Mentoring and talent programmes

The University of Amsterdam has established a number of mentoring and talent programmes. These contribute towards two of the objectives set out in the Diversity Policy Document: accessibility and study success for all students, and the recruitment, selection, appointment, promotion and retention of staff with diverse backgrounds.

• Get Ready Summer School
  The UvA offers the three-day online summer programme Get Ready especially for students who are the first in their family to study (also known as first-generation students). This will help them to feel at home at the UvA and start off well prepared. Read more about the Get Ready summer school (in Dutch)
   
• Academic Diversity Programme
  This is a peer-to-peer and social mentoring programme for students. Senior students in all the faculties coach and assist first-year students with their development and help them find their way at the UvA; special attention is paid to students with backgrounds that would make studying at a university a less likely course of action. Read more about the Academic Diversity Programme
   
• Meet your Mentor
  This mentoring programme links third-year Bachelor’s and Master’s students with a non-Western background with a mentor from the business world in order to better prepare them for the labour market. Read more about the Meet Your Mentor programme
   
• Talent programme for postdoctoral researchers from under-represented groups
  This multi-year programme takes a maximum of six years and focuses on development and progression to a permanent position as assistant professor or associate professor. Read more about this programme
   
• Mentoring programme for employees
  A new mentoring programme started in October 2020 that aims to support employees who are under-represented in senior academic and support and management positions with their further career development. Read more about the mentoring programme for talented staff members

Diversity training courses

Diversity has become an integral part of the leadership programmes at the UvA. Interested programme committees are offered support with the desired decolonisation of the curriculum. In addition, the Chief Diversity Officer’s team offers workshops for students and staff members in the areas of equality, diversity, inclusion and social safety.

Guide for faculties and services

An overview of diversity training courses has been drawn up to support faculties and services in their efforts to achieve greater diversity and inclusion. The Deans, Heads of P&O, Chief Diversity Officer and Faculty Diversity Officers have received these guides. We will actively monitor the resulting experiences. The same applies to an overview of executive search agencies with diversity-related expertise. Are you a UvA employee and would like to receive the overview of training courses and executive search agencies? If so, email Erik van Zetten at the HR policy and strategy department via h.vanzetten@uva.nl.

Helping lecturers with inclusive education

The University of Amsterdam (UvA) would like to equip lecturers to be able to design inclusive study programmes. The following programmes address diversity and inclusion:

• Basic course on didactics for novice lecturers
• Universal Teaching Qualification (UTQ)
• In-depth courses: TLC open course offer
• Education Leadership Course (LOL: Leergang Onderwijskundig Leiderschap)

The programmes address the creation of a socially safe and inclusive environment. The theme of 'dealing with power' is also discussed and reflected on in relation to each participant's personal background when discussing current educational themes. This professionalisation offer is supplemented at faculty level by peer feedback, training, workshops and knowledge-sharing sessions, focusing on topics including diversity and social safety.

On the staff website, you will find an overview of the various courses and you can read how social safety and inclusion are incorporated in various programmes.