Organization and governance

ARCHON is the interuniversity research school of archeology in the Netherlands. It is financed by the six participating universities (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, University of Amsterdam, Leiden University, Utrecht University, Groningen University, and Radboud University Nijmegen). During a term of five years (one time renewable) one the faculties of these universities acts as penvoerder (‘secretary’). This university also provides the scientific director of ARCHON. At this moment this role is taken up by the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. 

ARCHON is managed on a day-to-day basis by a scientific director (Dr. Philip Verhagen), supported by a coordinator (Myrthe Sassen, RMA). The director reports annually to the Council of Deans (Disciplineoverleg Letteren en Geesteswetenschappen – DLG) and the National Council of Research Schools of the Humanities (Landelijk Overleg Geesteswetenschappelijke OnderzoekScholen – LOGOS). 

The ARCHON Board designs and oversees ARCHON’s strategy, advises the director and meets with the director on a four-monthly basis. The Board comprises members of the six participating universities (senior staff: usually chairs of archaeology or associate professors), as well as representatives (so-called collaboration-partners) of the State Service for Cultural Heritage (RCE) and Saxion University of Applied Sciences. The Board is chaired by two chair-persons, each serving a four-year term, however in such a way that the last two years of one chair-person overlap with the first two years of the other to guarantee a degree of continuity. The regular members serve a four-year term that is renewable only once. A member is delegated by the dean of his or her faculty. Faculties/deans use independent selection criteria. 

The ARCHON Advisory Board meets three times a year with the Board for consultation and brainstorm sessions, and provides solicited and unsolicited advice. An important element of this board is that it provides input from a wide variety of researchers considering age, gender, background, career stage etc. It presently consists of six members (five working in academia, one in contract-based archaeology). The members serve a four-year term that is renewable only once. They select from their midst a chair-person and recruit new members, ideally in such a way that the Advisory Board covers all participating universities. 

The ARCHON Steering Committee prepares the annual training programme for Research Master and PhD students. It consists of early career researchers and senior staff from the participating universities, and is supported by ARCHON’s secretary. 

Composition ARCHON board: 

Name  Affiliation  Member since 
Prof.dr. Jan Kolen (co-chair)  Leiden University  May 2020 
Prof.dr. Jan Paul Crielaard (co-chair)  Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam  September 2020 
Dr. Heleen van Londen University of Amsterdam  May 2024 
Prof.dr. Hans Huisman  Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands  May 2020 
Prof.dr. Leonard Rutgers  Utrecht University  April 2022 
Prof.dr. Lidewijde de Jong  Groningen University  September 2022 
Prof.dr. Astrid van Oyen  Radboud University Nijmegen  April 2023 
Dr. Wilko van Zijverden  Saxion University of Applied Sciences  May 2024 

Composition ARCHON Advisory Board: 

Name  Affiliation  Member since 
Dr. Tamara Dijkstra  Groningen University   May 2023 
Dr. Jason Laffoon  Leiden University  May 2023 
Dr. Ortal-Paz Saar  Utrecht University  May 2023 
Dr. Hayley Mickleburgh  University of Amsterdam  May 2023 
Dr. Lisette Kootker  Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam  May 2023 
Dr. Wouter Vos  Vos Archeo; Saxion  May 2023 
vacancy  Radboud University Nijmegen   

Composition ARCHON Steering Committee: 

Name  Affiliation 
Dr. Philip Verhagen  Associate professor & scientific director of ARCHON, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam 
Dr. Jill Hilditch  Associate professor, University of Amsterdam 
Dr. Joris Aarts  Assistant professor, Vrije University Amsterdam 
Dr. Karsten Lambers  Associate professor, Leiden University 
Dr. Anna Moles  Assistant professor, Groningen University 
Dr. Saskia Stevens  Assistant professor, Utrecht University 
Dr. Rien Polak  Assistance professor, Radboud University Nijmegen 
Inge van der Jagt  Specialist zooarchaeology, Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands 
Ana Smuk  PhD, Groningen University 
Sara Hutchinson RMA, Groningen University 
Arjan Ruiter PhD, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam 
Luca Mihai   RMA, University of Amsterdam 
Lasse van den Dikkenberg  PhD, Leiden University 
Casper Hanegreefs RMA, Leiden University 
Kadir Toykan Özdoğan  PhD, Utrecht University 
Aleks Stypczyński  RMA, Utrecht University 

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