What do you do at VU and how long do you work there?
"I have been working in the Education Office since 2018 and am team coordinator of the Education Administration team and, since this summer, also of the Examinations Organisation team. Originally, I am an exercise therapist Mensendieck, but before my time at VU I also had a lot of experience as an event manager in the hospitality industry. This job is a kind of golden mean; a link with healthcare, supervising/managing, and sometimes the hectic pace at our place resembles that in the hospitality industry."
"In these teams in the education office, we answer all kinds of second-line questions from students and lecturers, do the organisation concerning the Beta exams, and process and monitor results and ensure an optimal graduation process. We support the programme introductions as well as the awarding of the diploma. In fact, we see the student back with us throughout their studies."
What could be improved at the faculty?
"There is always room for improvement of course, but I can't name just one thing as a point of improvement. I think it is especially important to keep communicating and evaluating with each other to optimise processes and cooperation. What I remember from a few years ago is the colloqium, which many always found very interesting. If something like a theme session or a lecture, something like the pieces in the Beta zine, were to be organised live, I think it would bring everything going on at the Faculty of Science closer together."
How was your summer holiday?
"Pretty busy! Since we peak in the summer months in much of the education office when it comes to graduating students and, for example, start of the year and programme introduction, it was a particularly busy period. To give an idea; we processed around 3,000 graduates (and final works) in 2023-2024, around 2,000 STEM students participated in the programme introduction, but almost 5,000 students started the new academic year."
"After this busy but productive period, I will soon be taking a post-summer break."
Do you have a work tip for colleagues?
"The staircase challenge. Although I am not the most active participant (my colleagues receive the credit for this), but am in favour of it. Now we are in the W&N and so the stair challenge is up to 7 floors. In another building, the challenge might be a bit higher, but I would say go for it! (I do think I'll have to join in every week from now on, though.)"
What do you recommend colleagues to do, see, read and/or listen to?
"Mozart's requiem (concert hall). It's a really special and beautiful piece. The venue and building are not bad either. Another recommendation: if the weather is nice, you can get delicious fruit ice creams right behind the Veranda, by the railway crossing/entrance to Amsterdam Forest. Good to combine with a break walk."
To whom do you hand over the baton?
"To Manon Kamst, colleague in the education coordination team of the education office. We worked together a lot on graduation and introduction and now she and her colleagues are busy with Onstage, which contributes greatly to the optimisation of processes. But Manon is also always aware of and active in fun or educational activities at VU Amsterdam."
Dilemmas
Are you beta or alpha?
STEM - my favourite subject was chemistry.
Lift or stairs?
Always a dilemma. Usually lift up, stairs down. To be precise: if I have just cycled, I take the lift, but if I have walked then I take the stairs.
What is your favourite university snack?
The Surinamese food from the medical faculty. It's kind of funny because I've never been there myself, but we've had this a few times as a treat from colleagues. And among other colleagues, this is a regular Friday lunch. So far, it's my favourite snack and my goal is to go again this semester.
What do you think is the most beautiful VU building?
I still choose the W&N because for me it belongs to STEM and because it has an incredibly long corridor. I once heard the longest building in the Netherlands? But I haven't been able to find any proof of that yet.