Organisational structure
The Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience (FPN) has two main tasks: to organise and carry out education and research. Ultimate responsibility rests with the Dean, who sits on the Faculty Board together with the three members for research and valorisation, education, and innovation and internationalisation. The board is advised by a democratically elected representation body, the Faculty Council.
All staff at FPN belong to one of the faculty’s five departments or the Faculty Office. Read on about the:
Faculty Board
The main administrative body of FPN is the Faculty Board. The board consists of four members: the Dean (who is also the chair) and three Vice-Deans responsible for research and valorisation, education, and recognition and reward respectively. The Board is assisted by the Managing Director who serves as secretary to the Board. The board meetings are attended by a student in advisory capacities, who is appointed by the board after being nominated by the Faculty Council’s student members. The Dean and Vice-Deans are appointed by Maastricht University’s Executive Board, usually for four and three years respectively. The student adviser is usually appointed for one year.
The board is responsible for the faculty’s general management, administration, organisation and structure of its education and research.
Dean | Prof. Dr. Harald Merckelbach |
Vice-Dean: Responsible for Research and Valorisation | Prof. Dr. Rainer Goebel |
Vice-Dean: Responsible for Education | Dr. Petra Hurks |
Vice-dean: Responsible for Recognition and Reward | Dr. Carolien Martijn |
Managing Director |
Drs. Pascal Stevens |
Student Adviser | Irena Xhari |
M&C Adviser | Claudia Spierings |
Executive Secretary | Lindy Dullens |
Secretary Office | +31 43 388 40 08 |

For more detailed information about the organisational structure you can visit AskPsy
Read more about
the Complaints Committee
Faculty Council
The Faculty Board is advised by and consults regularly with a democratically elected representation body: the Faculty Council. The council advises the board upon request or of its own accord. It consists of ten members: four elected from the academic staff, one from the support staff , and five from the FPN students.
Academic staff |
Michael Capalbo (chair) |
Support staff | Caroline van Loo |
Student members |
Dominik Eberle Martinez |
Secretary |
Marléon Vijgen |
FPN Faculty Council meetings 2023/2024 | 15.30-17.30hrs
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21 September 2023
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12 October 2023
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16 November 2023
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14 December 2023
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18 January 2024
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22 February 2024
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21 March 2024
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18 April 2024
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16 May 2024
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13 June 2024
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2 July 2024
Minutes of passed meetings can be found on the UMployee.
It’s possible to attend the public part of the Faculty Council meetings, in this case you’ll be present as observer. If you want to join, please send an email to marleon.vijgen@maastrichtuniversity.nl no later than 2 days before the meeting. After approval you’ll receive an invitation with the time and location.
Programme Directors
The Programme Director coordinates and organises the preparation and execution of the study and examination programme of the corresponding programme(s). In this, he or she advises the Faculty Board on the content of programme and examination regulations, and, as board executive and advisor, is closely involved in the quality assurance of the programme.
Educational Programme Committee
The Educational Programme Committee provides advice on the amelioration and safe-guarding of the quality of the programme, including the OER. The committee consists of ten members: five staff members and five student members. See also: opleidingscommissies.nl
Staff |
Pauline Dibbets |
Students |
Gabriela Krasnowska |
Research Council
The Research Council is an advisory council to the Faculty Board on research related matters.
Members
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Prof. dr. Sonja Kotz (Chair | NP&PP)
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Prof. dr. Anne Roefs (CPS)
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Prof. dr. Milene Bonte (CN)
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Prof. dr. Ute Hülsheger (W&SP)
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Prof. dr. Caroline van Heugten (Graduate School FPN)
Secretaris and contact person
Faculty Office
Education Office
The Education Office organises the practical aspects of education and exams at FPN. Daily activities are supervised by the Head of the Education Office. The Education Office coordinates its actions with the directors and coordinators of each programme and specialisation. The Service Desk of the Education Office provides guidance to students who have study-related questions and problems.
Hours: Mo.-Fr. 10:30-14:00
Email: via AskPsychology
Phone: 043-38 84020
Instrumentation Engineering
Instrumentation Engineering develops, designs and realises innovative technical products and solutions not available on the market. We support the university’s core tasks, research and teaching in two ways.
- We remove technological obstacles, allowing the development of commercially unavailable technology enabling researchers to apply new research methods to unique research.
- We carry out safeguarding activities (repairs, maintenance, registration and safety) to ensure the operational lifespan and safety of the equipment used for education and research in the central research labs.
Research Support Department
Assistance and support for scientific research projects and complex studies. RSD assists with the logistic design of research projects and have experience with the practical execution of scientific research.
RSD assists with test subject contact (recruitment, motivation, specialist tests), logistic processes and data acquisition and modeling.
ICT division
- helps develop and implement the faculty and university ICT policy
- participates in ICT projects at university and faculty levels
- ensures support for the faculty’s ICT workstations
- administers and maintains the faculty’s central server systems
- management and maintenance of all faculty copiers/printers
- manages and maintains all faculty and faculty-affiliated internet, intranet and extranet domains
Finance division
This division is charged with:
- Budget and multiyear perspective
- Management reports and annual financial report
- Administrative organisation procedures
- Central accounts receivable and accounts payable administration
- Drawing up and administration of staffing plan
- Advising on and developing frameworks for financial policy and administration
Human Resource Management (HRM)
The HRM division helps develop and implement faculty and university HRM policy, supports the administrative processes of intake, transfer and outflow, and also supports the application, administration and wellbeing of staff.
Complaints Committee
A Complaints Committee is active at the Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience (FPN). Employees, students and third parties may direct their complaints to the committee concerning affairs the faculty is responsible for.
It concerns individual complaints about employee or student behaviour, and about the faculty, accommodation and the like. Complaints about matters that are included in other Faculty and UM regulations will not be dealt with by the Complaints Committee. Such matters include programme complaints or complaints by staff and students about unwanted behaviour (My UM > Human Resources Management > Confidential Advisor's Office).
The Complaints Committee may take up to ten weeks to deal with complaints. At the end of that period, the complaint will be declared founded or unfounded by the dean. The process of submitting a complaint differs for students, and employees and third parties. Students should direct their complaint to the UM Complaints Service Point (CSP). Employees and third parties should direct their complaint to the chairman of the commission (verbal) and the dean (written).
FPN library committee
The FPN library committee serves as an advisory committee to the faculty board and the university library. This committee meets five times a year and gives advice on the faculty library collection, the (learning) resources needed, the expenditure of the allocated budget and provides comments on how the UM library can best be run according to FPN policies.
- Academic staff members: Philippe Verduyn (chair), Fren Smulders, Cor Meesters, Kim Kuypers
- Library members: Fons van den Eeckhout
- Student members: Melanie Smekal, Sayantani Modak