Staff faction Vlijmscherp
Together, we are building a strong HU. Vlijmscherp believes that student success and staff success are inseparably connected. What students need directly affects the work of staff, and vice versa. That is why the staff and student factions of Vlijmscherp work closely together, bringing signals from everyday practice directly into the University Council.
Our strength lies in years of experience, strong connections, an active network and support base, and a broadly composed team that puts this vision into practice.
What does Vlijmscherp Staff stand for?
Vlijmscherp views HU as one whole. We believe that staff wellbeing directly influences student wellbeing, and vice versa. Good education requires clear choices, realistic plans, and frameworks that work in practice.
We give professionals the space and mandate to take responsibility, while also making clear agreements, evaluating implementation, and adjusting where necessary.
Vlijmscherp Staff stands for:
- Student success and staff success belong together
Good guidance starts with staff who experience space, trust, and job satisfaction. - More professional autonomy
Frameworks should be clear; rules and processes should support the work instead of burdening it. - Partnership between staff and students
Students actively participate in shaping, delivering, and deciding on education and the learning environment. - Realistic ambitions
Sustainable development, without creating extra workload unless there is sufficient time, resources, and clear decision-making. - Strong collaboration between Utrecht and Amersfoort
Amersfoort must be structurally included, and policy should actively promote collaboration where it adds substantive value and efficiency.
Priorities
The staff faction of Vlijmscherp will focus on the following priorities in the University Council over the coming period.
Priority 1: Job satisfaction, wellbeing, and inclusion
It is not rules, procedures, or policy that make the difference, but lecturers and staff who are able to do their work well. That is why we focus on what is actually happening on the work floor.
Are mental pressures openly discussed?
Do people feel seen, heard, and safe?
Are talents being used effectively?
Is job classification fair and appropriate?
We advocate for professional autonomy, equal treatment, and fair job grading. Work should fit people, built on trust in professional expertise and attention to wellbeing—for both staff and students.
If we expect lecturers to dedicate themselves to students with energy and commitment, we must first take good care of the people who carry education. This requires clarity, trust, and room to do the work. The HU vision must not remain an abstract story.
In practice, staff should know:
- What autonomy they have and where the boundaries lie
- Which rules disappear when something new is introduced (reducing regulatory pressure)
- How mental strain is identified and what the route to solutions is
- How social safety is guaranteed and where to go for support
- What can be expected from leadership and the organisation—and what is expected in return
- What to do when something is not working (clear escalation and improvement routes with timelines)
Together with the student faction, we always view staff success in connection with student success. What benefits one directly benefits the other.
Priority 2: Realistic ambitions, quality, and shared influence
The Institutional Plan 2032 focuses on student success and societal impact. Vlijmscherp believes ambitions must be realistic and aligned with our core goals.
That is why we continuously assess ambitions based on time, capacity, available resources, and societal developments—before, during, and after implementation.
Vlijmscherp is committed to ensuring that:
- Ambitions are tested against time, capacity, available resources, and societal developments
- Policy plans are translated into educational and workplace practice, not just remain on paper
- Decisions are adjusted when quality or practicality comes under pressure
- Staff and students are involved early and equally in decision-making
Priority 3: Student success in the broadest sense
Students and staff move together through a world under pressure. The climate crisis, wars, and increasing polarization make uncertainty and tension part of everyday life.
At the same time, technological developments such as AI are fundamentally changing how we learn, work, and live together. This reality enters the university every day.
Student success is about more than grades and diplomas. Personal development is equally important.
To achieve this, we see meaningful student participation and sufficient space and trust for staff as essential to guiding students in learning, development, and professional growth.
What does this mean in practice?
- Influence
Students have influence over the learning environment and education beforehand—through both consultation and decision-making. - Professional autonomy
Staff are given the time and trust to guide students in learning and professional development. - Intermediate space
The connection between education and practice becomes a fixed space for dialogue, reflection, and experimentation. - Broad development
Learning also includes wellbeing, engagement, and societal awareness. - Participation everywhere
Students participate throughout the organisation through peer coaching, curriculum renewal, and lecturer development. - Support for autonomy, competence, and connection
Education and policy must support these as the foundation for motivation, wellbeing, and study success.
How do we do this at Vlijmscherp?
- Different perspectives matter in decision-making, development, and education
- Participation means real influence: involvement at the right time and aligned across all levels
- We work across departments: no isolated silos, but strong connections between institutes and services
- With a think tank of 30 students and staff, we stay close to daily practice, make expertise visible, remain approachable, and strengthen structural collaboration