is Bas Flipsen, and I have been an educator for almost 25 years. I still remember my own start in 2002. At times it felt as if I had been thrown to the lions. One person helped me enormously in that period by informally taking me under his wing. We simply bumped into each other in the corridor, and from there on, he quite naturally became my mentor.
At one point he told me something that has stayed with me ever since: there is one task that will never appear in your annual evaluation, but is essential and that is chatting with people, or in Dutch ālullen met mensenā. It took me a while to understand that advice, but getting to know the people you work with, your colleagues, and the people you work for, your students, is one of the foundations of a meaningful and enjoyable career at TU Delft.
Take the time to really get to know them, they do remarkable things and can be a great source of inspiration. Practice the skill of listening and responding, rather than simply reacting. Let your students and colleagues challenge and inspire you to grow, day by day, conversation by conversation.
I hope you find a mentor with whom you can discuss the practical, the personal, and the enjoyable sides of working at TU Delft. And above all, I hope you take pleasure in the learning that each day brings.
Kind regards,
Bas Flipsen
Dear future colleague,
By the time you read this, it will be 2031. Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) has significantly changed education in the past few years, including at universities. How exactly? Thatās something I can only imagine here and now, at the start of 2026. I do expect that students, but certainly also lecturers, will be able to use A.I. much more than is currently the case.
Responsible use of A.I. will be an important, fundamental skill within every curriculum. I expect that A.I. will take a lot of work off your hands when it comes to providing feedback on students' work and marking tests and final projects. Hopefully, this will free up more time for personal contact and student guidance. I sincerely hope so.
In 2031, students will still need a committed, enthusiastic teacher who is passionate about their subject. A teacher who challenges students on content, not on minor issues. Someone who is there for them when they get stuck. Who can create a safe learning environment in which students can learn and try new things. A teacher who can give students the confidence in their ability to accomplish a task themselves. Who understands that students also learn from one another. Who not only wants to transfer knowledge but also wants to give students a learning experience.
Maybe your subject lends itself to a creative assignment, project or practicals.Ā Regarding the latter: some students simply learn best learning by doingĀ . And even though it will undoubtedly still be busy in 2031, try to supervise at least some of these assignments or practicals yourself where possible. The atmosphere there is very different from that in a lecture hall. More personal contact with students can be hugely motivating.
Even though it can be difficult at times, try to make time for your own development, both within your field and in your teaching. Students sense our curiosity for the subject. If you find your own subject fascinating, that enthusiasm will be contagious. Keep looking for ways to enjoy your work.
Finally, talk to colleagues and researchers, but also involve your students and student assistants in your ideas. Use them as a sounding board. Working with students can be incredibly inspiring. I hope you will experience that for yourself. We have Ā a beautiful profession.
Ā Kind regards,
Janneke Alers
Dear future colleague,
How are you doing? How is your body? Can you feel your breath lifting your chest? Can you feel the air flow through your nostrils?
There is something really incredible about life; and this amazing experience of being alive at the same time as people who are dear to you. When you read this letter, you probably are, or just became, an educator. That puts you in the wonderful position of being able to positively affect studentsā life; or at least this little portion of life that they now share with you, in the classroom.
Whenever I speak in front of an audience (and I do so frequently, outside the university as well), Iām highly attuned to the privileged and important position I hold, being on that stage. Imagine there are 200 people there, listening to a talk about hormones; and they listen for 1,5 hours. Thatās 300 life hours that Iām able to affect positively, and inspire with knowledge and energy.
When I started teaching at Wageningen University, right after graduating (in 2012), I knew straight away I didnāt want to do it full-time. I would stagnate. I wanted to develop myself in other areas of life too; I became a sports teacher and public speaker and still love doing both.
I guess, what Iām trying to convey with this letter; life is wonderful, and it is all over much too soon. As an educator, you are privileged and honored to inspire the minds and spirits of people. I hope you will feel joy in doing so. Donāt doubt yourself too much; trust your gut feeling and do what feels right for you to do. Choose a path that fits you; because when you sparkle with energy, you may find yourself igniting sparks in others too.
Believe in yourself, believe in others. There is a lot of good in this world; and the trust and praise of a teacher are amongst the most powerful encouragements for young people to grow and flourish.
I hope you look forward to your time as teacher.
All the best.
Anneke Valk
Dear future colleague,
As the winner of the TU/e Best Bachelor Teacher Award 2025, I have been asked to give advice to a new generation of teachers. However, winning an award does not necessarily mean that I am in a position to give the right advice. What I can do is outline what is central to my teaching, and who knows, you might find it useful.Ā
For me, the key is that students learn to deal with uncertainty. In practice, this means that for approximately half of the assignments, students receive a complete model solution, whereas for the other half, they only get a hint of the final answer. I develop group assignments based on realistic practical situations, which invite consideration and discussion and often don't have ready-made solutions. I can see that students sometimes find this uncertainty frustrating ā and that's exactly the intention. The lack of fully worked-out solutions forces students to think critically. They learn to deal with uncertainty, doubt, and the idea that there's not always an immediate, definitive answer. It's this process that makes them better, independent thinkers: something they desperately need in the rest of their careers.
At the same time, I realise that learning in uncertainty can be stressful. That is why I offer guidance wherever possible. I do this by developing clear lecture notes and preparing my lectures down to the last detail, which I then teach using the old-fashioned blackboard. For me, the chalkboard remains the best medium for conveying complex knowledge: it provides space to introduce difficult thought processes at a natural pace and to explore them together. I have come to terms with the fact that I'm covered in chalk at the end of a lecture, although I'll admit that I recently invested in the Rolls-Royce of chalks: the Hagoromo chalks, which produce virtually no dust.
I welcome you to contact me if you'd like to know more about this approach to teaching.
With collegial regards,
Loe Schlicher