Contact a confidential adviser

Choose your own confidential adviser 

You are free to contact any of the confidential advisers listed below. The person you choose does not need to be employed by your faculty. You can also call or email to arrange a Zoom or Skype meeting while we are still partially studying from home due to the COVID-19 measures. 

Find out more about how confidential advisers can help on our webpage confidential advisers: if you encounter undesirable behaviour.

Arjen Berkvens - coordinating confidential adviser

On 1 April, Arjen Berkvens started as coordinating confidential adviser at UVA. In this new position Arjen will make a contribution to the further expansion and professionalisation of the work of confidential advisers within the UVA.

'I am very motivated to do this work. It is of great importance that an organisation such as a university has a safe working environment. Undesirable behaviour can cause great damage to employees, students and the organisation as a whole. If someone experiences something unpleasant, it must be possible to report it in confidence.'

You can reach Arjen at A.Berkvens@uva.nlExternal link.

Eloe Kingma

‘I have been the designated contact person for PhD students at the ASCA research school for many years now. Thanks to that experience, I am well aware that the power imbalances and sense of dependency so many university staff and students experience can lead to sensitive situations. I will be happy to help you deal with any conflicts and hopefully contribute to a more balanced relationship.

As confidential advisers, we also keep the Board and representative advisory bodies informed about any issues in the workplace. I encourage everyone who experiences inappropriate behaviour to report it. We need to bring these issues to light so that the Board can restore and build trust by responding in an adequate and transparent manner.’

You can reach Eloe at E.Kingma@uva.nlExternal link or 020 525 38 74.

Marita Mathijsen

'Universities should offer a safe environment for both staff and students. No one should ever have to feel intimidated, discriminated against, threatened or excluded. However, upsetting incidents can still happen. If they do, it's important to seek out help. Our confidential advisers are here to help you find a way out of the situation. You can always turn to them for help, no matter how sensitive your situation may be. Our advisers are bound by confidentiality, so anything you discuss will stay between you and them.

As an emeritus professor (Modern Dutch Literature) with a zero-percent appointment, I believe I'm well positioned to play a valuable role as confidential adviser. I don't have any interests that could conflict with the issues that might come up. Sexual harassment, bullying, aggression and discrimination: I hope I can play my part in ensuring that these forms of inappropriate behaviour are never tolerated at the University of Amsterdam.’

You can reach Marita at M.T.C.Mathijsen-Verkooijen@uva.nlExternal link or 020 525 47 23.

Wim van Aalderen

'I am confidential adviser for Postgraduate House Officers (AIOS), Senior House Officers (ANIOS), medical students at Amsterdam UMC, and medical students doing a (clinical) internship outside Amsterdam UMC.
As a confidential adviser I am driven to improve the vulnerable position these groups find themselves in as low-level employees in a community based around master-apprentice relationships. This imbalance inevitably raises the risk of inappropriate behaviour and harassment. A safe learning environment will lead to better doctors and a better working relationship. A safe working environment is also essential to patient safety.'

You can reach Wim at W.M.vanaalderen@amsterdamumc.nlExternal link, 020 566 4094 or 06 22 43 91 90.

Mirjam Koelewijn

'I want to help create a good, healthy and safe learning and working environment and a pleasant atmosphere at the UvA. I am always happy to listen and offer guidance to any students experiencing inappropriate and transgressive behaviour in the workplace or here at the university. Safety, thoroughness and transparency are extremely important to me and are central to my work as a confidential adviser. Having taken several courses in Nonviolent Communication, I have learned to tune in to the other person's feelings and concerns. I can quickly assess a situation and identify someone's feelings and needs. Those skills always come in handy during my work as a confidential adviser. Please don't hesitate to contact me if you are experiencing any form of inappropriate behaviour. It's best to contact me by email. Send me a message and I'll get back to you as soon as possible.'

You can reach Mirjam at M.G.Koelewijn@uva.nlExternal link or 020 525 47 07.

Myrthe van Amstel

'As a confidential adviser, I want to offer colleagues and students an accessible way to raise matters related to unacceptable behaviour. In this way, I want to contribute to a healthy and safe working and learning environment at the UvA.'

You can reach Myrthe at M.vanAmstel@uva.nlExternal link or 020 525 6017.

Erik van Arkel

'I think it's important that students can learn in a safe environment and feel comfortable talking to their lecturers if something goes wrong. But I also know that there can be situations where that's difficult or impossible or where the person in question simply doesn't want to. In those cases, it's important to have someone else to confide in. As a confidential adviser, I always make sure to be accessible, open up a dialogue and listen without judging. Next, I try to help the person move forward and resolve the situation. In many cases, people have already tried to solve their own problems before contacting me. That's really not necessary as far as I'm concerned. People should feel free to bring up whatever is bothering them even if they haven't thought it all through yet.’

You can reach Erik at e.vanarkel@uva.nlExternal link or 020 525 34 51.

Inge van der Stap

'As a diversity officer, I try to create a safe and inclusive study and work environment where all students and staff feel safe and welcome. We want to make sure that everyone feels at home here and is free to develop their potential. I always try to listen without judging and ask constructive questions from a place of genuine interest. As a confidential adviser, I can support students and help them find potential solutions to their issues. You can also get in touch if you just need someone to listen.'

You can reach Inge at i.vander.stap@acta.nlExternal link or 06 115 35 302 (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday).

Gerrie Veenstra

'I was a confidant to many patients during my time as a GP. I have heard a lot of personal stories, and some of my patients clearly didn't live in safe environments. Listening carefully, supporting people and helping them find solutions has always been an important part of my work, both during my time as a general practitioner and in my current role as a confidential adviser. Accessible and trusted. I hope I can help make the ACTA a safer place so that everyone gets to enjoy a pleasant working environment.'

You can reach Gerrie at gerrie.veenstra@acta.nlExternal link or 06 262 96 946 (Wednesday, Thursday).

Rixt Polder

'It's important that our students have someone to turn to if they want to discuss their problems without fear of being judged or suffering any consequences. I always try to be as accessible as possible and schedule appointments within two days. I'm a good listener and am always eager to help resolve any difficult situations you might encounter during your studies.'

You can reach Rixt at A.Polder@uva.nlExternal link, or 06 18 99 49 30.

Belle Jansen

'Not sure what to do in when you’ve experienced unwanted behaviour, such as discrimination, aggression or violence, bullying or sexual intimidation? Send me a message if you want to share your experience with me in confidence. Together we can discuss what’s bothering you and what you need. Anything you experience as undesirable behaviour is worth discussing, even if you’re not sure what the boundary is between acceptable and unacceptable behaviour. It could be a situation you witnessed or something you experienced yourself. As a confidential adviser, I provide you with a space to tell your story in confidence and possibly also anonymously. If you wish, I can think along with you and guide you towards a solution.'

Belle can be reached at B.k.jansen@uva.nlExternal link or 020-525 5512.