Staff sound alarm over “toxic” culture at The Hague college

Teachers at The Hague’s international vocational college, De Haagse Hogeschool, have raised the alarm about bullying and intimidation on campus.

Staff and students at De Haagse Hogeschool, also known as The Hague University of Applied Sciences, spoke anonymously about “toxic” and deteriorating working conditions.

Around 20 members of staff recently attended a special meeting held on campus by the FNV trade union to discuss issues around personal safety and unwanted behaviour.

The Haagse Hogeschool has the equivalent of 2,000 full-time staff and nearly 26,000 students from 120 countries.

In the last two years the university’s ombudsman has received more than 100 complaints, prompting the labour inspectorate to start an investigation.

One group of teachers told local news site Omroep West: “Vulnerable staff members, especially older and international colleagues, are being explicitly put under pressure on all levels of the organisation.”

The FNV’s regional negotiator Floor van Gouw said the meeting had been held off campus because staff felt more able to air their views.

He said: “It says something when people feel more comfortable having their say on neutral territory.”

Van Gouw said there were clear tensions between staff and management. “They call it a culture of retribution, They daren’t tell their line managers everything because they worry that it will come back and hit them like a boomerang.”

The labour inspectorate said it could not comment on individual cases when approached for comment by Omroep West.