The academic year has begun. Thousands of new students are taking their first steps on our campuses. For many of them, the transition to higher education can feel a bit daunting. That’s why, through U stArt, UAntwerp focuses on new students’ first 100 days. The initiative brings together activities, information sessions, workshops, support and opportunities to meet others, all designed to help new students find their way around the university. This programme is made possible by dozens of colleagues from the faculties, central services and student associations.
We increasingly work digitally: we communicate via Teams or chat and collaborate in shared documents. It’s efficient, but it also makes collaboration feel more distant. You know what your colleagues are working on, but less about who they are. The spontaneous chats disappear and it’s no longer a given you can put a face to a name. However, it’s precisely those informal connections that make the difference and create genuine connection. Meeting in person isn’t about nostalgia, it’s an investment in collaboration. Pintra spoke to a range of teams, from library staff and researchers to administrative teams. Everywhere, the message was the same: seeing each other pays off.
A faculty thrives on collaboration, but how do you ensure that colleagues truly feel heard? Tom Breugelmans, Dean of the Faculty of Applied Engineering (FTI), found inspiration on the radio: a daily check-in as a way to connect. Meeting every morning wasn’t feasible, but the idea stuck. The result? Voluntary one-on-one coffee moments between the dean and the FTI ZAP members, arranged by appointment. Now, years later, the initiative is a proven success.
