We create a transformative university space where academic failures are shared honestly, fostering an honest community.
In December 2024, the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) hosted a new edition of Fuckup Nights, continuing a collaboration that has led to three unique events.
The goal was clear: to offer a meaningful alternative to traditional year-end activities, creating a safe and empathetic space for PhD students to share stories of failure and vulnerability, fostering a more honest and human culture within the university, and building community among students.
The VUB organizing team contacted us with a special request:
“We want a small-scale social event for PhD students, where they can hear stories of failure from members of their own academic community.”
The goal was to reduce academic pressure and promote a more empathetic university community by sharing failures as a powerful tool for learning and personal growth.
Through a Private Fuckup Nights Event, we co-created an experience centered on real stories of failures related to academic life.
We adapted our format to integrate different profiles of the university environment (researchers, teachers and PhDs) and designed the event on a small scale, to facilitate vulnerability and honest conversation among attendees.
The edition featured three speakers - Jan De Beule, Jana Goyvaerts and Bert Quintiens - who shared very complex moments in their careers, and openly discussed what went wrong and what they learned along the way.
Through their stories, they shared their most vulnerable moments openly and empathetically.
Dr. Jan De Beule. Professor in the Department of Mathematics and Data Science at VUB, described how the unexpected resignation of a PhD student directly affected the use of his initial research fund.
“I learned that managing people is about much more than evaluating their technical skills.”
Jana Goyvaerts. PhD in Media and Communication Studies, professor and researcher, revealed the contrast between her apparent success and an internal struggle with insecurity that led to a mental health crisis.
“Four years after starting the PhD, I hit the wall of my mental resilience.”
The event took place on December 19, 2024 at VUB's main campus, just before the Christmas holidays.
The experience was received by students as a much-needed breath of fresh air. At the end of the event, several attendees felt inspired to share their own stories on the wall of failures.
“Several people thanked us for finally talking about these experiences in such an open and empathetic way.”
The collaboration between VUB and Fuckup Nights showed that even in universities it’s possible to humanize success and turn fear of failure into learning opportunities.
With the participation of various members of the academic community, the goal of connecting through vulnerability and strengthening the sense of community was achieved.
This experience helped VUB advance its mission as an Engaged Urban University: sharing scientific knowledge, fostering critical thinking, and generating local and global impact.
It was part of their public program, which seeks to promote dialogue as the first step in transforming the world and contributing to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
%20(1).png)
Jan De Beule
Professor in the Department of Mathematics and Data Science at VUB, expert in finite geometry and graph theory, with international experience in research and teaching. He enjoys music, cooking, hiking, and reading.
Jana Goyvaerts
Guest Professor in the Department of Communication Studies at VUB. Her research focuses on discourse, democracy, and popular culture. She is also an amateur actress, politically active, and a cat lover.
Bert Quintiens
Scientific collaborator specialized in End-of-Life Care.
Edited by
Karla Ferreira
.svg)
Let's transform our perception of failure and use it as a catalyst for growth.
%20(1).jpg)
.jpg)
%20(1).jpg)
.png)
.jpg)