Pepijn Beusmans (Front): ‘We believe the university should embrace AI’
More flexibility in education, better study spaces, and clearer rules around AI: these are the issues lead candidate Pepijn Beusmans (21) wants to focus on in the coming year on behalf of Fractie Front. The third-year Economics and Business Economics student focuses on what he himself calls the ‘active student’.
What needs to change at Tilburg University?
‘More consideration should be given to students who develop themselves in ways beyond their studies. This can be anything: associations, committees, a board year, but also a part-time job, internship, or exchange.
‘We advocate for things like making lectures available online, so students can rewatch them at their own convenience. If you are doing a board year, need to work, or have other obligations, it is not always possible to be physically present.
‘AI is also playing an increasingly large role, including within the university. We believe the university should embrace that development instead of only enforcing rules. Right now, many students are not sure what is and isn’t allowed, while they do use AI, for example to improve texts or structure ideas. If you teach students how to use it responsibly, it can actually yield a lot of benefits.’
What is already going well?
‘The university supports many initiatives. For example, the Sustainability Fund for associations has been adopted, which means associations can receive funding to become more sustainable, for instance by implementing energy-saving measures or organizing more sustainable events.
‘There is also now a certificate for student board members, which recognizes the value of a board year and the skills you develop during it. This shows that the university is thinking along with students and that a board year is truly being acknowledged.’
What have you achieved so far?
‘We submitted an initiative for a system that allows students to see in real time where study spaces are still available on campus. It is called ‘PLEQ’. The university is now looking into how they can implement it.
‘Students often come to campus without knowing whether there is still space, and then go to places like the university library only to find everything already full. With such a system, students can see in advance where space is available and don’t have to search unnecessarily or come for nothing.
Elections on campus
Tilburg University is governed in consultation with students and staff. Who should represent your interests in the divisional committees, faculty councils, and the University Council? From Monday, April 20 to Wednesday, April 22, you can cast your vote during the participation elections.
Univers speaks with candidates for the University Council. What needs to change at Tilburg University, what is already going well, and what have the participation parties actually achieved so far?
‘In addition, we ensured that more docking stations with two monitors have been installed in the university library. In a survey, students indicated that they prefer working there, for example for group assignments or when they need to have many windows open at once.
‘This is now clearly visible on campus. It is one of the things we have received the most feedback on. Students notice it directly in their daily studying and are genuinely happy with it.’
Why should students vote for you?
‘Everything Front does is from the perspective of the active student. That is where we truly distinguish ourselves. While other parties often take a broader view, we consciously choose to focus on students who develop themselves alongside their studies.
‘We see that this group often runs into concrete problems, such as combining studies with a board year, work, or other obligations. Education and facilities do not always align well with this at the moment. We want to change that.
‘If you help associations and active students, everyone ultimately benefits. They organize activities, events, and contribute to the social life on campus. So by supporting that group, you strengthen the entire student community.’
How do you stay connected with students?
‘We maintain contact with students in various ways. For example, we actively gather input through the sounding board group. There, we present students with concrete topics and plans and specifically ask for their opinions and ideas about policy within the university. This allows students to directly contribute to decisions made within the university.
‘In addition, students can easily reach us: via Instagram, email, or simply by stopping by our room in the Esplanade building.’
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