If you have any suspicions that a Vrije Universiteit or VUmc academic staff member has violated the academic integrity rules (e.g. through plagiarism or manipulation/fabrication of research data), it is advisable to contact one of the confidential counsellors.
The confidential counsellor’s role is to advise and/or assist anyone who seeks their support. He/she can discuss the nature and seriousness of the situation with you and advise you on the appropriate course of action. In some cases he/she can explore whether the issue can be resolved through mediation between the parties. The other party can also seek support from one of the other confidential counsellors or from another person of his/her choice.
Sometimes the confidential counsellor will advise you to submit a formal complaint to the Executive Board of Vrije Universiteit (EB). In this case the EB will refer the complaint to the Academic Integrity Committee (CWI). The CWI procedure is explained under the heading ‘Stage 2’ (below). The confidential counsellor can help you to submit the complaint in the correct manner.
Four clusters
The confidential counsellors are grouped per cluster of faculties (Humanities & Theology, Sciences, Social Sciences, Medicine). To ensure a correct assessment of the situation, it may be advisable to select a confidential counsellor from the cluster to which the complaint relates. However, you are free to select a confidential counsellor from a different cluster if you prefer.
Confidential Counsellors on behalf of the Humanities cluster
| Prof. Koen Goudriaan | Faculty of Humanities | k.goudriaan@vu.nl | 020-696 3831 | Appointment required |
| Prof. Faustina Doufikar-Aerts | Faculty of Theology | f.c.w.doufikar-aerts@vu.nl | 020-59 86608 | HG-2E-05, appointment required |
Confidential Counsellors on behalf of the Sciences cluster
| Prof. Herman Verhoef | Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences | h.a.verhoef@vu.nl | W&N Building, Room H-120
Appointment required | |
| Prof. Frans van Lunteren | Faculty of Sciences | f.h.van.lunteren@vu.nl | 020-59 87979
| W&N Building, Room U-260
Appointment required |
Confidential Counsellors on behalf of the Social Sciences cluster
| Prof. mr. Lieke Coenraad | Faculty of Law | l.coenraad@vu.nl | 020-59 86 288 | Initium building, appointment required |
| Prof. Bert Klandermans | Faculty of Social Sciences | p.g.klandermans@vu.nl | 020-59 87996 | Main Building, Room 1A-73
No appointment required |
Confidential Counsellors on behalf of the Medicine cluster
| Prof. Jan Heimans | VUmc, Faculty of Medicine
| jj.heimans@vumc.nl | Appointment required | |
| Prof. Siebren Miedema | Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences | s.miedema@vu.nl | Appointment required | |
| Prof. Cor van Loveren | ACTA, Facultty of Dentistry
| c.v.loveren@acta.nl | 020-59 80662 | ACTA building, Room 13N-57
No appointment required |
How to contact the Confidential Counsellors: in various buildings, the office area can only be accessed with an authorized pass. This means that not all Confidential Counsellors can be visited without an appointment. In this case, you can always call or send an email to make an appointment.