On 21 September 2020, the Executive Board of the Gerrit Rietveld Academie and five Amsterdam based higher educational institutions signed an agreement in favour of diverse, inclusive and societally engaged higher education. The institutions are collectively committing to ensure an inclusive and just society, in which there is no room for racism or discrimination. 

With the ‘Amsterdam Agreement higher education’ they express their dedication to setting concrete and measurable goals. These goals emphasise the opposing of inequality of opportunity, pursuing better representation, accessibility, involvement in the city, shared knowledge production and a safe learning and working environment for everyone. 

The signing of the agreement is part of WeMakeThe.City 2020, an online program broadcasted from Pakhuis de Zwijger. 

It is the first time that Amsterdam based universities, arts schools and universities of applied sciences are uniting in this way. The agreement is the result of an intensive collaboration between the institutions and external parties, among which are the UAF and Pakhuis de Zwijger. The institutions have sought the best way to join forces, share knowledge, expertise and experiences, and to express a collective commitment. By signing the agreement, the institutions take responsibility and confirm to continue to go into dialogue about the drafting, complying to and keeping relevant of the goals, together with students, teachers and other staff.

The institutions hereby hope to be an example for educational institutions and other organisations in the rest of The Netherlands. The progress of achieving the drafted goals in the agreement will be evaluated through, among other things, an annual joint event. Additionally, the respective Diversity Offices will assemble periodically, in order to exchange initiatives and perspectives for action, to be able to better implement those in the different institutions.

Involved institutions: Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Hogeschool van Amsterdam, Gerrit Rietveld Academie, Universiteit van Amsterdam, Hogeschool InHolland, Amsterdamse Hogeschool voor de Kunsten.

Core partners: WeMakeThe.City, Pakhuis de Zwijger, UAF, Echo Expertisecentrum Diversiteitsbeleid

Media partners: Omroep Salto, AT5.