The VUB wants to move quickly and take on a “pioneering role” in tackling the intimidation of academics. The university said this after a study by the Flemish Interuniversity Council (VLIR) showed on Tuesday that 45 percent of academic staff face intimidation within and outside the working environment.
The research was conducted by VUB professor and sociologist Pieter-Paul Verhaeghe and ran from May 9 to June 13, 2022. 2,488 academics participated, including professors, postdocs and doctoral students, from all five Flemish universities. In response to the report, the VUB is now refining its policy on harassment of scientists.
“We implement both a preventive and a curative approach to all forms of intimidation,” says Pieter Ballon, vice-rector of the university. “We will also train our scientists ourselves. An important part will be training in better external communication, especially by learning to handle it very carefully and by staying close to their research.”
Wider powers
There is also a curative component. For example, the ombudsman service will have broader powers and the VUB’s MarCom (Marketing & Communication) Service will play a more important role. “The service will help scientists who are under attack to identify the often anonymous ‘bashers’ and to better manage their own social media,” Ballon said. “In both internal and external attacks, it is the employer who must act to protect his employees. And we are going to do that.”
VUB’s HR department is also being armed to deal with intimidation, from within and without. The central question is how to increase the legal protection of VUB employees.
All this fits within the YANA policy (You Are Not Alone) of the VUB, a protocol that was developed when it became apparent that there was transgressive behavior at the universities in Flanders.
This article is originally published on bruzz.be
