The student assessor is an advisory member of the Executive Board and brings the perspective of students to policy discussions. Willem explains: ‘It’s a bridging role between students and the Board. You don’t have formal responsibilities, but you do have influence. You need to be able to pick up on what matters to students and translate that to the administrative level.’

Peter-Paul Verbeek, Rector Magnificus and acting President of the Executive Board, responds enthusiastically: 'Willem brings a great deal of experience from his time on the Central Student Council. He knows the student community well and understands how to translate what is going on among students into policy. I am confident that, with his knowledge and commitment, he will make a solid contribution as student assessor. I look forward to our collaboration.'

Informal relationships just as important as formal structures

Willem is no stranger to student representation. Last year, he was active on the Central Student Council, where he worked, among other things, on academic freedom and the university’s educational vision. ‘I learned a lot about how decision-making works at the university and how you can influence it,’ he says. ‘I also realised that informal relationships are just as important as formal structures. Sometimes, between meetings, you hear much more about what really matters to students than you do at the table.’

The role of student assessor aligns closely with Willem’s motivation to ensure that the student voice is reflected in policy in a strong yet approachable way. ‘I think it’s important that students feel free to share their concerns or ideas. I want to be there for all students, whether or not you’re active in student representation’, he says. “It’s vital that every student feels welcome to reach out to me.'

Lowering barriers

Willem wants to focus on accessibility and lowering the threshold for contact. ‘I plan to schedule fixed calling hours so that students can easily get in touch with me. From there, we can set up a one-to-one meeting if needed.’

He also intends to maintain close ties with student representatives, including in informal ways.

Engagement with key themes

‘Alongside translating student interests as neutrally as possible in my bridging role, it’s inevitable that I’ve built up more knowledge in certain areas,’ Willem explains. ‘That means I can contribute a bit more expertise on those subjects. One such theme is promoting space for plural values in academic debate at our university.’

He also points to his experience with the topic of academic freedom as an area he wants to explore further. ‘It’s an important issue, especially nowadays. Thanks to my involvement over the past year, I’ve already gained some knowledge of it. I hope I can make a meaningful contribution with that.’

Not a shaky footbridge

Willem started on 1 September. The first weeks were mainly about introductions: ‘I was introduced to a lot of people’, Willem laughs. ‘Some I already knew from the Central Student Council, but there were many new faces as well.’

His goal is clear: ‘I want to build a bridge between students and the Board. And not a shaky footbridge, but one that everyone feels free to cross.’

Willem can be reached at centrale-studentassessor@uva.nl.

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