The Educatieve Master Primair Onderwijs (EMPO), a joint programme of Leiden University and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, has been recognised as one of the highest-scoring master’s programmes in the Keuzegids Masters 2026. The ranking is based on the National Student Survey (NSE) 2025 results.

Students rate the programme highly on several key aspects. The EMPO receives strong positive scores for teacher quality, including both subject expertise and didactic skills, as well as for the quality of supervision and engagement of lecturers. The programme also scores highly on the learning environment and atmosphere within the programme, and receives an exceptionally strong evaluation for the extent to which it prepares students for professional practice.

The EMPO is a distinctive research-based teacher training programme for primary education at MSc level, combining academic training with preparation for teaching in primary schools. This model remains relatively rare in the Netherlands and aims to strengthen the connection between educational research and classroom practice. The EMPO is an example of how universities invest in strengthening Educational Sciences and Teacher Training. By combining research expertise with professional teacher education, the programme contributes to the Sector Plan ambition of improving the knowledge base and long-term development of education.

Recently, the programme has also become accessible to students from all WO bachelor programmes, further expanding opportunities for academically trained teachers to enter primary education. This broadening of access aims to increase the programme’s societal impact and contribute to strengthening the quality of primary education.

• More information about the programme can be found on the programme website.

Emilie Prast, Assistant Professor at Leiden University and one of the SSH Sector Plan UD researchers, is involved in the dissemination of a new national guideline on meaningful and goal-oriented mathematics education for primary school (groups 3–8). The guideline, published on the Dutch National Education Knowledge platform Onderwijskennis.nl, provides teachers with research-based recommendations to improve mathematics education.

Together with Marian Hickendorff (Leiden University), Prast has received a Kiem grant to investigate opportunities for developing professional development modules for teachers based on the guideline. These modules aim to support teachers in applying the research-based recommendations of the guideline in their daily classroom practice.

This initiative contributes to the SSH Sector Plan theme Educational Sciences & Teacher Training, which focuses on strengthening educational sciences and supporting evidence-informed innovation in schools.

• Check out the guidelines

On 27 March 2026, Erasmus University Rotterdam and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam will organise the mini-conference “Developing Knowledge and Skills” as part of the SSH Sector Plan for Education Sciences. The event focuses on the question: How do students effectively develop knowledge and skills?

The programme includes keynote lectures by Anique de Bruijn (Maastricht University) and Roel van Steensel, as well as presentations and poster sessions. The conference will conclude with the inaugural lecture of Marieke Meeuwisse, titled “The Social Architecture of Higher Education.”

Date: Friday 27 March 2026, 12:30–18:00
Location: Theil Building, Campus Woudestein, Erasmus University Rotterdam
Language: Dutch

• More information and registration

Anne-Laura van Harmelen is head of the Resilience Center Leiden and faculty representative for the Sector Plan Theme Resilience in Youth. Check out this overview of her recent appearances in Dutch media.

The lasting impact of bullying highlighted in NU.nl

In an in-depth feature published by NU.nl on 27 February 2026, the long-term psychological effects of bullying were explored.

Anne-Laura van Harmelen contributed expert insights into how experiences of exclusion and humiliation during childhood can shape stress responses and social expectations later in life. Drawing on her research into stress regulation and resilience, she emphasized the protective role of supportive relationships as “mental airbags” that can buffer negative experiences.

The article reflects broader FSW research into stress sensitivity, resilience, and the lasting effects of social experiences on mental wellbeing. 

Coping with negative news and societal threat discussed in JAN Magazine

In February 2026, JAN Magazine published an article on how people cope with constant exposure to negative news and feelings of societal threat, including concerns about war and global instability.

In the article, Anne-Laura van Harmelen provided psychological insight into how perceived threat can activate stress systems and why repeated exposure to alarming information can have lasting effects on mental wellbeing. Drawing on her research into stress sensitivity and resilience, she explained how individuals can better understand and regulate their responses to ongoing uncertainty.

The contribution connects to broader research within FSW on stress regulation, resilience, and the psychological impact of societal uncertainty. 

Opinion piece in de Volkskrant: Childhood trauma as a public health issue

On 9 February 2026, de Volkskrant published the opinion article The largest, invisible problem in Dutch public health? Childhood trauma by Anne-Laura van Harmelen  and Christiaan Vinkers.

The authors argue that childhood trauma is not only an individual tragedy but also a structural public health challenge, placing long-term pressure on education, youth care, and mental health services. They call for childhood trauma to be recognized explicitly as a public health issue and a central theme for prevention policy.

The article resonates with ongoing work within FSW that seeks to better understand and prevent the long-term societal impact of early adversity. 

Growing up without a safety net: societal impact of childhood isolation

On 4 February 2026, De Correspondent published an analysis on the long-term consequences of growing up without a stable social safety net.

In the article, Anne-Laura van Harmelen explains how experiences of rejection and social isolation in childhood can shape expectations about relationships and increase vulnerability to stress later in life. Her research on resilience and stress regulation provides scientific context to the societal debate on childhood adversity and mental health.

The article connects closely to research at FSW examining how early social environments influence long-term mental health and wellbeing. 

Gender inequality in academia discussed in Libelle

In Libelle (31 January 2026), three female professors shared their experiences with gender inequality in academia, including Anne-Laura van Harmelen.

Van Harmelen reflected on subtle forms of bias and stereotypical expectations that continue to influence evaluation cultures, recognition, and career progression within universities. Her contribution highlights how structural inequalities and informal power dynamics shape opportunities, inclusion, and social safety in academic institutions.

The discussion connects to research within FSW on institutional inequality and diversity, and to broader efforts to understand how social structures affect wellbeing and professional development across the life course. 

Long-term impact of youth trauma discussed in national broadcast

On 19 January 2026, the Dutch programme De Nacht van… (BNNVARA, EO, KRO-NCRV & NTR) addressed the possible long-term consequences for the young victims in the Barendrecht sexual abuse case. Listen to the radio show.

Anne-Laura van Harmelen contributed her expertise on the mental health impact of traumatic childhood experiences. She explained how childhood trauma can affect stress systems and development, even when victims have no explicit memory of the events.

Her contribution reflects ongoing research within FSW into childhood adversity, resilience, and the long-term impact of early stress on mental health.

Julie Hall, Assistant Professor in Neuropsychology at Leiden University, has been awarded an NWO Open Competition SSH XS grant for her research on anxiety in neurodegenerative disorders. Since 2023, Hall has been working at the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences (FSW) within the framework of the SSH Sector Plan, under the theme Mental Health. The SSH Sector Plans aim to strengthen research capacity and stimulate interdisciplinary collaboration across the social sciences and humanities. Hall’s research contributes to this ambition by combining insights from neuropsychology, experimental psychology, and cognitive neuroscience to better understand the complex relationships between cognition, emotion, and motor functioning in both health and neurodegenerative disorders.

In her upcoming research project, Julie will investigate medication related anxiety in people with Parkinson’s disease. Many people with this disorder experience strong fluctuations in the effects of their medication. During these wearing-off periods, sudden and debilitating anxiety can occur, which cannot always be prevented through medication adjustments alone. Hall’s SSH XS project investigates whether this anxiety may be linked to a sense of unsafety caused by noise or uncertainty in bodily signals, and why some individuals are particularly vulnerable to this experience.

By focusing on the interplay between body and mind, the project aims to provide new insights into anxiety dynamics in daily life, ultimately contributing to more targeted and patient-centred interventions. The project illustrates how the SSH Sector Plan theme Mental Health supports innovative research that connects fundamental scientific insight with societal and clinical relevance.

• More information about Julie Hall’s research can be found on her staff page.

Dr Linda de Voogd, Assistant Professor at Leiden University, has been awarded an NWO Open Competition SSH XS grant for her research on psychological manipulation and influence, and their impact on mental wellbeing. De Voogd works at the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences (FSW) within the framework of the SSH Sector Plan, under the theme Mental Health. 

Her research combines insights from psychology and behavioural science to better understand why some individuals are more vulnerable to manipulative interactions and which strategies may help reduce negative effects on wellbeing. The project also contributes to her broader research line on trauma and improving trauma treatment by examining how experiences of psychological violence can function as a valid source of traumatic stress. 

The project builds on earlier studies, including research conducted during the Lowlands festival last year, and continues with a newly designed immersive Haunted House experimental setting. This controlled environment allows researchers to study responses to social pressure and influence in situations that resemble real-life experiences, while collecting behavioural, emotional, and physiological data in real time. By examining how people respond to psychological pressure and which strategies help individuals recognise, resist, or cope with such experiences, the project aims to generate new insights into vulnerability and resilience in everyday contexts. The research highlights how work within the SSH Sector Plan theme Mental Health contributes to understanding mental health challenges and improving knowledge relevant to trauma and resilience.

• More information about Linda de Voogd’s research can be found on her staff page: Linda de Voogd - Leiden University.

Researchers working within the SSH Sector Plan theme Mental Health may be interested in the national LinkedIn platform SSH–Mental Health–NL, which connects researchers from Dutch universities working on mental health within the social and behavioural sciences. The platform aims to strengthen collaboration, visibility, and societal impact of SSH research by bringing together researchers across disciplines and institutions.

The platform aligns closely with the SSH Sector Plan theme Mental Health, which promotes interdisciplinary collaboration and capacity building to address urgent societal challenges.

In spring 2026, the SSH Sector Plans will undergo a national mid-term evaluation, marking an important learning moment for the programme across Dutch universities. This evaluation provides an opportunity to reflect on the SSH Sector Plans as a whole, including Leiden University’s contribution within the national programme. 

The legal basis for the national mid-term evaluation is laid down in the Regulation on Sector Plans for Higher Education and Research (article 10), which requires the evaluation to be completed before April 1, 2026, with advice to the minister by June 1, 2026.

Relevant for researchers working within the SSH Sector Plan theme Societal Transitions and Behaviour Change.

• More information

On 2 December 2025, the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences (FSW) hosted a new edition of Food for Thought.

• Read a report about the event

On 21 November 2025, the mini-conference “Lezenswaardig – Current Perspectives on Reading in Education” took place in ’s-Hertogenbosch. Organized by the Open University and Tilburg University (TiCeLS), the event brought together university lecturers (UDs), researchers, teacher educators, and practitioners from across the Netherlands.

The conference, held in the context of the national SSH Sector Plans, focused on current themes in reading and education. Sessions explored topics such as reading motivation, citizenship, and the role of emerging and generative technologies in teaching and learning. Participants also had the opportunity to connect with UD peers from 13 universities and share research through a poster session.

• More information about the programme

On 19 November 2025, FSW and FGGA researchers came together for the joint Research Day. The event focused on interdisciplinary collaboration, a central ambition of the SSH Sector Plans.

• Read the news article

16 November 2025

Researchers from the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences (FSW) and the Faculty of Governance and Global Affairs (FGGA) have published a joint opinion piece in Trouw arguing that young people should be protected through safer social media, not through age-based bans. The article, titled “Bescherm jongeren met veiliger sociale media, niet met een verbod,” was written by Friso Selten (FGGA), Hsini Huang (FGGA) and Anne-Laura van Harmelen (FSW).

Their argument aligns with the SSH Sector Plan theme Resilience in Youth, which focuses on how young people navigate digital and social challenges. The publication also reflects the strong collaboration between FSW and FGGA researchers working at the intersection of youth, digitalisation, governance and wellbeing.

Read the full opinion piece (Dutch): Bescherm jongeren met veiliger sociale media, niet met een verbod (Trouw, 16 November 2025).

11 September 2025

The Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW) has decided to make the funding for Leiden Law School’s participation in the Law Sector Plan structural. Following a positive final evaluation of the plan (2018–2025), the faculty will now receive an annual contribution of €800,000 to support research and education. 

Although separate from the SSH Sector Plans, this development highlights a shared national commitment to strengthening collaboration, interdisciplinary methods, and long-term capacity in the social sciences, humanities, and law.

• Read the article on universiteitleiden.nl 

10 juni 2025

• Read the article