Advisory groups D&I

The Faculty of Humanities has two advisory groups for Diversty & Inclusion: one for staff members and one for students.

Staff Advisory Group D&I

The Staff Advisory Group D&I was founded in March 2019. Its role consists of promoting diversity and inclusion within the Faculty, advancing equality of opportunity for all. The Advisory Group provides solicited and unsolicited advice to relevant Faculty decision-making bodies and support staff on policy developments related to diversity and inclusion. More recently, the Advisory Group took on the responsibility of selecting recipients for the Holland Scholarship, through which it can support students from underrepresented backgrounds.

The Advisory Group consists of eight to twelve staff members that represent the diversity of our Faculty, who generally meet four times per year. The Advisory Group is led by a Chair and is supported by the Policy Advisor D&I, who acts as the Secretary. Members have appropriate and recognised experience or expertise in diversity and inclusion (e.g., on gender, LGBTQI+, ethnicity, religion, disability).

In the coming period (2023-2025), we will:

Focus on promoting inclusive curricula and teacher development in the area of inclusive pedagogy;
Push for transparency and inclusion in recruitment practices, from composing selection committees to the evaluation of recruitment procedures;
Look into positioning the AG members as Diversity Leads (tentative title) in their respective institutes and departments and ensure that the workload associated with this position is formally recognized.

Ahab Bdaiwi University Lecturer (Institute for Philosophy)
Janet Connor Assistant Professor
Miko Flohr University Lecturer (Institute for History)
Tingting Hui Assistant professor (Centre for the Arts in Society)
Tsolin Nalbantian Associate Professor (Institute for Area Studies) / Chair
Roozbeh Seyedi PhD candidate
Joost van der Sluijs Senior adviser (Communication & Marketing)
Else Speelman Adviser (Human Resources)
Noortje van Swieten Study Advisor (Student Affairs)
Yujing Tan Lecturer (Institute for Area Studies/ International Studies)
Job Weststrate Policy officer (Policy and Management Support) / Vice-chair

Student Advisory and Action Group DIW

The Student Advisory and Action Group DIW was founded in July 2019 with two main objectives:

Providing feedback on policy plans developed by the Faculty Board and procedures within the Faculty Bureau, from the perspective of diversity, inclusion and student wellbeing;
Fulfilling a proactive, signaling role on Faculty issues related to diversity, inclusion and student wellbeing.

The group is made up of 10 students, including two student assistants who serve as the Chair and Secretary. Members are appointed for one academic year and reflect the wide range of perspectives and backgrounds within our student community. Meetings are held monthly, and both the Student Wellbeing Officer and the Policy Advisor for Diversity & Inclusion may join as observers.

As part of their role, members not only offer advice but also take proactive steps—organizing events and initiatives to promote a more inclusive and supportive environment for all students. By bringing together different perspectives and acting both reactively and proactively, the group helps ensure that student voices are heard and represented in shaping the faculty’s approach to diversity, inclusion, and wellbeing.

Increase the visibility of the Student Advisory & Action Group
Strengthen the ties with the Staff Advisory Group and working together to improve D&I policy at the Humanities faculty
Organise events centred around Diversity, Inclusion and Wellbeing

Accomplished in 2024-2025

Organised a self-defence workshop during the LU Wellbeing Week
Collaborated on the sunflower products campaign
Establish a sensory room at the humanities faculty

Merel Smit BA Koreastudies

I am Merel, a BA Koreastudies student here at Leiden University. Having been experiencing studying with a disability for a few years now, I hope to bring a unique perspective to the group and be a safe place for fellow students to come to and share their experiences. It is important to me that all students feel welcome and worthy of studying at uni, as they should.
Sonia Dobkowska BA Urban Studies

I’m a student of BA Urban Studies and Honours, and the 2024-2025 President of the Association of Students of Urban Studies (ASTUS). In my free time I write, practice yoga, and vogue. I joined the group to be more involved in issues related to queerness and neurodivergence within the faculty.
Max Röling MA Media Studies: Cultural Analysis and Literary Theory

Hi! I’m Max and I’m currently studying the MA Media Studies: Cultural Analysis and Literary Theory. I joined the D&I in order to be a voice for neurodivergent students. As an autistic student myself I would like to make the university a more accessible place, especially when it comes to social events. If you’ve any questions, requests or would simply like someone to talk to as a neurodivergent student, let me know!
I Made Teja Kumara Sena ResMA Linguistics

Hey everyone! I’m Teja, a ResMa student in Linguistics. As an individual with a hearing disability, I'm especially excited to contribute to the Diversity and Inclusion team. I'm looking forward in collaborating faculty's learning environment based on personal experiences, hopefully making it more accessible and diverse for everyone.
Jeanne Jiang Premaster Linguistics

Hi! I’m Jeanne, a warm-hearted girl with serious autism. I specialize in Germanic historical linguistics and speak 7 languages! --English, Dutch, German, Mandarin, French, Spanish, Japanese. Sadly, I suffered from racism & discrimination against my autistic behaviours, and I was bullied at university :( I wish to create a more inclusive environment for people like me!
Dominik Podgórski MA Asian Studies

Hey everyone! I’m Dominik, a master’s student in Media Technology and Japanese Studies. I’m a huge dance enthusiast—whether it’s street, commercial, or just vibing in my room, I’m all in. My research dives into Japan’s urban dance scene and how it challenges social norms, especially for LGBTQ+ communities. I love bringing people together through movement, culture, and the occasional dance battles. Excited to contribute to the Diversity and Inclusion team and shake things up—figuratively and literally!
Amna Ahsan BA International Studies

Hi everyone! My name is Amna, I'm half Dutch half Pakistani and studying the BA International Studies. I'm really excited to be a part of this advisory group because I'd love to help spread awareness on all types of inclusivity at Leiden, including physical and mental health, as well as different cultures. I'd love to hear ideas from other people that they would want to try out or implement and bring different voices to the board.
Clara González Martínez

Hey there! I’m Clara, a BA International Studies student at Leiden University, Campus The Hague. Having experienced learning difficulties myself, I want to help make university a more supportive and accommodating places for all students. With this amazing team, I hope to create a truly inclusive environment - because "diversity is a fact, but inclusion is an act." Let’s work on it together!

If you have any questions or suggestions, or would like to support the work carried out by advisory groups, please send a message to divers-inclusief@hum.leidenuniv.nl. Of course, you are also free to contact one of the members directly.