EDLAB Team
Management & Support

Ellen Bastiaens
Acting Director
I am enthusiastic about EDLAB’s new path as Maastricht University’s Teaching & Learning Centre. Our university has all the ingredients we need for great education. My goal as EDLAB director is to find the best way to integrate these ingredients into a strong recipe!

Marie-Lou Mestrini
Office Manager
Acting as a first point of contact for my managing team, as well as parties from both inside and outside this international organisation, is what I enjoy most.
Innovation and Educational Development

Walter Jansen
Senior Coordinator Innovation
At EDLAB I coordinate inter-faculty education innovation projects, grant opportunities, consultations and knowledge exchange activities. I am also involved in strategic initiatives related to education innovation, strengthening the overall positioning of EDLAB within and outside UM. Throughout my work I have engaged with topics such as PBL, instructional design, constructive alignment, international classroom, groupwork, self-regulated learning, assessment, VR and AI & education. Before joining EDLAB in 2015, I gained substantial teaching experience in the European Studies Bachelor’s programme at the UM faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, allowing me to connect the above topics to practical experience and apply relevant innovation in my current teaching.
I believe in an educational culture that allows for incremental and sustainable development of education innovation, enabling the adoption of a broad spectrum of themes that ensures global citizenship education and individual bildung, based on mindful ánd critical reflection with regards to educational trends and global developments impacting higher education.

Lena Gromotka
Junior Coordinator Innovation
As a junior education innovation coordinator, I am inspired to keep asking the right questions to the right people, connect with inspiring educators and support projects that enrich education at UM. Hello, I am Lena and if you have any questions, ideas, or suggestions regarding education, please do not hesitate to write me an email.

Oscar van den Wijngaard
Senior Project Manager
To me, the collaborative process of teaching and learning reflects the idea of scholarship as described by Ernest Boyer, in which the discovery and integration of new knowledge go hand in hand with application and teaching. In my current project I look at potential causes and solutions for student drop-out in the first year.
Iris Burks
Project Manager UM Advising
A red thread through those years, has been my coordination of the Offices of Academic and Student Advising of these colleges. In 2020 I became the chair of the UM network of student guidance staff, a role I now combine with the position of Project Manager UM Advising, a joint venture by SSC and EDLAB. I am curious, enjoy an innovative challenge, and love to connect ideas and people together. Feel free to get in touch about Student Success, Student/Academic Advising and related topics.

Maartje Schreuder
Project leader
Coming from the traditional teaching system as applied in Groningen, I soon came to know PBL as a great opportunity. I am especially drawn to the contextuality principle of it, and apply that, along with the other CCCS principles, to my own teaching. Now I grabbed the offered opportunity to work with EDLAB on a temporary posting, to turn the well-written EDVANCE report (‘Good practices in blended education within problem-based learning at Maastricht University’) into an easy to use information source for teachers.

Jacqueline Charpentier
Researcher
During my studies I discovered that I really enjoy doing research. I like finding new literature to read and talking to professionals in the field. I specifically gained an interest in the Dutch education system and social-emotional skills. I started my journey as a junior researcher at ROA where I focused on effective interventions for at risk students. Now, I look forward to working together with my EDLAB colleagues to deliver a strong PhD thesis!
Professional Development & Training

Donna Carroll
Senior Educational Training Developer
I’m delighted that in my role at EDLAB I have the opportunity to provide others with stimulating opportunities for their own development as I’m responsible for the Continual Professional Development training activities for university teaching staff. Get in touch to talk to me further about our offering or your training needs!

Eveline Persoon
EDLAB Programming and Logistics Coordinator
I have been part of the UM teaching community since 2016 and in my current position as Programming and Logistics Coordinator at EDLAB I am mainly involved in organising Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and Educational Services’ activities for university teaching staff. Please get in touch if you have any questions or suggestions for a workshop, training or other CPD activity.

Dominique Meyers
EDLAB Programming and Logistics Coordinator
I have a master’s degree in developmental psychology and see myself as an open-minded and culturally sensitive colleague.
Educational Research

Alice Pan
Educational Research Coordinator
An attentive and observant listener, I enjoy learning through considering the perspectives and experiences of others. I thrive in situations that call for integrating insightful analysis and thorough attention to detail with creativity and innovation. In tandem with my role at EDLAB, I work as a research assistant for projects based in the UM faculties, and I find that my continued involvement in research hones my ability to communicate between the worlds of research and practice.
Education and ICT

Gaby Lutgens
Domain lead Education & ICT
Before joining EDLAB, I worked at the University Library -department of Education, Content & Support- with specific focus on curriculum (re)design with digital means. This meant supporting teaching staff to implement technology within their teaching practice. Another focus was on digital learning material: about digital accessibility of what teachers create and offer to their (sometimes disabled) students and how to share and (re)use educational material.
I hope to bring this expertise to EDLAB and contribute to the central hub for teaching and learning at Maastricht University we are building together with faculties and the library.

Matthias Gögelein
Project Leader
As a Project Leader, I coordinate and provide support for educational tools like Canvas and Toolwheel, focusing on their effective use in higher education. Moreover, I am closely working together with our Student Assistants at EDLAB, being their first point of contact and coordinator, and I am a mentor in Maastricht University’s Honours programme PREMIUM.
I am eager to be part of EDLAB as the central hub for teaching and learning at Maastricht University, involving and in close collaboration with all faculties and the library.

Amna Moukhyer
Project Leader
In my free time, I volunteer to facilitate sending young students from Sudan to finish their high school education around the world to indulge in the experience of a world class education. I look forward to contributing to EDLAB’s educational development and community building through innovation, exchanging knowledge and educational research.
Excellence

Fabienne Crombach
Senior Coordinator Excellence Education
My goal is to create an inspirational environment for our excellence students, that is conducive to a high-quality learning experience. Coordinating these programmes combines my passions for organising and being in close contact with talented students, staff, and companies. I highly enjoy the interaction with students and their drive to learn and excel. Their enthusiasm and motivation are contagious and something to be admired. You will find that I am a strategic planner with organisation skills, practical good sense, passion for my work and a lot of creativity.

Tatiana Topa
Junior Coordinator Excellence Education
Now, I am glad to have the opportunity to continue promoting excellence at Maastricht University and support high-performance students go the extra mile. Feel free to get in touch if you have any questions about PREMIUM or Honours +.
Communications
Sueli, Kyomi Brodin
Communications Advisor
I think that this unusual appellation suits me well because for as long as I can remember, I have always had an inquisitive mind and multiple fields of interest. I feel a genuine eagerness to discover, observe, search for connections, understand, learn and share. EDLAB’s commitment to education inspires me. As Confucius said, “Never be tired of learning or teaching others!”
Students assistants

Isabelle Bastiaens
Student Assistant
When I started studying medicine here at Maastricht University, I also became a member of a committee of an international medical student association which organises the annual Teddy Bear Hospital at MUMC+. Especially during the COVID-19 pandemic this helped me with thinking outside the box.
In the same period, I also started working here at EDLAB. You can find me doing all sorts of things, e.g., designing posters, researching different topics, and creating a module in Canvas. The diversity of my tasks is what makes the job interesting. The thing I like most, is when I get the chance to be creative. I actually have been passionate about painting and drawing since I was little, so I’ll try to apply my creativity whenever I can 🙂

Bianca Massacci
Student Assistant
What I love the most about this position is the opportunity to participate firsthand in the development and improvement of the educational offer at my learning institution.

Paula Aldaz Laquidain
Student Assistant
The best part of this job is to take part on the investigation of different methods of teaching and learning to improve and make the best education for Maastricht university.

Iveta Dzivite
Student Assistant
After moving to the Netherlands to obtain my Master’s degree in Biomedical Sciences, I am grateful to continue working in the field of education at EDLAB. My main tasks consist in helping the implementation of the UM-wide Canvas adoption project and providing Canvas support to academic staff members.

Andrei Burlacu
Student Assistant
I am an organised person with extensive experience in education, both professionally and academically. Before coming to Maastricht to study, I worked as a teacher for almost 5 years in Romania. I was also involved in a project through the European Solidarity Corps where I worked as a copywriter to improve the image of VET high schools in Romania.
I want the work I do at EDLAB to be reflected in the educational process at Maastricht University and to help create an educational environment of the highest quality.

Munshya Mupela
Student Assistant
Education has always been a number one priority in my family. For many where I’m from, it’s the key to escaping difficulty. Nelson Mandela once said, “education is the most powerful tool which you can use to change the world” – your world. I agree. Shortly before the pandemic hit, I became a primary and high school tutor. Being on the opposite end for once, was extremely eye-opening and fulfilling. It completely changed my perspective, which is something that has proved to be integral for the Canvas adoption project.
Connect with us
EDLAB collaborates with everyone involved in education at Maastricht University: teachers, researchers, students, supporting staff and management.
The engagement of students and staff is at the heart of all EDLAB initiatives!