Save the date: HHH autumn meeting – Lifelong Learning (31 October 2025)

We are excited to announce the next HHH meeting, which will take place on October 31 in Utrecht.

Lifelong Learning – HHH autumn meeting

‘Lifelong learning’ is the new buzzword at universities across the Netherlands. Initially, in the 1960s, it referred to learning in retirement, but it has gradually come to include learning throughout life, and outside regular degree programmes. The Commission of the European Communities has defined lifelong learning as ‘all learning activity undertaken throughout life, with the aim of improving knowledge, skills, and competences within a personal, civic, social and/or employment-related perspective.’  As such, it offers opportunities to gain in-depth knowledge about a particular topic and learn across disciplines and different contexts. 

Lifelong learning also offers opportunities for the history of medicine. Many of us are faced with the prospect of having to reform our programmes, often as a result of budget cuts and threats to close and cancel programmes and courses. The meeting is meant to open up discussions, reflections and brainstorms on these educational challenges and asks these and other questions:

• What are the threats and opportunities in teaching history of medicine in UMC’s as well as in faculties of humanities?
• What are exciting/inspiring examples of succesful/effective (new and old) ways of teaching medical history, both in terms of form and content?
• How can we productively cooperate, perhaps in communal programmes?
• Would it be helpful to open our programmes to health professionals and others interested in the history of medicine?
• Does lifelong learning offer opportunities to increase our earning power in times when our programmes and funding are threatened? 
• In terms of content, what should be our focus?
  

Practical information
Date & time: 31 October 2025, ± 13:00-17:30
Location: Utrecht, Boothzaal (Universiteitsbibliotheek Utrecht Science Park (USP))

More details about the event will be shared after the summer!