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Meet the Faculty’s new Student Assessor: Imen el Idrissi

After two years in the Faculty Board, Student Assessor Zoë van Litsenburg makes room for a successor per September 1, 2022. Let’s meet the new Student Assessor Imen el Idrissi. ‘I want to focus on the communication between the Faculty and the students.’

Imen el Idrissi: 'I want to ask students about their experiences and see if I can do anything about the issues they run into.'

Pre-University College

Imen has always loved history, but her practical demeanor led her to studying archaeology pretty quickly. ‘I was enrolled in the Leiden Pre-University College during High School, where I followed the Archaeology track. While I did not know a lot about the field beforehand, I loved the combination of history, biology, and geology.’ When it was time to choose a bachelor’s studies, it turned out to be an easy one. 

Now, Imen is finishing her third year. The only thing standing between her and a bachelor’s title is the BA Thesis. ‘I’m hoping to finish my thesis by December if everything goes well. Then I’ll start doing my master’s in September 2023. My thesis focuses on the comparison of two Assyrian temples around roughly the 13th century BCE, and I have yet to decide which specialisation within the MA Archaeology I will be doing, but luckily, I have enough time for that.’ In the meantime, Imen will be working for the Faculty of Archaeology as the Student Assessor, the student member in the Faculty Board. 

Applying for assessor

But why apply for such a position? ‘That’s a fun story,’ she laughs. ‘I didn’t know much about the position until about a year ago. Zoë van Litsenburg asked me speak on behalf of the students in a couple of meetings. There it turned out that I really loved doing that, and that I did pretty well.’ Due to the closing of University during the Covid-19 lockdowns, Imen felt a distance towards the Faculty. ‘I really liked getting to know how the Faculty worked. More contact with Zoë led to her asking me whether I would be interested in succeeding her. I wasn't sure at first.’

But given some time to think about this, Imen reconsidered. ‘I really did love working with the Faculty, and as I learned more about what the position entailed, I grew more and more enthusiastic about the opportunity and the responsibilities. So I applied! The resulting job interview was very interesting, which made me even more enthusiastic when I heard that I got the position.’ 

Imen excavating in Cueva Negra, Spain

Meeting points

Every Student Assessor has specific goals in mind they want to reach during their terms. Imen is no different. ‘I really want to focus on the communications between the Faculty and the students. As I experienced myself, I didn’t really know a lot about the Faculty and all its staff, which is partly due to Covid-19 and partly due to me, but also party due to the Faculty.’ She intends to expand upon the current meeting points between students and the Faculty and add to them where needed. ‘My second focus will be on the courses of the programme. I want to ask students about their experiences and see if I can do anything about the issues they run into. Most importantly, I want to give our students the sense that they are being listened to and that their opinions are considered 

Imen has firm goals in mind for herself as well. ‘I am always looking for things to improve, also in myself. Within the Faculty I hope to make a lasting impact, and to end my term with the feeling that I helped the students as well as the Faculty, for the people present now and in the future.’ 

Meet the Assessor

You are welcome to reach out to Imen el Idrissi via assessor@arch.leidenuniv.nl, or come by room A2.18 on weekdays between 9.00-14.00.  

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