Maastricht University is proud to be a family-friendly university, and recognises that work and study is only one aspect of our students’ and employees’ lives. Since 2019, Maastricht University is a certified family- and lifephase friendly university. Within the framework of the UM Cares project, we therefore implement measures to help the members of our UM community to combine work/study with their caring responsibilities.
The D&I Office works closely together with the HR department and the Student Services Centre to achieve the UM Cares objectives. Together, we want to ensure the sustainable employability of our employees and successful study completion for our students.
On separate pages students and staff with caring responsibilities can find information about the support and services available.
In the framework of the UM Cares project, UM has established a network for parents and carers. This network serves two main purposes: firstly, it has a peer support function for students and staff with caring responsibilities to connect and share experiences, and secondly it serves as a sounding board for input and feedback for the UM Cares project and for informing the UM community about the project progress.
The network is open for all students and staff with caring responsibilities to join.
Email us from your UM account to register for the network by clicking the green button.
At Maastricht University, we recognise that work and study are only one aspect of our students’ and employees’ lives. Combining work and private life can be a delicate balancing act, particularly when you are caring for a loved one – a parent, child, sibling, grandparent, friend, or neighbour. As a family-friendly university, UM wants to facilitate the combination of caring responsibilities and work or study. We recognise that these responsibilities are contingent and that flexibility is crucial. Ultimately, our aim is to ensure sustainable employability and successful study completion.
At UM, we strive to be a caring university by adhering to the following principles:
In the framework of the UM Cares project, we have committed ourselves to achieving a number of objectives:
The UM Cares Objectives Agreement is available in full here.
With two young children in Maastricht and family members living abroad, the mission of UMCares is close to my heart. I am always keen on input and ideas from members of the UM community, so if you have something to share please get in touch!
The UM Cares project was coordinated by Natasja Reslow and the D&I Office. She has been teaching, conducting research, and managing projects at Maastricht University since 2009, first as a Ph.D. candidate at FASoS and later as Assistant Professor at the Law Faculty. She has been working at the Diversity Office from 1 April 2019 until 1 March 2021.