Update social security and integrity

Update social security and integrity

Social security within our university must be improved. It is essential that we can all work and study in an environment where we feel comfortable and safe. A place where everyone can be themselves and where we treat each other with respect. There should be no place for transgressive behaviour.

We are working hard on this issue. Because it is important to us. We do it with and for each other. Real change takes time, but we will continue until we have embedded this in our organisation, and then we will continue to work to maintain this safe environment.

Together, let's build a place we can be proud of. A place where we all feel seen and valued. Together we can make it happen.

Monthly update
Several reports and investigations (including the Education Inspectorate, MedMon, Labour Inspectorate, Integrity System report) have given us valuable insights and it is clear that we have a lot of work to do. We are working on all the necessary actions, carefully prioritising as we cannot do everything at once.

This monthly update will keep you informed of the steps we are taking.

What is happening now?
Thanks to input from staff and students, the Social Safety and Integrity Action Plan has many different components. These range from a wide range of activities and tools aimed at (more) awareness and prevention, to strengthening action skills and support structures, to improved information provision and tools for students, staff, managers and the board.

The Executive Board holds additional consultations with Deans, Directors and Co-Determination in order to properly implement the Plan for Change and monitor processes. The Board also holds reflection sessions on its own actions, its political role and dilemmas arising from daily practice.
There is an ongoing assessment of where needs are and where the plan can be adjusted. To this end, in the coming months the Executive Board will be on the shop floor more often, attending faculty meetings and talking to faculty members. 

• The Executive Board holds additional consultations with Deans, Directors and Co-Determination to ensure proper implementation of the Plan for Change and to monitor processes. The Executive Board also holds reflection sessions on its own actions, its political role and dilemmas from daily practice. 
• There is an ongoing assessment of where needs are and where the plan can be adjusted. To this end, in the coming months the Executive Board will be on the 'shop floor' more often, attending faculty meetings and talking to students and staff from different perspectives. Would you like to join the conversation with the Executive Board on this topic? Then send an email to cvb@tudelft.nl.
• Part of the Plan for Change is to improve the ability to report and inform students and staff about cross-border behaviour or suspected integrity violations. A new reporting system for students and staff is being developed. This system is designed to be easily accessible, secure and to ensure careful handling of the report for all concerned. We will let you know as soon as possible when the reporting system is expected to be operational.

What will we do?
A lot is happening at all levels of the university to achieve a more socially safe TU Delft. We are sharing best practices from the faculties. We are also learning from the approaches and experiences of other universities and organisations. We are working hard to offer different activities, sessions and tools in the next six months. 

• At the beginning of September, we will have discussions with the NPO about aftercare for employees who have been involved in cross-border behaviour. Following the report of the Van Rijn Commission, the NPO has set up an aftercare office to support and guide (former) employees of the NPO who have had to deal with cross-border behaviour in their work. In connection with the organisation of aftercare at TU Delft, we want to see what we can learn from the experiences of the NPO. 
• Mindlab: We are preparing a series of sessions for this autumn and a series for early 2025. More information will follow as soon as possible. 

Why Mindlab?
Mindlab is a performance that fits seamlessly into a time of rethinking and reorientation. The intention is that these performances will help us to have conversations about what a safe and inspiring climate within the University means and how we can create it together: how we teach, how we lead, how we research, how we ensure a safe working climate and what everyone's own responsibility is in this? Follow this link for more information on Mindlab, developed in collaboration with Utrecht University. 

• Work conferences are mentioned in the Plan for Change as an important source of input from the wider TU Delft community. The organisation of the working conferences will be energetically started after the holiday period.

Highlighted: Faculty initiatives 
A lot is already happening in various places within TU Delft in the context of social security. For example, after the spring consultations in the last few weeks, the faculties have told us a lot about the initiatives they have taken and are planning. By way of illustration, we are happy to share a few initiatives here, as there is too much going on to mention them all in this update. A full overview will be available on the Student Portal as soon as possible.  

• Workshops and training for students and staff, including: active bystanders and inclusive leadership, cultural intelligence, bias observation, D&I, interviewing skills for reporters, addressing behaviour.
• Social safety as a standard agenda item at meetings and town halls. 
• Attention in deans' press releases.
• Facilitated meetings to have 'real' conversations with each other.
• Discussion of social safety and integrity in R&O meetings.
• Attention to MedMon findings in team meetings.
• Think tanks and brainstorms with students and staff.
• PhD students organise meetings with each other and with staff.
• EWI etiquette: rules of courtesy visible on all screens in the building.
• Pilot group for development and selection assessments for promotions.
• Further development and implementation of social security initiatives.

Thanks to all this input from faculties, departments, staff and students, we are working in an increasingly focused way to improve social safety at TU Delft.