Carolien Kroeze on Dies Natalis 2026: 'Understanding our past is the basis for fair and equitable science'

'WUR has been an institution with a global mission for 108 years. To continue fulfilling that role in the future, we need to reflect on our place on the global stage and our connection to the world around us. Our history has run parallel to that of the Netherlands, from colonial and tropical to today’s leading international university. Reflecting on that development strengthens our current research. Because our mission naturally extends beyond the Netherlands. The world around us has changed enormously over time, and so has our role in it.'

During the Dies, historian Larissa Schulte Nordholt will present her independent research, commissioned by the Executive Board, into Wageningen's role in colonial times. This summer, she will publish her findings in a book. 'It is a university’s responsibility to know its own history well,' says Kroeze. 'Parts of the book are about things that we are not proud of. The research shows that our current knowledge base has been built in part on practices from that era, in which the contribution of local populations often remained invisible. By mapping this out now, space opens up for a new perspective. And we must realise that the current world, with the inequalities and power relations we know today, originated in those times.'

Kroeze emphasises that this insight is essential to WUR's current strategy. 'When we talk about Shaping Responsible Change, we are also talking about equality. In many of our current projects, local knowledge is not a side issue, but an essential part of the solution. We want to learn from the past to be better partners today.' During the Dies, these themes will be addressed by Aarti Gupta, Professor of Global Environmental Governance. PhD candidates Mukoma Kilakila and Stellamaris Aju will also speak, sharing their research from Tanzania and Nigeria that builds on local knowledge. 

'Our students are being educated for a world in which global sustainability issues and justice are inextricably linked. During the Dies, Bert Bruins (programme director International Land & Water Management) will show how he shapes his teaching. We offer students the tools they need to make a difference as responsible changemakers. I invite everyone to come to this Dies with an open heart and an open mind: to learn from the past and to be inspired by solutions for the future.'