On 20 January 2026, researchers from the PDPC and Athena Institute VU Amsterdam organized a workshop to discuss school closures during a potential pandemic with students from Vocational Education and Training (mbo) at the Albeda college in Rotterdam. The aim of the workshop was to discuss what additional measures and communication can be organized to better accommodate mbo students in future crises. Findings from this session were further discussed with the students in a follow-up meeting on 3 February 2026, to develop new communication strategies.

The workshop on 20 January brought together 31 students and 12 scientists and professionals from governmental organizations to discuss the impact of school closures in the context of a fictional pandemic. With ‘keep distance’-signs around the room and participants wearing mouthmasks and gloves, the workshop immersed everyone in a make-believe pandemic. The meeting started with a video that posed a fictitious yet realistic new pandemic due to a virus named ‘AREV-27’. The video showed how quickly the fictional virus spread, the number of casualties, the subsequent lockdowns – followed by a discussion on how such a pandemic could affect mbo students if it were real. In the discussions, students, scientists and professionals with various backgrounds were encouraged to share their perspective on both the fictional scenario and their experiences with the COVID-19 pandemic. This provided comprehensive insight into the different impacts of school closures on, for example, student mental health and their education.

After this, participants could explore the room, where museum-style displays showcased possible lived-experiences in a pandemic represented by fictional characters. This allowed the students and scientists to get into the creative headspace to discuss more in-depth what the government, scientists, schools and students themselves can do or organize to improve the lives of mbo students during crises.

Important take aways

The workshop generated several meaningful preliminary insights. For example, project lead Tomris Cesuroglu noted that the discussions highlighted the wide range of student perspectives. In particular, students’ responses to potential school closures varied considerably: while some said they thought they could adapt to short term school closures, others said such measures would significantly disrupt their daily lives due to the loss of structure and companionship that school provides. In addition, students differed in their communication needs, including preferred communication channels, trusted sources, and the desired level of detail in the information provided. This suggests that even within a single mbo college, a one-size-fits-all approach is insufficient when it comes to communication strategies and compensatory measures.

In a follow up meeting on 3 February, students were asked to discuss the findings from the first workshop in smaller groups, and develop communication strategies that are tailored to their wants and needs. Mbo students explained that they would like communications to include a combination of warning people about risks and a hopeful and positive – but realistic – outlook. Furthermore, the recommendations on how they can adapt in their study and personal life should be clear. It would be ideal if, for example, schools can provide additional communication about what the lockdown means for the students and what they can/should do in such a situation, as well as providing necessary support.

All in all, the workshop and follow-up meeting facilitated an important exchange between researchers and mbo students. For the students, the workshops counted as a voluntary study component focused on presenting and expressing oneself in a non-college context. Through participation and a reflective report, students examined how they shared their perspectives, felt invited to speak, and supported others in the discussions. For researchers, the meetings provided a wealth of insight into crisis communication tailored to mbo students. In-depth analysis of the conversations and discussions, and subsequent translation of the insights to recommendations for policy makers will be done in March.

This project is part of an NWA Science Communication grant. The applicants of the project are Tomris Cesuroglu (PDPC, project lead), Charlotte Waltz (Erasmus School of Social and Behavioural Sciences, EUR), Marjoleine van der Meij (Athena Institute, VU Amsterdam), Lois van Eck (PDPC), Anja Schreijer (PDPC) and Patrica Bruijning-Verhagen (UMC Utrecht). Experts from the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW), AJN Youth Doctors Netherlands, SEO Economic Research and Municipal Health Services (GGD) were also present at the meetings. Through collaboration with Farida Yekhlef and colleagues from the Albeda College in Rotterdam, and by working together with partners such as the Secondary Vocational Education and Training (mbo) Council and JOB MBO, a broad representation and involvement of the target groups was achieved.