prof.dr. L (Leonie) Heres

Biography

Prof. dr. Leonie Heres is professor by special appointment in Integrity of Local Government at the Department of Public Administration and Sociology. The chair is installed by the City of Rotterdam, and has a specific focus on the intersection between political and administrative integrity. Leonie Heres is also an associate professor of Governance at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and member of the Dutch Advice Council on the Legal Position of Political Office Holders (Adviescollege Rechtspositie Politieke Ambtsdragers - ARPA). She is co-chair of the EGPA Permanent Study Group on Quality and Integrity of Governance, co-chair of the Dutch Network Good Governance and jury member of the Van de Spiegel oeuvre award of the Dutch Association of Public Administration. In 2025, she will participate as an evaluator on behalf of The Netherlands in the 6th GRECO evaluation round to review the anti-corruption and integrity policies of decentralized governments of its member states.

Professor Heres employs a mixed methods (qualitative and quantitative) approach to study topics such as moral decision-making and behavior, integrity violations (i.e., unethical behavior), ethical leadership, social and psychological safety, internal reporting and whistleblowing, integritism, political-administrative relations, speak-up / voice, public craftsmanship and administrative loyalty. In 2014 she completed a PhD on follower expectations of ethical leadership, for which she was awarded the G.A. van Poelje Award for Best Dissertation on The Netherlands and Flanders. Since then, she has published various papers, research reports and book chapters, for instance on the role of top-level public managers in integrity management, illegitimate pressure in political-administrative relations and post-employment conflicts of interest. 

[This page provides an overview of research, teaching and activities specifically related to the chair on Integrity of Local Government. An overview of publications and activities at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (and prior) can be found here]