[Update] Interim ombudsman for TU Delft

Should any problems arise on the work floor that lead to uncertainties, dilemmas or conflicts, staff can now contact the ombudsman, Job van Luyken, by email. This can be done individually or as a group. Van Luyken will first discuss the situation confidentially with the relevant staff member/members, and will then independently and impartially gather information and examine the situation.

Should the situation lead to an investigation, all the parties involved are required to cooperate. Van Luyken has access to any information that is relevant to the investigation. He can then advise, mediate, assess or put the staff member/members through to the right body at TU Delft. He can also make independent recommendations to the Executive Board to amend decisions, policies or procedures.

Two year pilot

Van Luyken temporarily fulfills the position as a replacement for a previously appointed ombudsman who could not start due to circumstances. Van Luyken is a certified coach, mediator and founder of ontwarren.nl, a website on which he open up issues and conflicts for discussion and addressing. After doing one year of medicine and then studying law, he started working in the financial sector and says that he put most of his efforts into innovation. On his website, he cites examples of his work as the introduction of iDeal, the online shop payment system, and electronic billing.

Between 2006 and 2010, in his position as general manager, he was responsible for a joint venture between ING and Getronics. Apart from his work, from 2010 to 2016 he had seats on various works councils in ING. Outside his work, he is a voluntary neighbourhood mediator at Versa Welzijn for the municipalities of Hilversum, Wijdemeren, Huizen, Weesp and Gooise Meren.

The two year ombudsman pilot came about on the initiative of TU Delft’s Works Council. During the pilot, TU Delft will assess if the ombudsman function should remain.

[UPDATE: March 21, 9:20]

An earlier version of this article stated that Van Luyken will be an ombudsman for two years. Although the position of ombudsman exists for a period of two years, Van Luyken temporarily fills the position as a replacement for a previously appointed ombudsman who, due to circumstances, could not yet start.