Jörn Fricke on the topic of Leisure in a Social Context

A journey across continents

I was born in Germany, and due to my father's work, our family relocated every three to four years. This resulted in me spending half of my childhood and teenage years in the United States and Belgium before commencing my studies in Human Geography at the University of Trier. An Erasmus exchange with Utrecht University brought me to the Netherlands in 1998, and since then, I have called this country my home (with occasional stays abroad). My husband and I eventually moved to Breda in 2016, and we truly enjoy life in this beautiful city, which is close to the seaside, major cities in the Netherlands and Belgium, and also near some charming countryside and nature.
 

Leisure as a catalyst for community resilience

The title of my professorship is ‘Leisure in a Social Context’, which – as the name suggests – offers an incredibly wide range of opportunities. Based on my personal interests and previous activities, I naturally want to focus on aspects where I feel I can contribute meaningful work through research and education. My interests lie in the field of leisure as a ‘bridge builder’ or ‘door opener’ for people and communities. Given the social, economic, and environmental challenges facing our societies, I hope to help our communities thrive and build resilience through leisure experiences.

Collective action

I hope to stimulate and inspire our students, colleagues, and the various partners involved in and around the projects to join in this quest to see the positive impact that leisure activities can and should have. This needs to happen locally, for instance, in and around Breda, as well as nationally and internationally. If we come together with the right mindset and a shared vision to engage with each other meaningfully, these projects should unite people from all walks of life to find creative solutions.

Finding common ground between our inauguration talks

All three of us are aware that the interplay between the digital world and our societies has had, and will continue to have, a profound impact on our lives. In my view, recognising and harnessing the positive potential of the digital realm and AI, while at the same time raising awareness of the risks and threats they can pose, is essential not only for these three professorships, but for all the BUas professorships, as we work together on a shared vision of what we want to achieve. If you ask me, this critical approach to the opportunities and challenges facing our societies is the common ground that drives us, and we can only have an impact if we work together to find solutions.

Date and location
The Inaugural Ceremony will take place on Tuesday 15 April 2025, from 15.00 to 18.00 hrs, on the campus of Breda University of Applied Sciences. 

Registration 
Want to join this special event? Please make sure to register as soon as possible because places are limited. You can register by filling in this form. Please register before 7 April 2025.

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