Amsterdam Public Health

History of the APH DEI Committee

From I Act to We Act

The APH co-funded project “I Act: Co-designing actions supporting racial justice driving inclusive implementation science” started in 2021. The aim of this project was to co-create actions for APH to promote an inclusive working climate and inclusive academic research.

A study conducted as part of the I Act project revealed that nearly half of the respondents of a survey reported experiencing one or more forms of discrimination and exclusion. A larger part of the respondents was interested in permanent anchoring of policy of diversity and inclusion and were in favor of confidential advisors who are trained on exclusion and racism.

Following the I Act project, the APH DEI committee was installed in 2022. The Committee attended an inspiring two-day training to learn more about the basics of DEI and how to translate issues seen in our research institute into a plan of action. The Committee since then has continued growing with more members.

Click here to read more information about I Act.

Click here for the interview “An inclusive workplace concerns everyone” with the APH researchers involved in the research project I Act.

DEI Committee core activities

The Committee has formulated two aims: doing inclusive research and having an inclusive research climate. Based on these two aims, the Committee has formulated focus (action) points for the coming period within APH:

• Rewarding inclusive research
• Creating an APH Inclusive research platform
• Organizing lunch & learn meetings where inclusive research practices are discussed
• Coordinating an anthropological start of the PhD trajectory for all APH PhD researchers
• Communicating about DEI policy and practice within APH
• Stimulating the implementation of confidential counsellors trained in DEI
• Stimulating the implementation of DEI advocates with adequate time and means
• Making promotion, grants and money processes more transparent
• Stimulating inclusive leadership
• Stimulating inclusive recruitment, selection and onboarding
• DEI goal setting and monitoring

The activities of the DEI therefore include providing advice to the APH Board of Directors about DEI policy through periodical reporting, sharing ideas about best DEI practices through several APH communication channels and events, organizing events to promote knowledge and awareness about DEI, collaborating with internal and external stakeholders and APH researchers to realize DEI practices through educational activities and leadership programs.

See the APH DEI Committee's infographic with the abovementioned focus (action) points relating to doing inclusive research and having an inclusive research climate.

DEI Committee members

Contact

Email: aph.DEIcommittee@amsterdamumc.nl.