Jacco van Sterkenburg appointed as Chief Diversity Officer

An equitable an inclusive university 

Prof. Jacco van Sterkenburg conducts research into racism and discrimination and is an associate professor and endowed professor at EUR. He has been researching IDEA topics for more than 20 years and has received several academic awards and grants for his research.

Prof. Jacco van Sterkenburg: "An equitable an inclusive university is key in fostering a sense of belonging amongst diverse staff and students. This will also further stimulate academic creativity and collaboration. As the new Chief Diversity Officer, I am happy to be part of this process, together with the entire IDEA team and the EUR-community. Building trust, listening, helping to make the university an inclusive and equitable place for all; these will be main concerns for me and the team in the time to come."

Prof. Annelien Bredenoord, chair of the EUR Executive Board, is very pleased with van Sterkenburg's appointment: "Jacco is an inclusive leader and someone who is good at connecting people. With his research into racism and discrimination, he contributes to a more equal society and the public debate on these relevant and important topics. The Executive Board looks forward to working with him."

About Jacco van Sterkenburg 

Jacco van Sterkenburg works as a Professor ''Race', Inclusion and Communication' in the Erasmus School of History Culture and Communication (ESHCC), the department of Media & Communication. He obtained his PhD at the Humanities faculty of Utrecht University in 2011. For the past 25 years, Van Sterkenburg’s research has focused on inclusion, equity and diversity within the media and sports and football sectors including football video gaming and leadership.

He has contributed to setting the agenda on these themes, as is evident from his publications, his teaching, and prestigious national and international research grants he received. Within ESHCC, he coordinates a dynamic research team that works collaboratively on topics around equity, inclusion and diversity in sports, media and gaming (see for a quick overview; prism-research.com). Van Sterkenburg’s work is furthermore characterized by providing societal partners as well as students with empirical first hand findings and theoretical perspectives, enabling them to use the results of the research for knowledge building, critical reflection, future policies and initiatives.

Van Sterkenburg currently also acts as ESHCC’s Academic Lead 'Societal Impact'; He is a member of the university-wide Societal Engagement Board, and he is part of ESHCC’s Research Management Board. He currently also serves as the Bachelor 2&3 coordinator of the International Bachelor Communication and Media (IBCoM) at ESHCC. 

IDEA Center at EUR 
The IDEA Center is a key driver in realizing EUR’s mission as positive societal impact depends on equity, representation, and inclusion. Fostering an inclusive learning environment for students ensures that all students do not only feel valued and have a sense of belonging and increased wellbeing, but that they are equipped with the relevant knowledge, skills and mindsets (e.g., intercultural competencies) that will help them navigate and shape a diverse society once they graduate. Building inclusion into research (practices) results in outcomes that are more relevant, impactful, and better equipped to meet the needs of a diverse society.

Fair collaboration with diverse groups in society through equitable knowledge exchange and knowledge creation leads to better co-developed solutions for societal challenges in a diverse society.

Lastly, fostering an inclusive and equitable organization contributes to an increased sense of belonging and wellbeing among employees, and overall enhanced academic excellence and innovation. In 2023, the IDEA Centre published the book “From Words to Action: A Guide to Creating an Inclusive Organisation”, and in 2025, the English version of the book, "Turning DEI Goals into Reality", was published.