How many gifted people does the UT have?
‘As far as I know, we do not keep those statistics, so it is hard to say. I do think the university hosts many people with a high level of intelligence. But there is a difference between having a high IQ and being gifted. Within ANDY’s, the community for so‑called neurodivergent students, we have quite a few gifted people. I have never taken a test myself, but after all these years I think it is safe to say that I belong in that category.’
What ‘characterises’ a gifted person?
‘They tend to be smart, inventive, and curious, often with a strong sense of justice, and they usually excel in multiple areas. What you often see is that they take a different path, sometimes at a very young age. They do not always fit well within the educational system with all its structures and formats. Some burn out completely because of it. It can also harm their self‑image, because they can encounter prejudice.
If you take an average IQ of one hundred and subtract forty‑five points, you see that society has built a system for people at that level, probably in the form of institutional care. Now add forty‑five points to one hundred: that is how far gifted people tend to deviate from the norm. The difference is that they usually manage to adapt to the system, which makes it less visible.’
A missed opportunity?
‘Absolutely. If gifted people cannot flourish, an enormous amount of social capital goes unused. You must ensure that they are not forced to jump through endless hoops and instead help them reach their potential. I recently visited the National Police, where they are running a project to identify and better utilise neurodivergence within the force. The aim is to unlock brilliant ideas for complex challenges. It is not a disability; it simply deviates from the norm.’
Where can the UT improve its support for neurodivergent students?
‘Sometimes the issues are very practical. Take study spaces, for instance. I supervised a student whose thesis focused on physical study environments. At the UT, these spaces are usually similar: seats in an open area. That may work for many students, but not everyone can handle noise, sensory input, or other forms of distraction. If your mind fills up quickly, or if you are highly associative and everything around you comes in intensely and unfiltered, you probably need a different type of environment.
A university is a very cognitively oriented place. We focus on logical‑mathematical and verbal‑linguistic intelligence. We expect students to master mathematics and write many reports. That does not work for everyone. A colleague once had a student who built a fully functioning, drivable car. Some students express themselves better through visuals or by creating something rather than writing. Our assessment methods are not well suited to that.’
We have an honours programme and a university college. Are those not already suitable forms?
‘Partly. I was involved in honours education myself, but I also see in students’ motivations that status plays a role. For gifted students, that extra distinction is usually not the goal. It is not about excellence or being better than others. The ATLAS philosophy aligns much more closely with gifted students: shaping your own learning trajectory and organising it flexibly. We could apply the ATLAS concept much more widely at the UT.’
ANDY’s, the community for neurodivergent members of the UT community, has existed for three years now. What can it offer students?
‘It is still a small group and things were a bit quiet for a while. But activities have recently picked up again, with three meet‑ups and a WhatsApp group alongside the Discord server. People are very welcome to join. I notice a need to be recognised. Whether you have ADHD, autism, high sensitivity, or giftedness, it helps to have a safe space where you feel welcome.
There is talk of making ANDY’s an association. I hope it will at least gain more of a representative role within the UT. I am sure there are good intentions at the UT to better support neurodivergent students. But it helps to start with the question: what do they need? And you must ask that question to the people concerned.’
What can fellow students or colleagues do to help a gifted person thrive?
‘I think we should avoid asking what counts as normal behaviour. That framing is unproductive. You need to look at what an individual requires in order to flourish. We have started a project in primary schools to observe how pupils interact. It comes down to mutual understanding: what do people need from one another? That is not about normative judgement. It requires looking beyond one dominant, majority group that sets the rules for how someone should behave.’
Finally: does a national Week of Giftedness, which starts tomorrow, help create more understanding?
‘I am not a communication expert, so I cannot say for sure. Making it visible and recognisable may help create momentum. We are in a sort of transition phase, where labelling and categorising make clear what challenges a minority faces. In the future, I hope we no longer need such categorisation.’
