| Maastricht University

From being invisible - to ‘Nothing About Us, Without Us’ - to having a say through the Disability Inclusion Group - to a thriving UM community

Disability Inclusion Group

UM is now almost 50 years old. For most of that time staff with disabilities, chronic illnesses and neurodivergence have been ‘invisible’, meaning that they were not mentioned in mainstream university policies applying to staff, and many staff chose not to reveal that they had a disability to their line manager and colleagues because they feared a negative reaction.

In 2020, the UnliMited Network of staff with disabilities, chronic illness or neurodivergence was established. UnliMited strongly believes in the principle ‘Nothing About Us Without Us’ and speaks up on behalf of staff with disabilities. In 2023 and 2024, UnliMited worked with the university to draft and adopt a new policy on Working with a Disability, including establishing the Disability Inclusion Group (DIG) in April 2025. DIG comprises 15 staff with a disability, chronic illness or neurodivergence from across the university. DIG is now part of the governance structure of the university and will help UM to adopt, implement and monitor policy that is inclusive of staff with disabilities and to raise awareness of the rights and needs of staff with disabilities.

A university which is inclusive and welcoming of staff with disabilities is inclusive and welcoming of students with disabilities, as well as all staff and students in all their diversity.

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From rising global tensions… to open Omnium conversations… to student-led dialogue events… to a thriving UM community.

Omnium was created in 2024 to provide a safe space for students and employees to discuss a wide variety of topics. Especially the rising tensions concerning the Israel-Palestinian conflict were an incentive to organise meaningful dialogue.

The idea is to exchange opinions, rather than it is to convince each other. Dialogue is a way of interacting that focuses on mutual respect, understanding and exchange of different views.

The aim of Omnium is to make students and employees organise their own events, so the topics of dialogue are brought to the table by them. In practice, this results in tight collaboration between us (being Omnium with support from Studium Generale) and individual students, employees, student associations and university departments.

What is Omnium?

Omnium (Latin for "belonging to all of us") is the UM dialogue platform that hosts events organised by the UM community to stimulate meaningful dialogues and debates. The centre invites students and staff to co-organise events and collaborate with the Omnium Team to bring these discussions to life.

Goals of Omnium:

Build an engaged community: By hosting regular dialogues, we encourage our students and academic staff coming together to imagine the future. Extending the community’s commitment to civic engagement, intellectual growth, and democratic dialogue.
Encourage collaborative knowledge exchange: use dialogue to strengthen knowledge exchange, enabling the community to collectively work towards innovative solutions and progressive change.
Inspire critical hope: We encourage a mind-set that balances a realistic understanding of challenges with an optimistic vision for positive change. We critically engage with the past and present while simultaneously thinking about how to collectively create an impact in our student community through dialogue.
Encourage Critical Thinking: We aim to engage student and staff in debates that sharpen critical reflexivity. Participants learn to conduct effective communication, connect, and collaborate in the process of considering multiple viewpoints, which are essential skills for personal and professional development.
Build Resilience: Working together we learn to consider potential conflict as learning moments in which we can develop (intercultural) conflict resolution skills and resilience.

Sustainability is about people. At Maastricht University, we believe that a future-proof university is only possible when students, staff, and partners feel engaged and heard. That’s why we are building a green, healthy, and thriving campus where collaboration, wellbeing, and a sense of belonging are central.

We invest in inspiring learning and working environments, encourage participation and dialogue, and support social engagement. Through networks, co-creation, and student-led initiatives, a strong community is growing—one that strengthens sustainability from the ground up. Together, we are shaping a vibrant UM community where everyone can contribute.

Find out what we do!

Green Office

Maastricht University launched the world’s very first Green Office in 2009—starting from a kitchen table and growing into a global movement with over 100 Green Offices worldwide. Today, UM’s Green Office is a vibrant student-led platform that drives sustainability on campus through hands-on projects, events, and campaigns.

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Community Garden

The UM Community Garden has become a thriving green space on campus, now managed by a collective of over 60 active student members. More than just a place to grow vegetables and herbs, the garden serves as a learning environment where students exchange knowledge about self-sufficiency, permaculture, and biodiversity. Workshops, harvest days and seasonal events bring students together around themes of food, health and sustainability. The garden also promotes mental wellbeing, by offering students a peaceful and hands-on escape from academic life. It’s a living example of sustainability in action, rooted in community.

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Sustainability Days

Each year, UM Faculty Green Teams organise their own Faculty Sustainability Days to engage students and staff around the theme of sustainability. These events are tailored to the faculty’s context and include workshops, lectures, panel discussions, and hands-on activities. By bringing education, research and operations together, Sustainability Days create space for dialogue and inspiration within each academic community. They also strengthen interdisciplinary connections and raise awareness of faculty-specific challenges and opportunities.

Get to know more!

Omnium

From rising global tensions… to open Omnium conversations… to student-led dialogue events… to a thriving UM community.

The idea is to exchange opinions, rather than it is to convince each other. Dialogue is a way of interacting that focuses on mutual respect, understanding and exchange of different views. The aim of Omnium is to make students and employees organise their own events, so the topics of dialogue are brought to the table by them.

UnLimited

In 2020, the UnliMited Network of staff with disabilities, chronic illness, or neurodivergence was established. UnliMited strongly believes in the principle ‘Nothing About Us Without Us’ and speaks up on behalf of staff with disabilities. In 2023 and 2024, they worked with the University to draft and adopt a new policy on Working with a Disability, including establishing the Disability Inclusion Group (DIG) in April 2025.

Read more!

Join the Green Network

The #JoinTheGreenNetwork initiative invites everyone within our community to come together and make a collective impact on our environment. Whether you're a student, staff member, or researcher, you have the power to drive meaningful change.

Let me see the options!