Personal experiences

Johanneke ten Broeke (23) is a Master’s student in Technical Medicine and was a member of her programme’s committee between 2017-2020.  

“UT continuously works on improving its education, and who, better than the students themselves, knows what that takes? I think you can contribute a lot to your programme or faculty by participating in decision-making. You get to guarantee the quality of the education yourself. And the programme becomes much more interesting as you gain a deeper understanding of the ideas behind it.”

Sharing your opinion makes a difference

“As a student, you have a completely different perspective on the university than policy-makers do. That’s why it is so important that students share their ideas. We are the ones who experience on a daily basis what does and doesn’t work. Through participatory decision-making, you can discuss things that may have seemed like a nice idea when they were launched, but that are not very successful in practice. Students who want to be a voice for other students are invaluable. That idea really motivated me. I represented a group of people, so I wanted to do what I could with my voice and my influence. 

Fortunately, there is a lot of room at UT for students' opinions and initiatives. For example, as the Programme Committee, we have the right of (non-) approval. So, if we don’t agree with the plans they will not be executed. And if students feel strongly about a certain issue, we can make sure they are given proper attention. That’s how we got a bus to go from UT to the climate march in Amsterdam – because sustainability is such a priority among students. Time and time again in my work on the committee, I’ve seen that choosing to speak up really does make a difference!’

Policy documents became more and more interesting

“In the beginning, simply reading through a policy document was new to me. Over time, I learned a lot about policy-making and how an organisation works. The policy documents helped me understand how much goes into a programme. And the nice thing about this kind of committee is that, on top of the fixed topics, you can choose issues that you find important. If something interests you, you work on it. You discuss it with students and take the initiative. When you do that, even reading policy documents becomes interesting.”

Don’t hesitate, just go for it!

“To students who are thinking about a role like this, I would say: ‘Don’t hesitate, just go for it!’ University policy may feel like something that has nothing to do with you, but how you experience education matters. You are part of the education system, so your input is valuable. Do you want to contribute ideas and have an impact? In just a few hours a week? Then a programme committee is a great place to do that!”

Hamza (22) left Pakistan in 2017 to study at UT. The year in which he was a member of the University Council also marked the completion of his Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering. He currently works in Groningen. Hamza knows one thing for sure: “If I do a Master’s degree, I definitely want to be re-elected!”

“In the year in which I was in the University Council, I was planning to go to Finland for a minor. Everything had already been arranged, so I had no intention of running in the elections for the University Council. Until someone at UReka – one of the University Council parties – asked me about my ideas on internationalisation. Just before that, I had won the More than a Degree Internationalization Award: the theme of internationalisation at the UT was definitely on my agenda. Thanks to that conversation, the University Council became a responsibility I was eager to take up. I saw how international students struggled with a high study load, depression, and the consequences of the 0-15 EC rule. So, I traded my minor in Finland for the University Council and a chance to be a voice for international students – in a position from which I could really change policy. For example, the 0-15 EC rule changed in ‘my’ year. I’m really proud of that!”

As a student, it’s great to be involved in university policy

“As a member of the University Council, you advise the Executive Board on policy for the whole university. There is a real sense of mutual respect. At the same time, you can be really critical and share arguments or concerns from the point of view of students. And you can put forward ideas yourself, too. For example, my group proposed introducing an elective course on Dutch culture. Now, that initiative is almost in the pilot phase.”

It’s amazing how much you can learn in a year

“During my time with the University Council, one thing I learned is that there are always two sides to a situation. For example, I used to consider the lack of available student rooms exclusively from a student’s perspective. Then I discovered how hard the housing department is working to improve the situation. My respect for them changed my perception. The problem became broader than simply students needing accommodation. 

I also learned a lot about Dutch culture. One example is the informal way in which certain things are done here. For my first meeting with the Executive Board, I turned up neatly dressed in a formal suit. Within the year, I had switched to informal online meetings that I attended right after rolling out of bed. Looking for compromise is another typically Dutch trait. People clearly express what they think, even when they disagree. But after that, they will always look for a way to compromise. After a year of working in this way, it became part of my personality. And it has benefitted me in my work as a mechanical engineer, too.”

Be responsible 

“If you are considering joining the University Council, make sure you see it as a responsibility. It isn’t just a fun experience in which you learn more about how the university works; it is your chance and platform for changing things within UT. You also have the great responsibility of having to deliver on your party’s promises. I would definitely do it again!”

WHAT IS THE ADDED VALUE OF EMPLOYEE PARTICIPATION?

Jan-Laurens: “As someone who manages 160 people, I’m not always in the loop on everything that is going on across the organisation. And as ‘the boss’, I don’t always get to hear about everything. So I see the Employee Council as an extra set of eyes and ears. They pick up more information from the organisation than I can on my own. What's really going on in our team? I find that interesting and important to know.”

Gerhard: “I see the Employee Council as the voice of LISA staff for Jan-Laurens. The council is a platform, not a wailing wall. Employees can turn to it if they run into challenges or issues. And we want to use it to take the whole service department a step further.”

HOW DOES AN service council Member know WHAT IS GOING ON?

Gerhard: “We regularly visit each team (virtually), so that the staff know we are available. We are not only here to solve problems. I think it is important that we also build connections between the different teams and that we are open to suggestions. This helps increase the involvement of LISA’s staff. Fortunately, we have a transparent director in Jan-Laurens: he always wants to know our opinions.”

how DOES THE service council CONTRIBUTE TO YOUR WORK AS a DIRECTOR?

Jan-Laurens: “For me, one of the goals of the employee council is to open the door to valuable discussions. Asking questions and giving explanations in a mutual respectful way. This helps us to work together at our beautiful university in an atmosphere of trust and togetherness. I sincerely hope that more people will want to contribute to that.

You can see employee participation as a formal, mandatory part of the organisation. But to me it is a lot more. I see it as a valuable source of information - a sounding board, for example, when we put out tentative proposals. Through the council, I can hear what colleagues think of an idea. Sometimes a decision may seem logical to the MT and myself, but not to the rest of the staff. The employee council is there to tell us that, to help us find out where the objections or resistance are coming from, and to provide additional explanations. Sometimes, questions are more persistent than we expected. In my position, those are the kind of signals I need to take relevant action.”

'The UT is more than your own desk'

WOULD YOU RECOMMEND SIGNING UP FOR AN service COUNCIL?

Gerhard: “It would be good for every employee to participate in decision-making at some point. Even if it is only to experience that the UT is so much bigger than your own desk. It has given me a much better picture of the entire organisation. By being part of an Service Council with different people, I hear different points of view. I deal with subjects that are outside the box for a file clerk and this gives me a broader, richer view.”

Frederik Vos (33) is an Assistant Professor in Business Administration, and since 2020 he is chairman of the Faculty Council of Behavioural Management and Social Sciences (BMS).

“Everyone at UT has their ideas about what can be improved. I do, too. So, when a colleague asked me to join the Faculty Council, I decided to put my opinions into action. Now, if I come across an issue, I can put it on the agenda. For example, the workload, or long-term sustainability. I have the ‘power’ to draw attention to it and to discuss it with people who can help to do something about it.”

Grow your network and increase your visibility

“There are advantages to having a large network within UT. Through the Faculty Council, my name and work are becoming more well-known throughout UT. For example, colleagues come to me to collaborate on research. It’s a like an added reward for my role as a representative. So especially if you are a new employee at the UT, joining a council is a smart step. It’s a way of getting to know people quickly and increasing your own visibility. Students are often more enthusiastic about it than staff, but as of next year the regulations regarding capacity will be clearer. Staff will be able to dedicate ten per cent of their hours to this kind of role. Hopefully that will make it more attractive.”

Being the chair is a fun challenge

‘When we all came together as elected Faculty Council - students and staff - I decided that being chair would be a fun challenge. It was a deliberate choice to take on a responsibility I felt was appropriate for my age, skills, and desire to learn new things. As chairman, I try to work on a participation network within UT, in which employee participation bodies work together, so that we don't all end up doing the same things in different places.

I also want to learn new things, meet more people, and see what others are doing. What does a dean do? How does IT support work? I get to talk to colleagues that I would never have met otherwise, and I also actively collaborate with students. That mix of students and staff is invaluable. We have disagreements and are honest about differences of opinion, but in the end we all have the same interests: better education for students and no overworked employees.”

“Shaping the university”

“Last year, our Faculty Council obviously talked a lot about COVID-19. For example, we asked for a study within the faculty on problems caused by the pandemic among students and staff. As a result of this, we increased the number of available study places, and more attention was paid to motivating students. Now, we would like to carry out a follow-up study on the question: ‘Were our solutions effective?’ This shows that participating in decision-making is about more than simply venting opinions. As a council, we are process-oriented and strategic, and we discuss the faculty's long-term vision with the Faculty Board. Our work is literally about ‘shaping’ the university, as the UT vision calls it. Because I have been helping to shape it myself, I now connect with UT and my work even better than before.”