University & Faculty Councils and Programme Committees
The university council and faculty councils are democratically elected co-participation bodies that represent both students and staff of the university and its faculties. Co-participation also takes place at departmental level through programme committees.
The University Council
The role of the university council is to critically observe and advise the Executive Board and, when applicable, to assist the board with important decisions. The powers of the University Council are laid down in the Higher Education and Research Act (WHW) and the University Council Regulations (both only available in Dutch).
Faculty Councils
Every faculty has a faculty council. After the university council, the faculty council is the second highest co-participation body within the university. Faculty councils consist of both staff and student members. Find out more under your faculty tab or in the organisational structure.
Programme Committees
Every programme has a programme committee. Within programme committees, lecturers and students come together to discuss the education provided by the programme. Programme committees provide both solicited and unsolicited advice to programme boards, faculty boards and faculty councils, concerning the quality of education, the course and examination regulations (OER) and educational facilities. If further information is available about your programme committee, this can be found under your programme tab.
Programme Committee International Relations and Diplomacy
The Advanced Masters in International Relations and Diplomacy (MIRD) has its own Programme Committee (Opleidingscommissie, OLC) that is made up of lecturers and elected student representatives. It provides advice to the MIRD Education Board and the Programme Director.
The Programme Committee meets both regularly throughout the year, and at the end of each year to discuss all matters related to the degree programme, including the programme reports and course evaluations, the curriculum, and the quality of the programme.
In addition, all Programme Committees come together regularly in a joint meeting to discuss general topics related to all degree programmes, such as the Course and Examination Regulations (CER), quality standards, curricula and teaching and examination schedules.
Tasks and Responsibilities
- Issue advice on improvements to degree programmes and quality standards;
- Issue advice on changes to the CER;
- Issue advice on teaching and examination schedules;
- Periodic discussion of the outcome of course evaluations;
- Issue advice on the quality criteria the degree programme must satisfy, including the course evaluations;
- Issue advice on changes to the curriculum;
- Issue advice in response to the programme report;
- Communicate about the quality of the programmes to students and staff.
Members of the Education Committee (2025-2026)
The committee consists of academic staff as well as the student body. The term for student members is one year. Re-election is possible.
Student Members:
- Ms. Emily Swann
- Ms. Filipa Cvetanova
- Ms. Chiara Matarazzo
Academic Members:
- Dr. Miles Kellerman, Chair (ISGA)
- Dr. Arash Pourebrahimi (ISGA)
- Dr. Tobias von Lossow (Clingendael)
Contact
The Secretary to the Education Committee is Ms. Naya Pessoa and can be reached at mird@fgga.leidenuniv.nl. Please include 'Education Committee' in the subject line.