BUas hosts national board lunch on social safety.
On Monday 19 January, BUas hosted an important meeting on social safety in higher education. Representatives from 18 higher education institutions – including board members, the national Social Safety Steering Group (Regiegroep Sociale Veiligheid), Amnesty International, and representatives from the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science – gathered on our campus for the national ‘Let’s Talk about YES’ board lunch.
- About BUas
- Collaboration
Transition from Amnesty to Steering Group
After five years of successful campaigning on the theme of Let’s talk about YES, Amnesty International is handing over the leading role to the national Steering Group for Social Safety in Higher Education and Science. The meeting focused on reviewing the results achieved, including the legislative change on sexual offences, and looking ahead to the future of social safety in higher education.
BUas demonstrates unique community approach
BUas presented its integrated approach to social safety, which has been operational since March 2024 according to the principle of ‘one team, one point of contact’. Special attention was paid to our BUas Community, the BUas Clubs, and the Unilife online community platform. This platform allows both current and prospective students to connect with our community even before starting their studies, establishing a strong foundation for a sense of connection and safety. In addition to the sense of connection within our community, it is important to ‘contribute together to an inclusive culture’, as Ingrid Timmermans (Executive Board) pointed out during her welcome speech. That is why BUas fosters active dialogue and equips students with BUas skills that they can use later in society.
The future of social safety
The Ministry of Education, Culture and Science shared its plans for the upcoming duty of care of higher education institutions in terms of the social safety of students, which will be included in the Dutch Higher Education and Research Act. In addition, the Steering Group presented the results of the conference in October 2025, as well as the second subsidy round (2 February to 1 March 2026), and Maastricht University provided an update on the development of e-modules. The meeting confirmed that our approach is appreciated and that social safety remains a priority within higher education. As an added benefit, our ‘Are you OK?’ posters for bystander training are now prominently displayed on campus. Together, we will continue to build a safe and inclusive BUas community.
