18 December 2024

You blink, and before you know it, another year has gone by. I clearly remember this time last year, when I addressed the Health, Medical, and Neuropsychology (GMN) unit to announce that I would take on the role of Scientific Director starting in February. In my naïveté, I briefly thought that this would mean I wouldn’t be responsible for the end of year speech anymore. For a moment, a weight was lifted from my shoulders—a wrong assumption of course, because I realised that in my new role my speech would be for an even larger and broader group of people.

So, last week, as I reflected on what I wanted to say to you today (red. End of Year Celebration Psychology, 16 December), I found myself asking: why do I consider this end of year speech such a "big deal"? Believe me, it’s not because I’m afraid to speak in public. You are all my colleagues, each one of you people I enjoy working with, the group with whom we shape and keep this wonderful Institute running.

'Everyone here—and those who couldn’t be here today—plays a unique role within our Institute. Together, we form the links in a larger chain.'

The challenge for me lies in finding the right words to make sure everyone feels seen and appreciated. So, let me begin by expressing my sincere gratitude. Everyone here—and those who couldn’t be here today—plays a unique role within our Institute. Together, we form the links in a larger chain. Whether you support the units and departments, represent us in the media, inspire students with your lectures, work with PhD candidates and postdocs on complex questions, or treat patients across the street, we are one big team: Team Institute of Psychology.

I firmly believe that, together, we make a difference and we make Psychology Leiden truly unique. So, a big thank you to everyone for your dedication, contributions, and hard work.

And while today, I want to focus on the positive, we can’t ignore the challenges we face. Universities in the Netherlands are struggling, and our team—our Institute—feels the effects as well, now and in the time to come. Yet, I am confident that, as this incredible team, we can overcome these challenges. Not the least because of the way we constructed our team: we have knowledge about financial stress which may come in handy at some point, and job satisfaction, and work engagement are topics studied extensively within our Institute. And if things were to go completely wrong—though, of course, we are truly not going to need this—we even have trauma treatment expertise within arm’s reach. I am hoping we would get priority treatment. All joking aside, with all the brilliant minds and relevant expertise within our Institute, we should be more than capable of handling these challenges. So let’s make sure we draw on this expertise to its fullest potential!

As we face these professional challenges together, it’s also important to remember the personal challenges each of us encounter. Having to undergo emergency surgery myself very recently was a strong reminder of how central our physical and mental health are to everything we do. Often, we aren’t fully aware of this or take it for granted—at least, I know I did. For me, it was certainly an eye-opener.

'Take care of yourself, and where possible, take care of each other.'

I hope that this holiday season gives all of us the chance to reflect on our own wellbeing and make it a top priority in 2025. Now, more than ever, our health and resilience are essential. Take care of yourself, and where possible, take care of each other.

Let’s close this year with pride for everything we have achieved together and look forward to 2025 with confidence. I believe in this team and in the strength of our collaboration. Together, we can not only face challenges but also continue to build our Institute, advance our knowledge, and inspire future generations.

I wish you all a warm and joyful holiday break and a happy and fulfilling New Year. Thank you for everything you do, and see you back in January!

Hanneke Hulst
Scientific Director