Governance of VU Amsterdam

VU Amsterdam is governed by a three-member Executive Board (CvB). The Executive Board is responsible for the governance, management and organisation of VU Amsterdam as a whole. The CvB determines the strategy and policy, as well as the budget and annual acounts. The CvB bears ultimate responsibility for the quality of education, research and valorisation.

The role, powers and working methods of the Executive Board are laid down in:

• Chapter 3 of the Articles of Association of Stichting VU (in Dutch)
• Chapter II of the VU Management Regulations (in Dutch)
• The Regulations for the Executive Board (in Dutch)

The Supervisory Board (RvT) exercises comprehensive supervision over the performance of duties and the exercise of powers by the Executive Board. The Supervisory Board also supports the Executive Board by providing advice. A number of decisions taken by the Executive Board require the approval of the Supervisory Board. 

The Supervisory Board is regulated in:

• Chapter 4 of the Articles of Association of Stichting VU (in Dutch)
• Chapter II of the VU Management Regulations (in Dutch)
• The Regulations of the Supervisory Board (in Dutch)

The College of Deans consists of the deans of the faculties and the rector magnificus. It awards doctoral degrees and establishes the rules governing this. In addition, the Board supervises the academic quality, integrity and reputation of the university and may advise the Executive Board and the Faculty Boards on education and academic practice.

The College of Deans is regulated in:

• Chapter II of the VU Management Regulations (in Dutch) 
• The VU Doctoral Regulations (in Dutch)

VU Amsterdam has a system of shared participation: employee participation is governed by the Works Councils Act (WOR) and student participation by the Higher Education and Scientific Research Act (WHW).

In addition to the Staff Council (OR) and the University Student Council (USR), there is also the Joint Meeting (GV), consisting of members of both other bodies. These bodies derive their powers from the afore mentioned laws and from VU regulations relating to participation.

For more information, see:

• Participation bodies
• Works Council Regulations (in Dutch)
• Joint Meeting Regulations (in Dutch)
• Student Participation Regulations (in Dutch)

VU Amsterdam is organised into faculties and divisions. Faculties are organised into departments. Services are also organised into departments. Within departments, there may be smaller organisational units. All employees have a place in this organisational structure.

• Faculties and their departments are regulated in Chapter III of the Management  Regulations (in Dutch)
• Services are regulated in Chapter V of the Administrative Regulations (in Dutch)

The Faculty Board has portfolios for education, research, valorisation and operational management. Under the leadership of the dean, the Faculty Board coordinates the various portfolios.

This is important in two respects. Firstly, it ensures that the faculty is ultimately managed in an integrated manner. Secondly, this coordination enables the faculty representatives to present a faculty position in VU-wide consultations.

The faculty structure is described in Chapter III of the VU Management Regulations

Faculty participation is exercised in the departmental committee, the faculty student council, the joint meeting of both bodies and the programme committees. Each department has a departmental committee. The Works CouncilR lays down in the relevant institutional decisions which powers are exercised by the departmental committees. In the context of the exercise of faculty participation, the faculty board is usually represented in discussions by at least the dean and the relevant portfolio holder.

For more information, see:

• Faculty participation regulations (in Dutch)
• VU subcommittees

The broad outlines of VU Amsterdam's management are laid down in the institutional plan or strategy. The strategy contains a description of VU Amsterdam's vision and values, its ambitions in education, research and valorisation, the themes through which it wishes to distinguish itself, and its financial perspective. This is determined once every six years. Halfway through the term, a mid-term review of the plan takes place, which may lead to adjustments to the institutional plan for the remainder of the planning period.

The broad outlines of VU Amsterdam's management are elaborated and monitored in the Management Cycle.

Twice a year, the Executive Board holds “integrated” consultations with the faculty boards and the management teams of the services. In between, progress meetings are held on education, research, valorisation and operational management.

For more information, see:

• Institutional Plan
• Management Cycle

Education, research, valorisation and operational management are managed within VU Amsterdam's own structures and in cooperation. This applies both to the university as a whole and within the faculties.

The management of education, research and valorisation is primarily a task for the faculties. The faculty boards are accountable for this to the Executive Board in the administrative consultations. In accordance with the WHW, VU Amsterdam's bachelor's and master's programmes are organised into courses that are housed in one of the faculties. VU Amsterdam attaches great importance to the impact of education and research and steers this through the Recognition and Appreciation programme and by strengthening knowledge utilisation and cooperation with social and economic partners. VU Amsterdam's section of Innovation Exchange Amsterdam (IXA) plays an important role in this, alongside other organisational units. The choice of research themes is left to the faculties.

Operations are managed by the central services and, in part, by the faculty offices.

With a view to the longer term, VU Amsterdam focuses on maintaining and developing important preconditional facilities, such as accommodation and IT infrastructure. In financial terms, this is linked to the management of investments, investments and depreciation.

For more information, see:

• Chapter III of the Administrative Regulations (in Dutch)
• Educational Vision
• Research Strategy
• Vision on Knowledge Transfer 

VU Amsterdam is committed to well-considered decision-making based on information gathered in advance. Decision-making is prepared in the relevant departments and in the relevant administrative consultations. This requires well-structured consultation. It also helps to gain support for the decisions to be taken. The input from VU-wide consultations with representatives from faculty boards and departments plays an important role in this.

For more information, see:

• Advisory and consultative bodies
• Schedule of consultations
• Roles in the policy process
• Administrative decision-making (in Dutch)

VU Amsterdam strives to offer high-quality education and therefore works on continuous quality assurance and promotion. The organisation and quality assurance for education is described in: the Education Quality Handbook. The quality of programmes is assessed by external committees once every six years.

Research is managed within faculties by the faculty board and the department heads. The choice of research topics is up to them. The quality of research at VU Amsterdam is periodically assessed using the Strategy Evaluation Protocol (SEP).

For more information, see:

• Chapter III of the Executive Regulations (in Dutch)
• Educational Quality
• Quality of research

For the internal distribution of resources from the first funding stream, VU Amsterdam uses the VU Management and Allocation Model (VUSAM). Funds are allocated on the basis of parameters for performance in education and research and the achievement of the objectives set out in the Strategy. VUSAM thus serves as a steering mechanism for the university. VUSAM is evaluated at least once every five years and, if desired, adjusted by the Executive Board. Faculties use their own allocation models in the management of their faculties.

The costs incurred by VU Amsterdam outside the faculties, particularly in the services, are charged to the faculties and other services by means of a cost allocation and charging model.

This makes it possible to provide insight into the total costs of education and research activities. Each service draws up a product and service catalogue. The rates for allocation are determined annually by the Executive Board.

In order to implement the plans that have been adopted, and also for other reasons, such as new government policy, legislative changes and the like, the Executive Board establishes policies that apply to the entire university. Examples include A Broader Mind, Recognition and Rewards and the Art of Engagement. This can also take the form of providing a framework for faculty/decentralised plans and policies.

In order to create clear structures and to comply with legal and other obligations, the Executive Board establishes regulations that apply to the entire university. In some cases, other bodies also establish regulations. For example, the Board of Deans establishes the PhD Regulations.

For more information, see:

• Articles of association, regulations and policy plans (in Dutch)
• Regulations for students