Research has not revealed any indications of social insecurity within the Psychiatry & Neuropsychology section of Maastricht University. Professor and psychiatrist Machteld Marcelis is therefore allowed to continue her work at the university.
The Maastricht University reports this in a message on its own website. The university commissioned an external agency to investigate the learning climate within the section after reports of cooperation with regard to Marcelis. In response to this, the research bureau held discussions with the professor’s PhD students and other members of the department. It emerged from this that the reports were mainly related to divergent expectations that cannot be attributed to the behavior of one of the parties involved. According to the university, there are no indications of social insecurity in relation to Marcelis. The research does confirm the image of the inherent dependency position in which all PhD candidates find themselves, but there is said to be enough ‘infrastructure’ within the university to prevent abuse of this position.
In August 2022, there was a commotion about Marcelis, after it came out that the Registration Committee for Medical Specialists (RGS) intended to recognize the training as a psychiatrist, the recognition of the main trainer – Marcelis – and the recognition of the deputy trainer at Mental Healthcare Eindhoven ( GGzE) after reports about an unsafe learning climate. In November, the RGS decided that the recognition of psychiatrist training could be continued for a period of one year, while maintaining intensive supervision. The fact that this is possible has to do with improvements that GGzE has implemented, including replacing the main and deputy trainers. At that time, Marcelis remained employed as a psychiatrist.
