Although it looks like programmes that were initially set to close might remain open, such as German and French, others programmes will still disappear, including the bachelor programme Italian Language and Culture and the research masters African Studies and Latin American Studies. Even programmes that remain open will have to reduce the number of courses and offer larger courses shared between programmes. It is as of yet uncertain whether the Faculty will have to fire personnel to achieve the required reduction.

At the moment, conversations about these cuts mostly happen within the Faculty of Humanities in isolation. The Faculty’s plans seem to focus inwards, on how to cut costs, rather than outwards, on how to collaborate more effectively across faculties. But the rest of the university cannot just watch passively: we need the humanities. We need the humanities in our research, our education, and in societal outreach. Both interdisciplinarity and outreach are core pillars of the Young Academy Leiden, which are of crucial importance to academia as a whole. Let us not forget those ideals in times of need!

It is true that other faculties and universities can also expect a decrease in funds. Protests against these cuts are currently being planned, with plans for strikes in Leiden on March 10th. However, it is historically the case that the humanities disproportionally bear the brunt of such cuts, in the Netherlands, as well as in other countries such as the UK and the US. In the short term, this may seem like a problem for the humanities specifically; but in the long run, the decline of the humanities also affect the sciences.

To show the crucial importance of the humanities to the sciences, we have collected a number of stories from YAL members to illustrate the connections between their work and humanities research. We hope those stories will awaken and further increase cross-faculty solidarity across our university. The sciences and the humanities need each other—and society needs us both.

Let me start with my own experience: I am currently involved in a new minor programme offered by the Faculty of of Science, ​​’The Mysterious Reality’, which offers an introduction to contemporary physics aimed at non-science students. Given the prominence of theories such as quantum mechanics and their applications in society, it is of vital importance that students in the social sciences and humanities can understand how those theories work. Conversely, scientists should think about the broader implications of their theories. The minor will not just explain those theories in an accessible way, but also highlight their practical and philosophical aspects. For example, the minor will consider ethical issues around quantum technology as well as fundamental questions about our place in the universe. To achieve this, collaboration with colleagues across the faculties is necessary. We need to learn from each other both in terms of content (which questions are of interest?) and form (how to teach this material to a diverse group of students?). I personally see such inter-faculty collaborations as an important part of the future of the university.

Other YAL members have similar experiences. Julia Cramer explains how different perspectives from different faculties are vital to her research:

Julia Cramer: "I am a physicist and science communication researcher at the Faculty of Science, studying the impact of quantum science and technology. Our research explores topics such as framing and metaphors, which require deep expertise in linguistics. To achieve this, we rely heavily on knowledge and methodologies from the humanities. Collaboration with the humanities is integral to my work. In fact, my research group includes a postdoctoral researcher with a PhD in linguistics, Dunja Wackers. Together with Roosmaryn Pilgram, we secured a KIEM grant from Leiden University, which supports interdisciplinary collaboration across faculties. As part of this project, we hired two student assistants—one from the humanities and one from the sciences—to study metaphors and metaphor resistance in discussions about quantum science and technology on social media. These interactions and collaborations not only enhance our research but also foster a deeper mutual understanding between disciplines. I believe they exemplify the strength of a broad, interdisciplinary university like Leiden University."

Not only are such collaborations vital to our university, but perspectives from humanities are essential to understand the scope of effects that some innovations may have, and may be involved in far-reaching decisions about what (medical) science can and can not do. Nienke de Graeff expresses this perspective:

Nienke de Graeff: "The humanities play a crucial role in assessing the ethical implications of emerging biomedical technologies. As scientific advancements such as embryo models, stem cell research, genetic modification, and regenerative medicine continue to push the boundaries of what is possible, the humanities provide essential frameworks to analyze their broader impact on individuals, societies, and moral values.

Philosophy, history, and sociology, for instance, help contextualize ethical debates by drawing on past and present ethical controversies. Philosophical analysis amongst others facilitates reflections on what novel entities are as well as what moral status should be attributed to them, which is directly relevant to policy-making. Whether and when stem-cell based embryo models are (not) classified as embryos, for instance, impacts what research is and is not allowed and under which conditions. Historical insights reveal how scientific breakthroughs have been received in different eras, shedding light on the ethical and social dynamics at play. Meanwhile, qualitative and sociological research can help us to understand how public perception, policy, and social inequalities influence and are influenced by biomedical innovation.

Research in the humanities also fosters interdisciplinary dialogue, ensuring that ethical considerations are not merely reactive but proactively integrated into scientific development. This is particularly relevant in the context of emerging biomedical technologies, whose development sometimes outpaces regulation. The humanities help articulate normative boundaries, engage with public values, and offer critical perspectives that foster just scientific progress.

In my work at the Department of Medical Ethics & Health Law at the LUMC, I explore these questions by examining the ethics of cutting-edge biomedical research. By integrating perspectives from ethics, law, and the humanities, we can develop robust ethical guidelines that not only address immediate concerns but also anticipate long-term societal implications. Ultimately, the humanities help to facilitate biomedical innovation that remains aligned with ethical principles, fostering the responsible development of emerging biomedical technologies."

Sometimes, rapid innovation and new technologies create questions that cannot be answered by scientists themselves, but instead need input from the humanities to provide answers:

Ahmed Mahfouz: "As computational biologists, we often find ourselves immersed in a world of algorithms and data. However, our field's most challenging questions rarely find their answers in code alone. The intersection of computational biology with human lives, societies, and values demands engagement with humanities and ethical frameworks.

Consider genetic testing, where technical capability outpaces our ethical framework. While we can identify thousands of genetic variants in an individual's genome, we face profound questions about responsible disclosure. Should we report variants associated with conditions that currently have no treatment? What about genetic findings that may become actionable in the future? These questions touch on fundamental human rights, individual autonomy, and medical ethics. The rise of consumer genetic testing adds another layer of complexity – when individuals share their genetic data, they inadvertently reveal information about their biological relatives. This challenges our traditional notions of personal privacy and consent.

The ethical dimensions become even more apparent in population-scale genetic studies. Large-scale genomic initiatives generate unprecedented insights into human genetic variation. However, these findings can be misappropriated to support harmful ideologies. As researchers, we must consider how our work might be misinterpreted or misused. This raises crucial questions about our responsibility in communicating results and their implications.

The humanities provide essential tools for navigating these challenges. Philosophy helps us reason about ethical dilemmas, sociology illuminates the social impacts of our work, and history teaches us about past misuses of genetic information. For computational biology to truly serve humanity, we must embrace this interdisciplinary dialogue. Our algorithms may process the data, but understanding their implications requires the wisdom of the humanities."

In a world that is quickly becoming more complex, the humanities can provide a means of understanding this complexity and explaining it as part of a larger picture of the human world:

Jan van Rijn: "My field of research is artificial intelligence, which is a field that is changing the world rapidly, including the way how we interact with each other. While digital platforms offer great opportunities in developing techniques and systems that can aid us in ways previously unimaginable, and allow us to extend and interact with larger communities of other humans, they also come with new challenges that we need to face, for example:

• Jobs that were previously performed by active members of society, will potentially be automated, leaving the previously active members of society in search for a new (type of) job or purpose.

• The increased spread of (mis)information through aforementioned communities and networks

• Techniques like large language models have left an impact on the way our students process information and the way we teach, for better or for worse.

With the new opportunities and dynamics that these techniques bring, comes the responsibility for me and other researchers to ensure that they are implemented wisely in society, emphasising respect for human life and what it means to be human.

The mission of the Leiden Humanities faculty is to reflect on how people understand the world, how they interact with it and create it, and this fits these current challenges perfectly. Humanities studies the systems created by humans, either philosophy, religion, art or languages. One important question is how our society organises itself before, during and after these big system changes. At Leiden University, we have an excellent track record integrating AI-based questions across the various faculties (e.g., through the SAILS network in which I have been embedded), and with a strong humanities faculty, we can address these challenges as a society."

The humanities in Leiden are not just found within the Humanities faculty, but are interwoven throughout the entire university. The diminishment of the humanities therefore means the diminishment of the university as a whole, because it will affect the university’s ability to carry out research from a broad perspective and adapt to unforeseen innovations. The humanities are everywhere, and that is exactly where we need them.