Universities are obliged to appoint an ombudsman for staff but not for students. This calls for legislation, argues VU Amsterdam ombudsman Lies Poesiat in "Veranker de ombudsfunctie in de wet, (Anchor the ombuds function in the law)," an article that appeared at the end of May in Thema Hoger Onderwijs 2022: 1.
Indeed, there are only 7 universities with this facility, which has existed at VU Amsterdam for 20 years. Because students should also be able to go to an impartial third party and discuss a complaint or report there in confidence. Now, unfortunately, it depends on where you study whether you can go there. That has to change, says Poesiat. She has been an ombudsman for students at VU Amsterdam for 15 years, co-founder of the professional association for ombudsmen in higher education (VOHO) and author of a book on ombudsmen in this sector, published in 2021.
Student ombudsman should be in the law
31 May 2022
Students have also right to an impartial third party