The Executive Board (EB) has appointed a dedicated team focusing specifically on this topic. Social safety has already been receiving our full attention for some time, and the work of this team will further reinforce these efforts. On their behalf, we would like to outline the main steps that are currently being taken.
An approach across different areas that reinforce each other
We are working along several tracks on topics that are interconnected and reinforce one another. These include the organisation of the student council elections, the updating of regulations, clarifying user agreements regarding the StudentenD0k, and the handling of incidents. In addition, listening sessions are being organised to hear from students how they perceive social safety, which factors contribute to it, and what they need when following up on socially unsafe situations.
Listening sessions with students
We want to better understand students’ concerns about social safety. That is why we are organising listening sessions in which students can share their experiences, questions, and ideas. In these sessions, students can discuss both personal experiences related to social (un)safety and more general issues, such as the VU culture or the accessibility and awareness of support services and regulations.
Student organisations are being actively invited, and individual students can also sign up via this form. The first session took place this week. The insights gathered from the different sessions will help us develop a clearer picture of where students experience problems or uncertainties regarding social safety. These insights will serve as input for further analysis and next steps, about which we will also communicate.
Updating regulations
Another team is working on updating regulations. A number of these were already scheduled for revision or periodic review. We are now bringing these activities together so that they better align with what students and staff encounter in practice. Experiences and recommendations from the listening sessions will also be taken into account, for example to improve the practical applicability of the regulations. The aim is to have the regulations updated before the summer of 2026, depending on the approval process with the participation council.
Strengthening and supporting student council elections
In preparation for the upcoming student council elections, we are working to improve the organisation of the process. The focus is on facilitating a strong election process based on mutual respect, with clear rules and their enforcement. In response to earlier signals and incidents, we want to ensure, together with the students standing for election, that they can campaign in a constructive and safe environment.
In the run-up to the elections, we will guide the process more intensively than before. Once the electoral lists have been finalized, we will make clear agreements about how campaigning will take place. In addition, the Executive Board, together with the relevant services, support teams, and the University Student Council (USR), aims to carefully prepare the transition to the new USR in the period between the elections and the installation.
The use of the StudentenD0k
Improvements are also being made regarding the StudentenD0k, including user agreements, codes of conduct, and the handling of reports. This process will be completed before the summer of 2026 so that the new academic year can start with the renewed agreements in place. In this process, we will coordinate with the student organisations that use the StudentenD0k through a newly established user consultation structure.
In addition, student board members from VU student organisations were updated this week during the UVO about the ongoing actions. The student board members shared valuable insights that we are happy to incorporate into the further process.
Regular updates
We will continue to inform VU students and staff every two weeks about the progress of the topics mentioned above and the work of the team that has been established for this purpose, through news updates on the VU website.
Earlier communication
News update – 27 February 2026.