KU Leuven Announces Next Ombuds

Pol Ghesquière has been named the next Ombudsperson for staff at Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, the prominent research university in Flanders, Belgium. He succeeds Omer Van den Bergh, who held the position for nearly five years and saw cases rise from about sixty per year to between 450 and 500 in 2019. Ghesquière explained why he took on the Ombuds role:

First of all, I think you have to be crazy enough to want to do this (laughs). The role of confidential counsellor ties in with my personal background as a remedial educationalist and psychotherapist. In addition, I was research coordinator of the Humanities and Social Sciences Group and manager of her doctoral school for quite some time. I also worked on a number of cases in that regard in the past. I know the University rather good and, after all these years, I have acquired the necessary maturity and authority to safeguard my independence.

Ghesquière is a Professor of Psychology and Educational Sciences, and his research focuses on learning disabilities. He earned his Master's and PhD from KU Leuven. (KU Leuven Nieuws; LinkedIn.)

Related Post: Staff Ombuds at KU Leuven Defends Role; Job Posting.