Ramon Puras Reappointed Dean of Faculty of Education

Ramon Puras and his faculty contribute to one of the greatest social challenges: properly training professionals in the field of education (teachers) and pedagogy (educationalists) in the metropolitan environment. In view of the dire shortage of teachers, the faculty wants to train more students to become teachers and educationalists through new, more flexible tracks. This educational innovation will be based on state-of-the-art technology, building on the SMART EDUCATION programme initiated by Ramon Puras and experiences with Blended Learning. Interprofessional collaboration will be put more prominently on the agenda and professionalisation programmes will be used to improve teacher retention.

Through the research of the Centre of Expertise Urban Education, Ramon wants to work with the faculty’s professors, researchers and partners to promote equality of opportunity, so that children and young people have the same opportunities in education and pedagogy.

In the coming period, the faculty will face the considerable challenge of implementing the ‘Integrated Change Plan’ (Integraal Veranderplan) prepared in 2021. The faculty wants to become a recognised, leading education partner in the region. Education, research and organisation will be organised more flexibly, with the aim of developing into a leading knowledge institution that anticipates the challenges faced by our professionals today and certainly in the future.

Jopie Nooren, Chair of the Executive Board: “For Ramon, an important challenge is to shape the faculty in such a way that the education we provide is future-oriented, effective and flexible. Ramon plays a pivotal role in the organisation in creating flexible learning pathways in which the student comes first. The main goal is to modernise the teaching profession, not only at the AUAS, but also in the region and throughout the Netherlands. These challenges require Ramon to demonstrate visible leadership, both within and outside the faculty. I am confident that Ramon will be 100 per cent committed to this.”

Ramon Puras: “It is an honour and a great challenge to lead this wonderful faculty into a new phase. The faculty has a lot of work to do in view of the coming changes and I rely on the expertise and innovativeness of staff and students in the faculty and in our partner network. We will achieve our goals together.”