Over the past few months, students have taken part in a series of listening sessions on social safety at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. These conversations provided an opportunity for students to share their experiences, concerns and suggestions.
The insights offer a valuable understanding of how students experience social safety at the university. They represent an important step towards strengthening social safety at VU Amsterdam and will help inform the next phase of the university's work in this area.
Several recurring themes emerged from the discussions. Students expressed a need for greater clarity about where they can turn with concerns or reports, what happens after they come forward, and what support they can expect if they experience inappropriate behaviour and seek assistance from the university. They also highlighted the importance of visible follow-up, clear communication, and confidence that concerns will be taken seriously and acted upon.
The discussions demonstrate that social safety cannot be achieved through policies and procedures alone. Equally important is how these are experienced in practice and how visible they are to students and staff. Trust, recognition, transparency and clear communication all play a crucial role in creating a socially safe environment.
Next steps
The insights from the listening sessions will help shape the next steps VU Amsterdam will take to further strengthen social safety. Over the coming months, the findings will be analysed alongside other sources of feedback and evaluation and used to improve existing measures and working practices. This includes reviewing the clarity of roles and responsibilities, the accessibility of reporting routes, communication about follow-up, and the support available to students and staff who report inappropriate behaviour. The university will continue to engage with students and staff as this work progresses.
Read the latest update on social safety here.