During the first months after its instalment the taskforce will be taking stock of current initiatives and cultural aspects of social safety in all layers of the organisation. The overview will identify good practices as well as blind spots in policy and culture and serve as a basis for developing further steps.

Taskforce members

Caroline Kroon

• Professor of Latin Language and Literature / Head of ACASA (Amsterdam Centre for Ancient Studies and Archaeology), Faculty of Humanities 
• Focus within Taskforce: ‘Strengthening the Organisation and Prevention’; social safety and academic staff; social safety and leadership

Why is social safety an important topic?

'Social safety is the most important precondition to allow both individuals and teams to perform well. At the same time, it's a topic that most people prefer to avoid. Raising the subject of social safety in a meaningful manner typically only works in environments that are quite safe to begin with.  We are all aware of examples of unsafe situations, for ourselves or for others, in our own immediate surroundings, but we are insufficiently aware of the scale, nature and impact of the problem.'  

Jan Dijk

• Director of Operational Management, Faculty of Law
• Focus within Taskforce: Monitoring

Why is social safety an important topic?

'Particularly in a competitive environment such as a university, it is vital that we treat each other respectfully, and that unsafe situations can be discussed in a safe manner.' 

Kim van Gennip

• Head of Department of Student Counsellors and Student Psychologists (Student Services)
• Focus within Taskforce: ‘Relationships Between Students and Staff, and Staff Interrelations (with a special focus on Support and Management Staff)’

Why is social safety an important topic?

‘Social safety is something that affects everyone in the workplace. It is crucial that students and staff feel appreciated, respected and safe. These three values are the foundations of constructive and professional collaboration in which everyone knows exactly what their duties and responsibilities are. I feel it's important that we have an ongoing dialogue, in which we give each other feedback and so broach tricky or sensitive subjects as a matter of course.'

Linda de Vries

• Secretary, ACTA Graduate School
• Focus within Taskforce: ‘physical and online safety’

Why is social safety an important topic?

'Because it concerns trust and safety, and the most important component is credible, reliable and engaged managers at all layers of the university or faculty. Being part of a group (department, academic staff, support and management staff, management team, etc.) gives people an increased sense of safety and security, and thus gives them a greater sense of protection.  This will motivate people to achieve something together, and to be there for each other. People start feeling unsafe when deviations from this standard are allowed to occur, people become cautious and no longer support each other.

Liza Mügge

• Associate Professor in Political Science
• Chair of Taskforce

Why is social safety an important topic?

'Social safety touches an organisation's soul. It affects every employee and every student. Social safety is an integral part of power relations between all members of the UvA community – staff and students alike. It precedes everything we do in research, education and support. If something is amiss here, things fall apart. I would be very proud, as a member of the UvA community, to contribute to improved social safety for all our employees, PhD students and students.'

Malou Sprinkhuizen

• Third-year Biomedical Sciences student
• Focus point within Taskforce: ‘physical and online safety’, student's perspective

Why is social safety an important topic?

'Social safety is an important theme to focus on because it concerns everyone within the university. People struggle if they don't feel safe. The UvA should be more than a place where people just work or study. It should be a place where people feel safe and at home. At the moment, not enough is being done to give all people this sense of safety. There are too many incidents that are being reported, and also too many incidents that aren't being reported. So it's vital that social safety is now being discussed so seriously at UvA, and that problems are being addressed.'

Peter Snoeren

Introduction will follow.