Sanna Dijk (HvA):
“The real challenge lies in collaboration and subject-specific technology”
Digitalisation in higher education is no longer simply about a learning management system (LMS), a student information system, or adding even more applications. The real challenge over the coming years lies elsewhere. Sanna Dijk, information manager at Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences (HvA), advocates for collaboration and for supporting subject-specific technologies that align with professional practice.
Sanna Dijk
Sanna is leading the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences’ (HvA) multi-year digital plan. A key driver for this was the internal fragmentation that many educational institutions will recognise. “By implementing this plan, we are creating greater connectivity between faculties, services and support functions to better facilitate lecturers and students.” The plan revolves around two clear pillars. The first is the standardisation of educational support. “We can see that we’re wasting a lot of money if every faculty operates in its own way. National developments such as Npuls, with its associated infrastructure, are also making progress in this area,” explains Sanna.
But what she actually considers even more important is subject-specific IT. “As an educational institution, we need to be able to respond much more quickly to the needs of degree programmes,” she says. “Our graduate students will soon be working with AI, simulation software, robots or electronic patient records. We must ensure that this technology is available in education in a structured, secure and up-to-date manner.”
Tangible initiatives for improvement
According to her, the biggest challenge is not technology, but organisational culture. “If we work together to implement changes and keep at it, we can make progress.” This requires support and concrete results. The HvA is increasingly seeking to link policy development to tangible initiatives for improvement.
One example is software adoption. “We want to better understand what tools we have, how they are used, how we can speed things up, and how we can best support students and lecturers. We also involve students in the process. This yields surprisingly practical insights.” Sanna hopes to get things moving in this way. “Providing direction, helping where necessary, and then giving the people within the organisation themselves the space to take it forward.”
“Of course, the context differs from one organisation to another, but there’s so much we can learn from one another”
Students as a compass
If there is one topic that Sanna would like to see given greater prominence in discussions about educational innovation, it is the voice of students. She cites the rapid rise of AI as an example. Students sometimes turn out to be far ahead of what institutions realise. “I recently spoke to an IT student who had built his own AI tutor to develop his skills outside of lessons. Stories like that show just how quickly things are changing in practice.”
In her view, educational institutions should listen to students more often. Their perspective is essential for shaping future policy: “We can draw up all sorts of wonderful plans, but ultimately we’re doing it for them.”
Sustainable connections
Sanna notes that the challenges facing educational institutions are very similar. “Budgets are under pressure, technology is developing at breakneck speed and the labour market is constantly changing. In the coming years, IT departments within educational institutions will have a huge amount of work to do.”
In her view, collaboration between institutions is therefore not a luxury, but a necessity. “Of course, the context differs from one organisation to another, but there is so much we can learn from one another. Sometimes it’s about a technical solution, sometimes a policy choice or a way to organise decision-making more effectively.”
“Meeting new people from your field: that’s the strength of the SURF Onderwijsdagen”
New connections, the same challenges
For her, that is precisely where the strength of the SURF Onderwijsdagen lies: not only in the sessions and presentations offering new insights and practical solutions, but also in the opportunities to meet professionals from across the education sector. “You talk to people who are facing the same challenges as you. Sometimes you discover that another institution has already solved a problem that you’re still grappling with. That’s hugely instructive.”
Following the previous edition of the Onderwijsdagen, Sanna has already found that the event offers an excellent opportunity to build lasting relationships. “The best outcome is often that you get to know new people – people you can call later on because they have experience with the same issues. Such contacts are extremely valuable.”
Text: Brigitte Bloem
Photos: Sicco van Grieken
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.