Erasmus School of Law celebrates its 60th anniversary with the theme 60 years GROOS, a tribute to our rich history and past, present, and future developments. A key pillar in this progress is our commitment to diversity and inclusion. Since its inception in 2018, the Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) platform has been actively working to create an inclusive and equitable environment for everyone within our faculty. We spoke with platform team members Tirza Paais, HR advisor, and Amber Scheepers, PhD candidate specialising in gender diversity within the corporate world, about these developments.
A clear mission
The D&I platform has a clear mission: to promote diversity and inclusion in all aspects of our School. From identifying current issues to offering advice and organising inspiring events, the focus is creating a safe, equitable, and inclusive learning and working environment. Paais emphasises the importance of this mission: “Diversity and inclusion are key priorities within our School and the university. This means, among other things, striving for a diverse workforce in the broadest sense. We aim to create equal opportunities for everyone and foster a culture where everyone can be their authentic self. I am incredibly proud to contribute to this.”
Inspiring initiatives
The platform is taking concrete steps. One of its initiatives is organising events such as Women@ESL, where colleagues from diverse backgrounds unite to strengthen our School community, inspire each other, and discuss gender balance and diversity-related topics. Additionally, a programme has been set up to support first-generation students in taking their first steps into the job market and developing their academic careers.
The most recent initiative of the D&I platform is the launch of the inclusive and diverse calendar Diversity Days. This calendar includes many holidays from world religions, memorial days, and awareness days. It ensures that everyone within the faculty is informed about these important dates, raising awareness and fostering inclusion.
Actions, not words
Beyond these initiatives, D&I is becoming increasingly integrated into daily practice. Paais explains: “The platform is advisory to our School’s leadership and organises events that contribute to an inclusive culture. In my work as an HR advisor, I see D&I reflected in, for example, the recruitment and selection processes. We ensure that job postings are gender-neutral and inclusive, and we use diverse recruitment channels to reach a wide and varied audience.”
Scheepers reflects on the role of D&I within the PhD culture: “Within my PhD group, a wide variety of cultures and nationalities is represented. This makes for interesting lunchtime conversations and enlightening and engaging discussions from different perspectives on our various research topics.”
"Bringing together people from diverse backgrounds strengthens our work environment and helps us achieve our shared goals."
Tirza Paais
Room for growth
Looking to the future, Scheepers and Paais see many opportunities for further growth and improvement in the area of D&I. “Erasmus School of Law aims to take further steps in the area of diversity in the coming period, and this can be very effectively achieved in collaboration with the D&I platform”, says Paais. Scheepers also sees exciting challenges and opportunities: “One major challenge I see is the variety of teaching materials. There is still a lot to be gained regarding diversity in literature. Fortunately, we are seeing that the academic world is increasingly making space for diverse authors and perspectives. If we, as an educational institution, continue to follow and support this trend, we can educate a very broad and well-rounded group of students and PhD candidates.”
Working together for the future
In the coming decades, Paais and Scheepers hope for continued progress. “I would love to see an improvement in the progression of women to higher positions, such as Professor. Too few women are climbing the academic ladder and reaching top positions. More inclusive education and better policies around maternity leave could help with this,” says Scheepers. Paais adds: “For me, D&I means that we reflect the multicultural city of Rotterdam. Bringing together people from diverse backgrounds strengthens our work environment and helps us achieve our common goals.”
We reflect on 60 years of progress with pride and enthusiasm and look forward to a future where diversity and inclusion remain central. Together, we will continue to build an inclusive and just future where everyone feels valued, regardless of background or characteristics.
