Inclusivity and Culture Updates

In the interests of transparency, DAE has created this page to collate all of the updates published by the Executive Board regarding new initiatives, investigations and ongoing discussions around inclusivity and culture at DAE. These have previously been shared with students and staff via email.

Find out more about what Inclusivity and Culture means at DAE and read our frequently asked questions – including what happens when a complaint is made and what support is available to staff and students – on our General Questions page.

Read more about the ongoing collaboration between the Executive Board, the Student Council and the independently organised Anti-Racist Committee here.

If you have any other questions or feedback regarding the contents of this page or any of the inclusivity and culture content on this website, please email communications@designacademy.nl.

Report on social safety in higher art and fashion education in the Netherlands

On 12 May 2023, the Dutch Inspectorate of Education (Inspectie van het Onderwijs) published a report on their investigation into the social safety in higher art and fashion education nationwide.

The report was launched following several cases of unsafe learning environments that emerged in 2021. Students reported bullying, unrealistic study loads and inappropriate behaviour by educators, prompting a widespread call for institutions to improve their internal processes and be more accountable for the safety of their students and staff while within the educational environment.

The 80-page report looks at what college and university boards like DAE have since done to improve the social safety of their communities and makes a series of recommendations for further progress.

While it finds that many institutions have already taken various actions towards improvement, including implementing better reporting procedures and codes of conduct, there is still a need for further structural change. This need is already openly recognised by many universities of applied sciences.

“It does appear… that more attention is paid to measures aimed at the reception and protection of complainants and defendants after an incident has taken place than to the prevention of social insecurity,” says the Inspectorate on the government webpage dedicated to the report. “Moreover, a more structural approach is often lacking. This need is also recognised by education boards, the Inspectorate heard.”

The report includes a series of 21 recommendations, which DAE will incorporate into the ongoing development of its Inclusivity and Culture policies alongside our existing Action Points. DAE remains committed to improving social safety for all members of its community, and the Executive Board is open to all feedback on this subject from students, staff, educators and alumni. Contact them at ExecutiveBoard@designacademy.nl

The full 80-page report is available in Dutch here.

Response of joint art colleges to report Council for Culture

On 21 June 2022, the Council for Cultures (Raad voor Cultuur) has published a report detailing the social safety within the cultural sector and arts section in the Netherlands. Along with a number of art institutions across country Design Academy Eindhoven agreed to following collective statement in response. This is part on an ongoing effort within our institution to learn and reflect upon the kind of safe environment and inclusive culture that we are committed to foster.

At Design Academy Eindhoven, we understand institutional change is always a work-in-progress and we will continue to listen. If you think something is missing from the report, or something needs to be improved, we are here to hear them.

You can reach us via CARE at DAE or directly to the Executive Board at executiveboard@designacademy.nl.

Reaction of the Dutch universities of the arts to the report of the Council for Culture.

The Dutch universities of the arts, part of the Universities of Applied Sciences, have read with great interest the advice of the Council for Culture (Raad voor Cultuur) regarding social safety within the cultural sector and arts education. The universities recognise the problems outlined by the Council for Culture and acknowledge the role they play in making social safety an integral part of the development of the artists (and culture professionals) of the future. The arts education sector is pleased that the efforts made by the universities of the arts, both individually and collectively, to guarantee and increase social safety have been noted by the Council for Culture. At the same time, we are already busy implementing changes in line with the Council’s findings. We feel it is important to emphasise that this is never finished and that we are consciously and continuously working on it.

The universities of the arts have done a great deal of work to strengthen the structures that are intended to counteract transgressive behaviour. One of the results was the presentation in May 2021 of the ‘Contours of the Social Safety Code’ by the universities of the arts to the then Minister Van Engelshoven. We actively draw the attention of our staff and students to codes of conduct, make confidential counsellors and complaints committees more visible, refine regulations and make them easier to find. The dialogue shows openness and alertness to social safety. The universities of the arts are paying constant attention to this.

Of course, the didactic approach of demolishing and rebuilding the art student, as was done in the past by some universities of the arts, is now unacceptable to all; it no longer has a place in art education today. With training in didactics and social safety, we impress on our lecturers, even those with small appointments, that transgressive behaviour, (sexual) intimidation, aggression and violence, bullying and discrimination are unacceptable. The educational climate is changing: we are educating a new generation with a firm focus on paying attention to awareness and encouraging to set one’s own boundaries. These future artists and cultural professionals are the critical culture changers of tomorrow.

We see the Council for Culture’s advice as an encouragement to continue along the chosen path and to continue to strengthen the future generation of artists in this area. Central to this is the enhancement of didactic skills and the promotion of a culture in which everyone dares to speak out and to address one another. Only in this way can we create a safe and inclusive environment where all talents can flourish.

We take to heart the recommendations made by the Council for Culture. The universities of the arts will and want to contribute, collectively and individually, to a safe and inclusive cultural sector.

Signed by the joint universities of the arts.

Fact sheet: social security in higher education – government report | Update February 2022

On 23 February, the Dutch Education Inspectorate published a fact sheet on social safety in higher education. The report found that while most students said that they experienced a safe learning environment, one in 25 students who responded to the study had mentioned or experienced transgressive behaviour. “That may not seem like much, but if this percentage were to apply to all students in higher education, it would correspond to more than 30,000 students,” explained a statement published on the government’s website.

More than 1,500 students responded to the survey — around 15% of those invited to take part. The fact sheet with the results can be accessed through this link (in Dutch).

The study was triggered by a number of accusations of unethical and inappropriate behaviour within higher education across the Netherlands that emerged in 2019 and 2020. The report summary by the Education Inspectorate can be accessed through this link (in Dutch). With this message, we want to emphasise that facilitating a safe learning environment is our priority at DAE.

The conversation around this subject must remain public and visible. Real change of the nature required in this scenario cannot just happen behind closed doors. Taking responsibility for ourselves as an institution is vital. DAE still has much to do in this respect, but the steps taken so far are moving us in the right direction. This is why DAE publishes this information publicly on its website and has created a dedicated section for Inclusivity and Culture.

Keeping this conversation open and public is also essential in showing support for anyone impacted by inappropriate or transgressive behaviour and letting them know that there are people they can turn to, and clear systems for reporting an incident at DAE.

If a community member would like to report an incident or a concern, DAE has different channels available to report inappropriate behaviour of any kind. These include coordinators, mentors and an internal student counsellor, and independent confidential counsellors. Students and staff can also contact Mores, an independent disclosure office for reporting undesirable behaviour in the performing arts, film and television sectors, art education and museums. Both the counsellors and Mores can be contacted anonymously. More information on reporting an incident is available on our website.

The Executive Board is always open to feedback on these issues and can be emailed directly at executiveboard@designacademy.nl.

We want to further make the community aware of our code of conduct, which is available here.  According to Dutch law and the Dutch Governance Code for Higher Education, Design Academy Eindhoven is obliged to have various regulations and codes that outline the ground rules for the various bodies within the school. These can be found on our Governance and Regulations page here.

DAE Code of Conduct | Update October 2021

At DAE, we believe that everyone has the right to a safe and ethical place to study and work, and that we must make every effort to prevent undesirable and unethical behaviour within our community.

A safe environment is one in which everyone acts with integrity and deals with each other with respect, care and a sense of responsibility. We must also respect the values, rules and agreements that apply at DAE and be sensitive in the ways we deal with differences in opinion, culture, and values.

This spring, we set ourselves a target to improve the system of care at DAE. We have been through an important process that has led to significant changes in many of our internal procedures.

Now, we are introducing a new DAE Code of Conduct for all students, tutors, coordinators, studio leaders, heads and staff members, which comes into effect today. The Code of Conduct lays down the basic rules, as precondition for DAE as a place where all who belong to our community feel safe.

The Code of Conduct directly impacts many aspects of life at DAE, including teaching, student interactions, HR contracts and much more. To be strong and effective, it must be more than a static, box-ticking exercise. This code is a living document, central to the integrity of DAE, and it should change as we learn more about our own organisation.

It is easily accessible on the DAE website and will be incorporated in all future student and HR recruitment systems and procedures. Download DAE Code of Conduct here.

Thank you to DAE’s Institutional Participation Council, who worked closely with us on creating the Code of Conduct and approved it in its current form.

We are now hiring external experts to help us with the ongoing development of the Code of Conduct and to create various moments of engagement for our community members to understand and contribute to this process. Through this, we hope to help everyone understand the Code of Conduct and build a sense of commitment to the values and rules it outlines. More information on this will follow soon.

We invite you all to read the Code of Conduct as soon as possible. As a living document, it is constantly evolving, so we welcome all suggestions and thoughts on this.

Educational development | Update summer 2021

As we head into summer, and with many of you planning to take time out to be with your families and friends after a challenging year, this seems like a good moment to reflect on some of what we have learnt over the past year. A lot has changed at DAE and more change is on the horizon.

These moments of reflection are not moments of stillness. We have a lot to do over the next few months to prepare for the new academic year. In this update, I want to share with you some of what you can expect to see in September as well as update you on some of the recent developments within the school.

Course development
Since the introduction of the studio system, the BA development group* has been working on the further evolution of DAE’s BA education. Students and teachers have been involved in this process in various ways over the past year, most recently in a development meeting on 11 June. In the next academic year, we will begin working on this with the entire BA team at DAE. This will include a dedicated study day for staff and an invite for this will appear in their inboxes soon. We hope to complete this round of development of the BA programme by December, which will allow sufficient time to put everything in place for the 2022-2023 academic year.

*The group members are Irene Fortuyn (studio leader), Mara Skujeniece (tutor) and Sterre ter Beek (student), with staff members Erik Viskil, Yolande Hezemans and Liza Hendriks. They are assisted by a Sounding Board Group, which consists of a larger representative group from the DAE community.

In the coming academic year, development talks will start around the MA programme.

BA Studio Leaders open call
Under the new studio system, studio leaders will be in place for a predefined period. As we transition from the previous model to the new one, we want to ensure our students are supported through this change as much as we can. We are grateful to those departing Studio Leaders who have engaged with graduating students and presented solutions to guide them towards their finals, but we know this is not viable for everyone. From September, Marije Vogelzang will step down as Studio Leader of Studio Living Matter/Food Non Food, and she is working with us to ensure a smooth transition period. We are also working on a transition schedule for Studio Identity. We will be able to share some information about new Studio Leaders with you very soon.

We are also preparing to launch an open call for Studio Leaders in the next few weeks. This is not a job advert, but a way of opening our doors to new potential and diverse perspectives. We are keen to look beyond our usual networks and communities to find new ideas and possibilities for DAE. Through the open call, anyone can submit a proposal for a new studio at DAE. These will be assessed by the Executive Board. We look forward to receiving some interesting ideas.

Inflatables elective
We’re very pleased to be able to share some information about a new elective programme that will launch next year in collaboration with TU/e. DAE 2nd year BA students will be able to join the Programmable Inflatables research programme at Pi Lab, which brings together scientists, artists, designers and engineers to research new possibilities within maths and physics.

Those who participate in this elective will explore new functions and applications for inflatables, using synthetic materials and structures. With technologies like 3D printing, complex structures and materials can be made that can provide more flexibility and adaptability in the use of space, whether that be through temporary or transient forms of architecture or creating objects that can fulfil bodily functions to support medical procedures or needs.

New Social Lab
We are in the early stages of creating a new, experimental space for DAE in Eindhoven, located 1.5 km away from our main building in Woensel West. This will be a space where we can connect further with the Eindhoven community, particularly the residents of Woensel West, through new research collaborations, social programmes and projects that engage directly with local residents. It will also be a space where both alumni and current students can share and develop their work in a social context, and where we can host events, lectures and exhibitions. We will be able to share more concrete information about this new space early in the academic year.

Research, Innovation and Advancement Office
We have an ambitious plan for the expansion and development of our research department for the coming years. To support future regional, national and international projects, we are setting up the Research Innovation and Advancement office. This will bring together our research and funding programmes, and will also focus on strengthening our connections with professionals and other institutes.

Diversity and Culture Action Points
It’s not always easy to keep track of the changes going on at DAE, especially when some of these changes are behind the scenes. Following the culture report earlier this year, we have put together a set of action points that help sum up the work we are doing within the Academy in terms of developing our educational approach, our internal structure, and our approach to creating a supportive and inclusive culture at DAE. The action points include our progress on the recommendations made in the report.

These action points are now publicly available on the DAE website and we plan to update them in the coming weeks. To make them even easier to find, there will be posters around the Academy building with QR codes that take you straight to the page on the website where these action points are updated.

New Bachelor Course Committee members
Following the elections in May, there has been a changing of the guard within the BCC. Sterre ter Beek (student) and Jan Melis (lecturer) hand over the baton to Will Tisshaw Billany (student) and Eibert Draisma (lecturer). In the autumn there will be another election for the succession of the two other members. We thank the outgoing members for their dedication and wish the new BBC members much success and inspiration! Olga Pullens millhand over the role of secretary to Joyce van Wanrooy.

Examination Board
The Examination Board has been renewed and has three new members. Claudia Linders joined the Examination Board last Summer as an external member and replaces Erik Viskil as the new chair. Mieke Meijer and Ben van der Wal have been appointed as the new teacher members, representing the BA and MA programmes. Vic Cautereels will remain a member until the end of this year to guarantee a smooth transition. Yolande Hezemans is the board secretary (not a member).

The Examination Board is responsible for the procedures and rules concerning evaluations, assessments and exams, appointing the (external) examiners, determining the results of the exams and awarding the diplomas and diploma supplements, and dealing with individual student requests or appeals. It also monitors the end level achieved, from both the perspective of each individual year and in comparison to previous years.

Erik Viskil, Vic Cautereels and Yolande Hezemans were responsible for setting up the Examination Board as we know it today and Erik has been a member for seven years. We thank him for his dedication and vision and wish Claudia, Mieke and Ben lots of success in their new role.

Foundation Year
The next academic year will also see the kick-off of our new Foundation Year programme, with the first bath of students joining us at the end of August. We look forward to meeting them all! You can find out more about the Foundation Year here.

I hope that you are all able to get some rest over the next couple of months and return to DAE with renewed energy. We don’t know exactly how the pandemic will impact the next year, but I am confident that the lessons we have learned over the past 12 months will stand us all in good stead to face any new challenges with confidence. Thank you to everyone who has embraced and supported the development of our educational approach. I look forward to seeing you all at the opening of the 2021-2022 academic year.

Educational development

6 April 2021

Change is rarely easy. But it is often necessary. At DAE, we want to embrace change as a force for good.

When I joined DAE, it was clear that we needed to fundamentally shift the way we approached education to be able to serve the changing needs of our community. I am really proud of what we have managed to achieve in just a year and a half, and I am grateful for the support and input that our educational development programme has received from students, staff and educators. And also for the criticism. After all, what is DAE without critical feedback? Listening to your thoughts on what is working and what is not has been key to my approach from the beginning.

There is still much more to do and new things we are learning that we need to take on board. I have tried to keep you informed with these Educational Updates, although it has been a while since the last one! Below is a bit of a recap of what we have done so far and what is currently in progress as well as some new updates. More will follow very soon.

What we’ve done so far:
Overhauled the various forms of participation within DAE to make them more inclusive of the community
Introduced new professorships in Diversity and Inclusivity, Transdisciplinary Design Networks and The Non-School
Revamped the structure of our complaints procedure and confidential counsellors
Repositioned DAE’s Management Team to better reflect the needs and structure of the school
Introduced a new Teachers’ Week, with training, lectures and events to support educators
Renewed the structure of the BA programme, introducing a flexible system of Studios and enhanced participation between students, educators and staff

Currently in progress:
A renewal of DAE’s Code of Conduct (which all students and staff will need to sign as part of their contract/enrolment)
Ongoing collaboration between the Anti-Racism Committee, Student Council and Executive Board
The launch of the new Social Justice Lab led by Professor Praveen Sewgobind
Establishing training courses in didactic skills for educators

→ Institutional Participation Council
The new Institutional Participation Council has been in place since the beginning of February 2021. This participation body replaces the Works Council and brings together an elected group of teachers and students to form one representative body.

The IPC can influence decision-making within the Academy on many issues, but is particularly involved with the strategic policies that govern the organisation of the Academy, the working conditions at DAE and the employee-employer relationship. It might examine proposals from the Executive Board on which consent or advisory rights rest, but also more general matters about the running of the school.

There are eight places on the council, with four for students and four for employees.

The current student members are Michelle Jonker, BA and Paul Schaffer, BA. There are still two MA student places available. We are looking for two student representatives from our Master’s department. Are you interested?
Please contact official secretary Yolande Heezemans at yolande.hezemans@designacademy.nl.
The current employee members are Nikita Hurkmans – Communications desk, Anne Vader – Research desk, Joop Aarts - Workshops, and Peter van Casteren – Educational desk, Teacher BA.

The IPC will be complemented by course committees for the BA and MA programmes.
Bachelor Course Committee (BCC) soon has re-elections for one student member and one teacher member.
Master Course Committee (MCC) soon has elections for the entire committee (two students and two tutors).
The elections of both BCC and MCC are also open to tutors with a freelance appointment.

For more information, check https://designacademy.nl/p/about-dae/dae/participation

→ DAE Social Justice Lab
To have a serious and ongoing discussion geared towards tangible results (‘seeing is believing’), professor Praveen Sewgobind is initiating a Social Justice Lab. This new hub where students and staff will get together is envisioned as a catalyst for change, rather than a site where we merely produce intentions. Central to its practical philosophy is the recognition that all too often diversity statements are – as social theorist Sara Ahmed has remarked – ‘non-performatives’. In other words, such statements tend to halt and frustrate, rather than open up and stimulate structural change.
It is crucial that societal inequalities be understood as operating both systemically within society, but also in the form of socialisation/internalisation on a personal level, leading to, for example, implicit biases we all have. And so, we need to talk about and find ways to actively counter the interrelated mechanisms that are too often not addressed: sexism, racism, classism, heteronormativity, and ableism, to name a few.
There is currently an Open Call for members of the Social Justice Lab. To find out more, visit: https://designacademy.nl/p/research-and-debate/professorships/social-justice-lab-open-call

→ New Studio Leaders and Coordinators
We are excited to announce that we’ll be welcoming two new studio leaders within the Bachelors’ Programme this week. Martina Muzi and Nacho Carbonell will start teaching 2nd- and 3rd-year students from September this year.

The current leader of Studio Moonshots, Catelijne van Middelkoop (former Head of 'Man and Communication’), will leave her position at the end of the school year, but will continue to be engaged at DAE in a new role as an advisor for the new DAE Lifelong Learning Platform. Catelijne has been part of the DAE community for 14 years – the last eight as Studio Leader / Head. We would like to thank Catelijne for her dedication and for all the inspiration she has provided over the years and we are very grateful that she will remain a part of DAE. For current students of Studio Moonshot, there will be a transition period. Current 3rd-year students within the Communications Department/Studio Moonshots will still be able to graduate within this department next year.

Martina Muzi (Italy,1988) has been teaching within the Masters at DAE since 2018. Her work engages critically with design through its complex material logistics, its geopolitical cultures, and its effects on social formations from the family to the school. She is the curator of the GEO—DESIGN exhibition platform at Design Academy Eindhoven, and has curated the exhibitions GEO-DESIGN: Alibaba, shown at Van Abbemuseum during Dutch Design Week 2018, GEO-DESIGN: Junk at DDW 2019 and GEO-DESIGN: Sand in 2020, together with the online exhibition GEO-DESIGN: COVID-19. The first exhibition in the series was also presented at the Salone del Mobile in Milan in 2019. Martina graduated from the MA Social Design in 2013 and has been working as a designer, curator and educator since. She is the founder of the collective pedagogical research program on Stigmergy, and the co-initiator of ArcHertz, an experimental sound program at Universo Assisi.

Nacho Carbonell (Spain,1980) has been teaching in the BA Public Private Department/ Studio Collaborative Solutions for several years. Nacho has studied at Design Academy Eindhoven and is based in Eindhoven, where he runs his own studio. His pieces are shown in museums around the world, such as the 2121 Museum in Japan, in the MoMA San Francisco, the Art Institute of Chicago and the Groningen Museum in the Netherlands. Nacho is known for his tactile approach to sculpture, playing with texture, experimental techniques, and natural materials. His approach is unique, seeing objects as ‘living organisms’ that come alive and surprise you with their behaviour. For Carbonell forming a relationship with his work is integral – he creates objects with his hands in order to impart something of his personality to them.

We look forward to working with the new studio leaders and Catelijne within the new DAE Lifelong Learning Platform.

I would also like to introduce Ali As’ad, our new coordinator for the Studio Urgencies. Ali will start today, 1 April 2021. We look forward to him joining our team!
Monique Borsboom has been temporarily filling in as coordinator for Studio Identity since March and will remain in this position until the end of this Academic Year.

Underneath the overview of our current coordinators and studio leaders.

Studio leader / Coördinator / Studio (new name) / Department (old name)
Mario Minale / Pui Kei Tam / The Invisible Studio / Activity
Stijn Roodnat / Pui Kei Tam / Studio Collaborative Solutions / Public Private
Jelle Zijlstra / Monique Borsboom / Studio Turn Around! / Motion
Catelijne van Middelkoop / Monique Borsboom / Studio Moonshots / Communication
Marije Vogelzang / Robert Adolfsson / Studio Living Matter / Food Non Food
Marty Lamers / Monique Borsboom / Studio Identity / Identity
Irene Fortuyn / Ali As’ad / Studio Urgencies / Leisure
Thomas Lomée / Anne Ligtenberg / The Morning Studio / Well Being

→ Teachers’ Week!
This week is Teachers’ Week! This is a week-long programme in which we work together with all of our tutors, Heads and Studio Leaders on the development of DAE. Together with experts and facilitators, our teaching team has the opportunity to learn together through workshops, events and lectures, and to share inspirations and educational projects. The week began with a kick-off event hosted but the Executive Board on Monday. It has given everyone involved plenty to think about, as well as a chance to connect beyond the usual departments and studios.

→ Educational Development Group
An education development group for the Bachelor programme was set up at the beginning of this academic year. The aim of this group is to continually improve the programme, offering opportunities for all of the parties involved – students, leaders, tutors and staff – to give their feedback and shape the future of BA education at DAE.

The group members are Irene Fortuyn (studio leader), Mara Skujeniece (tutor) and Sterre ter Beek (student), with staff Erik Viskil, Yolande Hezemans and Liza Hendriks. They are assisted by a Sounding Board Group, which consists of a larger representative group from the DAE community.

The development group is working with eight key themes or steps around which they will focus the development of the curriculum. Their kick-off day took place in November 2020, and various elements have been discussed further as part of this week’s Teachers’ Week.

→ Joint communication ARC, SC and EB and Group Agreements
The DAE Executive Board has been in close consultation with the Anti-Racist Committee and the Student Council for several months. The basis for these discussions is a six-point programme that we are working to roll out within DAE.

There have already been a number of positive outcomes, including the instigation of Group Agreements. Group Agreements are a new form of collaboration between studio leaders and students that will enable everyone to work closely together within clear, agreed boundaries in language and behaviour. They will also formalise acceptable ways of working on both sides and clarify how these have been decided.

The outcome of the discussions ARC, SC and EB are shared collectively through joint communications. You can find them all on our website: https://www.designacademy.nl/p/about-dae/inclusivity-and-culture/joint-communication-updates

Warm regards,
Raf De Keninck

Follow-up investigation Studio Identity

12 March 2021

Dear Studio Identity students and tutors,
Dear DAE students, tutors, alumni and staff,

Following our mail of 19 February, the first steps have been made that should lead to an improved and normalized educational environment In Studio Identity. These steps follow the recommendations of external investigator Bezemer & Schubad after investigating the culture in the studio.

Last week a meeting took place between student representatives of Studio Identity and the Studio Leader in the presence of the Executive Board. An external moderator ensured a safe environment for all participants. All present showed courage and vulnerability by speaking up. The meeting was constructive and all agreed at the end that they want to close this chapter and work on a better learning and working environment in the Studio. Our thanks and gratitude goes to the students for their openness and courage.

Thereafter, we discussed the outcome of the Bezemer & Schubad investigating and made an improvement plan with the Studio Leader. The plan includes three major improvements:
-There will be major changes in the tutor team of Studio identity per September 2021. The Studio Leader has the freedom to compose the tutor group. More diversity and inclusivity are key and will lead to a structural replacement of current tutors. We are aware that this will be a huge disappointment for some of the tutors that shared their knowledge with the students for many years. However, this intervention is necessary to establish a different culture in the Studio.
-For students it is difficult if not impossible to share their (personal) worries and concerns with a coordinator who is also their tutor. Saskia van Gelder will no longer combine her duties as coordinator and tutor and will fully concentrate on teaching. Monique Borsboom is already temporary coordinator and will stay on in this capacity until the end of the running academic year.
-The EB will arrange a meeting with the Studio Identity tutors to discuss the outcome of the Bezemer & Schubad investigation and the necessary future steps.
-Both the Studio Leader and the EB are convinced that more dialogue is needed to get better understanding of the concerns within his Studio from both the students and the teachers. The Studio Leader will engage by being more present at DAE and take on some lessons.

These steps are the start of this improvement process. The EB and Studio Leader will discuss and monitor the progression of these improvements on a monthly basis and will take extra steps if necessary. We are confident that this will lead to a safer Studio Identity.

Kind regards,
Joseph Grima & Raf De Keninck
Executive Board

Outcome investigation culture Studio Identity

19 February 2020

Dear Studio Identity students and tutors,
Dear DAE students, tutors and staff,

As you know, following a series of anonymous allegations and criticism from present and former students of Studio Identity, the leadership of the Design Academy decided to commission an independent external organisation, Bezemer & Schubad, to conduct an investigation into the specific allegations and more broadly the culture of the studio.

Now that this investigation has been completed, we think it is appropriate to share with you some information regarding the outcome. First, we would like to give you some key facts and context on how the investigation was conducted:

• Individual in-depth interviews with (former) students and teaching staff of Studio Identity were conducted using a semi-structured questionnaire (as such, the conversations were structured but open).

• Reports were drawn up of the interviews, supported by recordings for which consent was requested and received from all staff in advance. All recordings were destroyed after the delivery of the report.

• Input was received from a total of forty-one people, including students, alumni, teaching staff and people in a support role at DAE.

Importantly, we would like to make it clear that the investigation was conducted in total autonomy, and only the final report was shared with the DAE’s Executive Board. The Executive Board is immensely grateful to all the students and staff who participated in this process, and in order to safeguard their privacy and anonymity only the conclusions of the report will be shared here. The key findings were the following:

• Based on the information provided by students (past and present) to the researcher of Bezemer & Schubad, no evidence was found supporting the anonymous allegations made on the “calloutdutchartinstitutions” Instagram account regarding the Studio Leader.

• Studio Identity is known internally and externally as a department where students have to perform under high work pressure and where work is generally judged firmly. Since the studio is devoted to reflections on the individual and the work of students is an expression of their inner selves, they feel extremely vulnerable when it comes to the judgement of their work. This approach to teaching can strengthen the resolve of some, but leaves many feeling crushed.

• In recent years, a breakdown of trust has occurred between a significant (and increasing) proportion of Studio Identity’s student community and its leadership. Present and former students highlighted a culture they described with words such as “toxic”.

• Although DAE has a system of student care (student counsellor, mentor, student psychologist, confidentiality counsellor)s, this system should be more visible to the students. The Executive Board should to take signals from the staff responsible for student care more seriously.

• Both the students and the tutors feel that trust and respect need to be restored, so that a safe and healthy learning and working environment can be created.

The next step towards a normalized educational environment is a meeting between representatives of the Studio Identity students and the Studio Leader in the presence of the Executive Board. The meeting shall be chaired by an external moderator in order to create a setting where all participants feel free to share their thoughts. This gathering is just the first step. After that the outcome of the Bezemer & Schubad will be discussed with the tutors and with students and tutors together. Furthermore, the EB will reinforce the position of the employees responsible for student care. This process of improvement will develop over the next weeks/ months under the supervision of the Executive Board. The EB will not hesitate to hire external expertise when needed.

Our thanks go once again to all who participated in the Bezemer & Schubad investigation for their courage and openness. Your contribution is the first step towards a better Design Academy Eindhoven.

Kind regards,
Joseph Grima & Raf De Keninck
Executive Board, Design Academy Eindhoven

Start investigation social safety and culture DAE

15 December 2020

Dear DAE students, tutors, staff and alumni,

Today the investigation after the overall DAE environment and working culture in Design Academy Eindhoven starts. As we informed you earlier Bezemer & Schubad carries out this extra external, independent and thorough investigation into the academy. Bezemer & Schubad have vast experience and an excellent reputation in this field, and we are confident they will offer a clear and impartial assessment of the circumstances and guide us in the future improvement of conditions for everyone in DAE.

The goal of this assessment is to address experiences of intimidation, sexual harassment, bullying, discrimination, aggression, non-inclusion, violence, or other forms of social insecurity that you may have experienced. Please note that this investigation is not only into inappropriate behaviour. We are also interested in more subtle, silent or hidden aspects of a culture that makes you feel unsafe.

We would like to stress that while we will take all allegations of misconduct seriously, this is not a witch-hunt and staff should not feel insecure or intimidated. We have absolute confidence in our extraordinary community as a whole. We must and will address the individual instances that we have been already made aware of, but our larger goal is to understand what can be done to make DAE a better environment for all — students and staff alike.

Attached you find an invitation from Bezemer & Schubad to participate in this investigation. In this invitation, they explain their working method and they guarantee the anonymity and confidentiality of all who reach out to Bezemer & Schubad.

As the Executive Board, we cannot stress enough the importance and urgency of this investigation. We take it seriously and will act upon the final findings and advice of Bezemer & Schubad. Therefore, we urge you all to participate in order to create a safe learning and working environment.

Sincerely,

Executive Board

→ Invitation general investigation Bezemer Schubad

Executive board announces research on social safety and culture at Studio Identity

10 December 2020

Dear students of Studio Identity,

Last week we announced an investigation after the overall DAE environment and working culture in Design Academy Eindhoven.

After signals about social safety and culture specifically within Studio Identity, the Executive Board decided to assign Bezemer & Schubad, to carry out an extra external, independent and thorough investigation into this studio.

The goal of this investigation will be to learn more about the experiences of students, tutors, alumni and former tutors in relation to social safety and culture within the Studio. Bezemer & Schubad have vast experience and an excellent reputation in this field, and we are confident they will offer a clear and impartial assessment of the circumstances and guide us in the future improvement of conditions for everyone in Studio Identity.

Attached you find an invitation from Bezemer & Schubad to participate in this investigation. Bezemer & Schubad would like to receive input from students, staff and alumni about both their experiences and their suggestions for the future.
As Executive Board, we cannot stress enough the importance of this investigation. We take it seriously and will act upon the final findings and advice of Bezemer & Schubad. Therefore, we urge you all to participate in order to create a safe learning and working environment.

Sincerely,

Executive Board

Executive board announces investigation into overall DAE environment and working culture

4 December 2020

Following recent allegations of impropriety on the part of Design Academy staff, the Executive Board decided to engage the company Bezemer & Schubad to investigate the overall DAE environment and working culture. Bezemer & Schubad have vast experience and an excellent reputation in this field, and we are confident they will offer a clear and impartial assessment of the circumstances and guide us in the future improvement of conditions for everyone at the academy. The assessment will be open for all students, tutors, staff and alumni. Bezemer & Schubad will begin as early as next week, and we will be communicating to you their process as soon as they share it with us.

Design Academy Eindhoven should be a safe environment for all its students, tutors and staff. Those who do not respect or who violate this safe environment do not belong to our community. All students, tutors and staff – the EB included – must at all times be aware of the responsibility they carry and act accordingly. Ensuring DAE is a safe space for all, and not just for some, is the responsibility of the Executive Board.

It is only in an environment of harmony and reciprocal respect that we will be able to achieve our goals as an institution.

Kind regards,

The Executive Board,

Joseph Grima, 
Mechtild van den Hombergh and 
Raf De Keninck

Statement – recent social media posts

1 December 2020

To all members of the Design Academy community,

Late last week we were surprised to learn that police had been asked to investigate the comments made by several individuals (including DAE alumni) on a recent post alleging impropriety by a head of department/ studio leader.
DAE did not request the involvement of the police to suppress the opinions expressed by those commenting on these posts. Over the weekend we have been in direct contact with individuals who reached out to us to offer support and counsel.

DAE takes the prior allegations of impropriety extremely seriously and, as announced last week by email to the community, an external organisation has been tasked with investigating allegations that have been made and advising us on appropriate action. This investigative action will begin at the earliest possible time. Impropriety of any kind has no place at DAE, and will not be tolerated.
We cannot and will not respond to every social media post published in this light. We believe it is important to communicate with our internal community, students and staff first. We are now focusing on the investigations and will keep you informed.

We deeply regret these unpleasant and demeaning developments at a time that is already incredibly difficult for students and staff alike.

Best,

Joseph Grima, 
Raf De Keninck
 and Mechtild van den Hombergh

Announcement assessment overall DAE environment and working culture

26 November 2020

Dear members of the DAE community,

On November 3, we as Executive Board sent you an email on how to report an incident or a concern. Of course, it is our duty to follow up on concerns expressed in order to make sure issues are addressed at the root. Our greatest responsibility toward the community is to ensure a safe environment in which the comfort and wellbeing of everyone, both students and staff, is guaranteed. It is only in an environment of harmony and reciprocal respect that we will be able to achieve our goals as an institution.

→ Assessment

The Executive Board decided to assign an independent external agency to perform an assessment on the general environment and culture, with a view to identifying critical situations that may affect the wellbeing of students and staff within the school. The assessment, led by professionals specialized in this, will start from instances of discomfort that have been made known to us, and will guide us in the future improvement of conditions for everyone at the academy. The EB is discussing this assignment with two specialists in this field and will decide mid next week who will perform the assessment, after which we inform you. The method of assessment depends on the specialist we choose. More info on this will follow soon.

→ Mores

Mores is an independent disclosure office for undesirable behavior in the performing arts, film and television sectors, art education and museums. The collective Dutch art schools (including DAE) decided to align with Mores and you can contact Mores if you prefer not to contact DAE’s own confidential counselors. Mores offers certified confidential advisors that listen to your story or complaints and can advise you what to do. They cooperate with ethologists and lawyers if necessary. Mores works in absolute confidence, and you can even stay anonymous if you contact them. If you feel the need to report incidents, Mores will be there for you https://mores.online. Their site is available in Dutch and English.

→ DAE confidential counsellors

Just to remind you, DAE has two confidential counsellors in place for students, tutors and staff. Both work independently and guarantee your anonymity:

• Yolande Hezemans is DAE’s internal confidential counsellor (yolande.hezemans@designacademy.nl)

• DAE’s confidential counsellors are:

Tamara de Reu dereu@devertrouwenspersoon.nl
T +31 610 917 087

Jeroen Zweerts zweerts@devertrouwenspersoon.nl
T +31 626 698 484

Both are associated with “De Vertrouwenspersoon” (The Confidant), an organization that operates nationwide and works exclusively with professional and qualified employees.

→ Safe Environment

We as Executive Board cannot state enough that Design Academy Eindhoven should be a safe environment for all its students, tutors and staff. Those who do not respect or violate this safe environment do not belong to our community. All students, tutors and staff, ourselves included, must at all times be aware of the responsibility they carry and act accordingly. Ensuring DAE is a safe space for all, and not just for some, is our responsibility.