Restorative university

Interpersonal conflicts are in every organization; the university is not an exception. The academic environment has certain characteristics, which can feed certain conflicts, causing personal boundaries to be easily crossed. This can turn out to be a breeding ground for social misconduct, abuse of power, fraud and (sexually) transgressive behaviour. Universities are looking for a solution to address and prevent these issues. Evidence shows that restorative practices can provide that solution, with better outcomes than traditional legal responses. How to apply such practices at different levels of the university? We can learn from already existing restorative universities in New Zealand (Wellington), Canada (Dalhousie), and United States (San Diego). Most examples concern intra-student conflicts. At the VU University, we are experimenting with men only restorative circles on the topic of gender equality. So far, we have done four meetings. Mainly academic and supporting staff join those meetings, from various seniority, including the rector magnificus. This talk will be about the opportunities, successes and challenges of restorative justice in education.