Haye Jukema (Hanze):
‘AI policy is something we're making together’
How do you ensure that a large university of applied sciences like Hanze continues to learn, innovate and use new technology responsibly? Haye Jukema, senior adviser on educational innovation, finds answers to these questions at the SURF Onderwijsdagen. “I’ll go home feeling satisfied if I’ve learnt something new that we can build on here at Hanze.”
“What inspires me is learning in the broadest sense of the word,” says Haye. At Hanze Groningen, he is involved in policy and development in the areas of education and research, learning with ICT, the professional development of lecturers, and current issues surrounding AI. “Whether it’s students or teachers: how do people learn, how do you share knowledge, and how do you organise that within a large, complex organisation?”
Haye Jukema
This fascination with learning runs like a common thread through his work. For example, Haye is involved in professional development programmes for lecturers. These include a course on formative assessment: using information about students’ learning to optimise their learning process. Interest in this is growing rapidly. “We’re seeing a growing circle of lecturers who want to get to grips with this.”
10 rules for AI & privacy
Artificial intelligence plays a prominent role in Haye’s work. Together with colleagues from across the country, he is taking an AI policy course run by Npuls and is feeding that knowledge back to Hanze’s core AI team. “We discuss how to deal with existing applications that do not yet contain AI, but will do so in the future,” he explains. “What frameworks do we agree on for this? And how do we ensure that the choices we make are in line with our public values?” One thing is clear, according to Haye: “AI policy is something we're making together.”
According to Haye, the discussion surrounding AI is emphatically not just about rules and risks. “Of course, AI offers opportunities. Within the university of applied sciences, we have drawn up 10 guiding principles that are in line with the European AI Regulation and privacy legislation. In addition, we are also looking at ethics, sustainability, and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. How does Hanze incorporate all these aspects into, for example, updated AI policy and tendering processes, and into the selection of AI applications?”
Haye Jukema holding the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
Inspiration, knowledge-sharing and networking at Onderwijsdagen
Another challenge is knowledge sharing. Many initiatives spring up within study programmes and teaching teams, but they are often unaware of one another. “Some projects are very similar. In such cases, it’s interesting to see how we can share experiences and whether something valuable for the whole university of applied sciences might emerge from that.”
Of course, you see the same thing at national level too. That is precisely why Haye is once again looking forward to SURF’s Onderwijsdagen. He has attended several previous editions and has himself led a session on evidence-informed educational innovation in the past. For him, the Onderwijsdagen offer a unique combination of inspiration, knowledge-sharing and networking. The discussions with colleagues from other institutions are particularly rewarding. “I find that other organisations are facing the same challenges. Or, conversely, that someone somewhere has found a solution to a problem we’re still grappling with.”
“Although every institution has its own context, many policy questions turn out to be surprisingly similar.”
The same applies to AI. “Although every institution has its own context, many policy questions turn out to be surprisingly similar.” That is why Haye, together with 2 colleagues, Maaike Koller from Saxion and Sanderijn Kuijvenhoven from SURF, has submitted a session for the upcoming Onderwijsdagen entitled ‘AI policy is something we’re making together’. “I find the collaborative learning around future-proof AI policy incredibly interesting. Ultimately, there are many similarities between vocational, higher professional and university institutions: the context differs, but the issues are quite similar.”
Returning home with a fresh perspective
When does Haye consider the Onderwijsdagen a success? He laughs: “Actually, they always are. Precisely because there’s so much opportunity to meet people between sessions.” Yet he does have one clear yardstick. “I go home satisfied if I’ve learnt something new that we can take forward within Hanze. Then it has immediate value.”
And for anyone who’s hesitating because of a busy schedule, he has some further advice. “Sometimes I think to myself: it’s busy, can I really fit this in? But once I’m there, I realise it’s also a chance to slow down. To pause for a moment and reflect on what’s happening in education and where we’re heading. That means you look at your own work with fresh eyes afterwards.”
Text: Brigitte Bloem
Photos: De Beeldredaktie
Will you be joining us at the SURF Onderwijsdagen 2026?
The SURF Onderwijsdagen will take place on 10 and 11 November 2026 at Amare, The Hague. Over the course of two days, education professionals from across the country will come together to discuss digital innovation, educational reform, collaboration and the future of education.