Job Posting: HAN University of Applied Sciences

The public, career-focused university in the eastern province of Gelderland, Netherlands, is seeking an Ombuds to serve students and employees. The position is structured as an external contract for a self-employed professional or freelancer, with an anticipated start date of January 1, 2027. The expected commitment is an average of 10 hours per week, although the arrangement will be evaluated after the contract begins to determine whether additional capacity is needed. The posting does not specify a work location or formal reporting relationship. 

Slovakia Establishes National Network for Academic Ombuds

A new national network, SAFE (Sieť pre férovejšie a bezpečnejšie akademické prostredie, or Network for a Fairer and Safer Academic Environment), was established in Slovakia during a V4 OmbudsLink conference on November 6, 2026. SAFE is intended to bring together academic Ombuds, confidential advisers, and others in comparable positions to share practices, consult on complex professional and ethical issues, access training and resources, and help develop common standards for a fairer and safer academic environment across Slovak higher education.

IOA Seminar: The Influence of Personal Narratives

The International Ombuds Association will offer a virtual seminar, The Stories We Bring to the Table, on November 17, 2026. The session will explore how personal stories shaped by experience and upbringing influence the work of Ombuds. Participants will learn to identify stories that affect their practice, strengthen constructive narratives, and reframe those that may be holding them back. 

University of Colorado Anschutz Names Ombuds

Colin Johnson has been appointed the next Ombuds for the University of Colorado Anschutz. He succeeds Melissa Connell, who retired in December 2025 after serving as Ombuds for the CU Anschutz and CU Denver since 1997. Following her departure, the university announced that the two campuses would establish separate Ombuds offices, with the Anschutz office merging with the Office of Adaptive Resolution. 

Mount Holyoke College Closes Ombuds Office

The private liberal arts college in Massachusetts has closed its Ombuds Office, which was established in 1988 and served the campus community for 38 years. Vivian Hsu, who has been the College's Ombudsperson since 2017, announced the closure in a farewell message dated August 12, 2026. and expressed sadness at the loss of what she described as a confidential and safe space for the community, and expressed hope that the Office might reopen in the future.

Inaugural Ombuds Returns to Almaty Management University

AlmaU (Almaty Menedjment Universitetı), a private university in Kazakhstan, has appointed Irina Khan as its University Ombudsperson. Khan previously held the position from 2014 to 2017 and now returns to the role, bringing 50 years of experience in higher education and public administration. She has been affiliated with AlmaU since 2011 and currently serves as Dean of the Department of Undergraduate Programs, Advisor on Academic Affairs, and Professor Emerita. 

IOA Core Course: Systems and Psychodynamic Theory in Practice

The International Ombuds Association will offer a virtual core course, Systems and Psychodynamic Theory in Practice for Ombuds, on November 12, 2026 (November 13 in Australia and Asia). The session will explore how Organizational Ombuds can better understand and navigate complex organizational dynamics, particularly situations involving ambiguity, emotional intensity, and competing perspectives. Participants will use a structured framework to examine individual, organizational, and contextual factors that influence their work, with an emphasis on maintaining role clarity, strengthening reflective practice, and improving effectiveness. 

Twenty Years of The Ombuds Blog: A Record of an Evolving Profession

On November 9, 2006, I published the first post on The Ombuds Blog. I started the blog for a fairly simple reason: I was finding it difficult to locate information about the Organizational Ombuds field. When I came across something useful or interesting, I thought others might benefit as well. I began sharing information I found in different places, and the blog gradually became a place where people could find news, resources, and developments relating to the emerging profession. 

Job Posting: United Nations

The Office of the United Nations Ombudsman and Mediation Services (UNOMS) is seeking a Special Assistant to the UN Ombudsman, Shireen L. Dodson, Based in New York, the position is located in UNOM's Front Office. Responsibilities include supporting strategic and operational planning, administrative and budgetary matters, preparing materials for senior management and intergovernmental bodies, and providing operational guidance to regional branches. The Special Assistant will also contribute to the office's conflict resolution program, including casework, systemic analysis, and outreach and skills-building. 

Job Posting: Inter-American Development Bank

The Latin American Development Bank headquartered in Washington, DC, is seeking experienced workplace mediators to assist its Office of Ombuds and Mediation Services headed by Nick Diehl. The external mediators will support the work of Ombuds Services, Mediation Services, and Respectful Workplace Services. Mediators selected by the parties will facilitate processes involving IDB workplace disputes and grievances between employees and management or among employees. The position is a remote, 12-month contract, renewable. 

Eindhoven University of Technology Acknowledges Failures in Handling Conflicts and Ombuds Function

Technische Universiteit Eindhoven, the public research university in the southern part of the Netherlands, has acknowledged failures in its handling of workplace conflicts and its relationship with independent university functions, following an independent investigation. The review examined two contentious cases and identified a longstanding crisis of trust, insufficient attention to dialogue and conflict resolution, and a tendency to allow legal considerations to overshadow efforts to resolve disagreements. 

Job Posting: Duke University

The private university in Durham, North Carolina is hiring an Associate Ombuds (despite a university-wide staff hiring freeze). The position will report to the University Ombuds, Jessica Kuchta-Miller, and serve all faculty, staff, and students (with the exception of unionized employees and employees of Duke Health System). The Duke Ombuds Office practices to IOA standards.

Organization of American States Appoints Interim Ombuds

OAS (Organización de los Estados Americanos) has appointed Jean Ricot Dormeus as its Interim Ombudsperson. He follows Neida Pérez, who served in the position for the past eight years. The OAS Office of the Ombudsperson was established in 2015 and provides conflict resolution services to all personnel of the General Secretariat following IOA standards. 

Save the Date for ACCUO 2027 Conference

The Association of Canadian College and University Ombudspersons (Association des ombudsmans des universités et collèges du Canada) will hold its next conference at Toronto Metropolitan University on 3-6 May 2027. Ombuds and allied colleagues from higher education will spend for days on professional development, meaningful discussion, knowledge sharing, and networking. The registration fee is $450 CAD for ACCUO members and $500 for nonmembers. More details will be posted here when available. (ACCUO Events.)

IOA Opens Election for 2027 Board of Directors

On Monday, members of the International Ombuds Association begin voting for five open seats on the IOA Board of Directors. Sixteen candidates are running (the largest slate ever), with two current directors seeking a second term and fourteen new candidates seeking election for their first term. The Ombuds Blog does not endorse candidates; information is provided only for reference. Candidate statements and biographies are available to members on the IOA website. 

University of California, Davis Hires New Associate Ombuds

The Ombuds Office at UC Davis has hired Emily Fine as an Associate Ombuds. Fine joined the office in October 2026 and reports to Ombuds and Director Lauren Bloom. She is expected to split her time between campuses in Davis and Sacramento.

Job Posting: United Nations

The Office of the United Nations Ombudsman and Mediation Services (UNOMS) is seeking a Consultant for Informal Conflict Resolution. The fully remote position will provide confidential informal dispute resolution services, including mediation, to UN personnel from January through June 2027. The consultant will report to the Regional Ombudsman and/or Chief of Service and will also assist with outreach and skill-building activities to promote conflict competence among staff. 

"Philly at Work" Spotlights Employee Ombuds

The City of Philadelphia has released a video featuring Employee Ombudsperson Shakeya Foreman as part of its “Philly at Work: Looking Out for Each Other” series. With warmth and humor, Foreman discusses how her office provides City employees with a neutral space to discuss workplace concerns, explore options, and consider possible next steps outside formal workplace processes. (YouTube.)

Cathy Jones: Former University of Georgia Faculty Ombuds

Catherine M. Jones, a longtime professor and former Faculty Ombudsperson at the University of Georgia passed on October 24, 2026, at the age 70. Jones joined UGA in 1987 and served as Faculty Ombudsperson from 2011 until 2017. 

Job Posting: San Diego State University

SDSU is seeking a Student Ombudsman Case Coordinator to support its Office of the Student Ombuds. The full-time position will report to Karla Ramirez, who has worked in the office since 2001 and has served as Student Ombuds since September 2025. The coordinator will assist students with academic, administrative, financial, enrollment, and housing concerns through individualized guidance, case coordination, conflict coaching, referrals, and support for informal resolution. The appointment is temporary, anticipated to end June 30, 2027, with the possibility of reappointment.