Connecting@VU
Conversations on feeling at home
How can you feel at home at a large – sometimes far away – institution like our university: the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam? And how do our many identities impact this feeling? Geertje, Mirthe and Zakia dive into this topic, and hope to find out how every member of the university can help build a more inclusive space.
Connecting VU's Diversity Dots
Geertje Hulzebos talks to VU students about their perspective on diversity and reflects with them on the role they play in creating diversity and inclusive environments. Together with two diversity experts – one being an employee, the other a student – she discusses what is necessary to be able to connect with people who may differ from ourselves in many ways.
Let's Get Uncomfortable
Zakia Essanhaji explores the other side of the coin, as students with different backgrounds speak to her about their experiences with discrimination and exclusion at VU. Together with these students and a student counselor, Zakia discusses which possibilities we can all seize to create inclusive spaces for eachother at our university.
Boosting Belonging
Mirthe van den Hee looks at what is necessary for feelings of belonging and developing connections. Among others, she speaks with student association FAM about how they try to make students feel at home and with two Diversity Officers (HRM/Communication and Research) about the importance of a sense of feeling at home and good connections for professional life after VU.
Credits
Connecting@VU is brought to you by researchers of the Diversity Office of the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU) in collaboration with FAM (Family of Academic Minds) and VU Campusradio. Researchers Geertje Hulzebos, Mirthe van den Hee, Ismintha Waldring and Zakia Essanhaji produced this podcast with the help of producer Marc Lamain. For more information and updates about Diversity and Inclusion at VU and FAM, please visit the website www.vu.nl/diversity or make sure to follow FAM on Instagram.
The necessary music licenses have been obtained by VU Campusradio. For questions concerning music licensing, please contact the Dutch licensing organization, Buma/Stemra.