Report of the committee on the colonial and slavery history of FGGA and the Faculty Board’s response
On 3 April 2025, the Explorative Report on the Colonial and Slavery History of Leiden University was published. This historical study demonstrates the ways in which Leiden University and the city administration benefitted from colonialism and slavery. The Executive Board subsequently requested all faculties to map ongoing research, actions and future plans related to this theme. In response, the FGGA Faculty Board established a committee composed of Pieter Slaman (chair), Judi Mesman, Shivant Jhagroe and Joseph Jordan, with links to individual profiles.
On 20 November 2025, the committee presented its report. It concludes that FGGA has no direct historical involvement in colonial systems, but that the scholarly traditions underpinning its disciplines are strongly Eurocentric. The committee therefore calls for critical reflection across research, teaching and organisational practice. Its recommendations include explicit attention to underlying assumptions in curricula, structural integration of non-Western knowledge traditions and more inclusive governance and staffing structures.
The report has been discussed within the Faculty Board and with the institutes. Based on these discussions, the Faculty Board has prepared a formal response. Both the report and the response are being made publicly available, as recommended by the committee. FGGA values the committee’s advisory report and adopts the majority of its recommendations. The Faculty Board has opted for a broadly supported approach without formal 'bridging figures', and aims through public dissemination to enable further discussion of the report and response within the institutes where appropriate. A follow-up meeting with the Faculty Council will take place in January 2026.