Gabrielle van den Berg: "We can raise our profile"
Gabrielle van den Berg became the Academic Director of LIAS on 1 September 2025: “I hope I’ll be able to make a real difference.”
Van den Berg steps into the role at a turbulent moment. When she was first approached, a faculty reorganisation was still being discussed—one that would have cut several LIAS-related specialisations. “I did what I could to oppose that plan,” she says. “But as Academic Director, I think I can have a greater impact.”
Fewer courses
Although the faculty’s financial situation has improved, cuts are still needed. “We are relieved that the reorganisation with compulsory redundancies has been taken off the table for now,” Van den Berg explains. “But changes are still necessary to get us back on track. No one will have to leave, so we’re able to keep all our expertise, but our degree programmes will have to be reduced. That is a bitter pill to swallow.”
The downsizing is meant to secure the institute’s long-term future. “The challenge is to ensure that LIAS can continue to function with the staff we have, even as people eventually leave through natural attrition. We have to avoid slipping into deficit—even though that is not entirely within our control. One very positive point is that LIAS has been extremely successful in securing research grants in recent years. Projects have been funded across Asian Studies, Ancient Near Eastern Studies, Middle Eastern Studies, and Religious Studies. Strong research is essential, not least for the programmes we offer. Unfortunately, not all programmes housed in LIAS attract large numbers of students. We would like to see that change, but at the same time we are responsible for maintaining disciplines that are unique within the Netherlands through high-quality teaching.”
Looking outward
To preserve as much of LIAS’ unique expertise as possible, Van den Berg wants the institute to engage more with the world around it. “Nearly every staff member is already involved in some form of public outreach. If people ask for our expertise — whether in the media, government, or the cultural sector — we are always eager to contribute. I want to make those efforts more visible and, where possible, better coordinated. A great deal happens at LIAS, often in collaboration with partners such as the National Museum of Antiquities, the Leiden Asia Centre, NINO, and the University Library. I would like those activities to reach a wider audience and to showcase the richness of our research.”
Van den Berg also sees opportunities for stronger cooperation within the Faculty. “We already collaborate informally quite a lot, but the current structure of separate institutes and programmes can make things difficult, not least because of how the finances are organised. It would be wonderful if we could remove some of those obstacles to make collaboration easier and more effective.”