Dynamics of Youth co-hosts OECD 21st Century Children expert meeting

The organisation behind one of Utrecht University’s strategic themes – Dynamics of Youth (DoY) – co-hosted an OECD expert meeting on 17 and 18 February 2020, together with the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. 

Fourteen experts from eleven countries, representing neuroscience, medicine, psychology, risk management, computer science and education, were invited to attend the expert meeting held in University Hall. In a packed programme, the experts were asked to reflect on key questions, including:

• What are the common trends and determinants of health, happiness and social inclusion for 21st century children?
• What are the common challenges that countries face in efforts to improve these trends among 21st century children, and what effective practices and interventions exist?
• What gaps in the literature, unresolved challenges and emerging issues of concern can be identified for 21st century children's well-being and social inclusion?
• How can digital technologies help or hinder childen’s social inclusion? How are these influencing or being influenced by their social and physical environments?
• What does all this mean for education?

Four DoY researchers were invited to participate in the expert meeting. DoY Programme Director Catrin Finkenauer gave an inspiring presentation about changing family structures and what this means for child development. Sander Bakkes contributed to a session on Digital (Tools for) Inclusion. In the same session, Tamara van Gog shared her expertise in Technology to Support Adaptive Teaching and Learning. In a session on belonging, the final DoY researcher, Susan Branje, gave a presentation on promoting belonging for children growing up in changing family structures.

Public session

On the second day, Dynamics of Youth also organised a ‘public session’ in the afternoon, with the aim of sharing and discussing the experts’ conclusions with professionals, policymakers and other stakeholders. Three experts presented the state-of-the-art knowledge in their field, as well as the insights they gained in the course of the expert meeting. A delegate from the Dutch Ministry of Education connected these findings to the Dutch educational context. This was followed by a lively discussion and the opportunity to network.

Follow-up

The Dynamics of Youth team can look back on two highly successful days which have increased DoY’s and Utrecht University’s international visibility. The enthusiasm and interest of our partners – the OECD and the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science – proves the added value of a multidisciplinary and societal-driven research agenda, which is the focus of all of the strategic themes. The DoY organisation has already been invited by the Ministry and other stakeholders who attended to follow-up meetings to further intensify collaboration.

Further information

If you would like to know more about the above event and DoY’s contacts with policymakers, please contact Diederik van Iwaarden, Liaison Officer at DoY.