WILLEMSTAD - The University of Curaçao (UoC) has announced an ambitious new direction centered on the theme of planetary health, an emerging academic field that treats the health of humans and the environment as one interconnected system.
The announcement was made by Rector Magnificus Stella van Rijn during the international conference “Christianity and Slavery in the Dutch Caribbean Islands, Suriname, and the Netherlands,” held this week in Willemstad.
According to Van Rijn, the current global environmental crisis — marked by climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution, and social inequality — demands an academic approach that goes beyond the boundaries of traditional public health.
“We aim to connect education and research directly with care for the ecosystems of which humans are an integral part,” said the rector.
Learning from history and local knowledge
Van Rijn emphasized that this focus also reflects the historical realities of the Caribbean region. She noted that colonization and slavery not only inflicted deep wounds on people but also damaged the relationship between humans and nature.
By embracing planetary health, the university seeks to contribute to healing that historical divide and to recover local and Indigenous knowledge about sustainable living and community resilience.
Research rooted in Curaçao’s society
In the coming years, the UoC plans to expand research that listens more closely to stories and experiences from local communities, bridging scientific inquiry and traditional wisdom.
Students will be trained not only to master academic knowledge but also to take responsibility for their communities, their environment, and future generations.
“Curaçao has a special role to play,” Van Rijn said. “As an island with deep-rooted communities that have maintained resilience and a strong connection to their surroundings, we can lead in redefining how we understand health, culture, and sustainability.”
Through this new focus on planetary health, the University of Curaçao aims to bring science, culture, and heritage closer together — contributing to a more sustainable and inclusive future for the Caribbean islands.