organisation structure

The VLAG organisation structure consists of:

• Board
• International advisory board
• Management team
• Staff bureau

Board
The highest authority within the graduate school is the Board.
The main tasks of this Board are:

• to approve the long-term work plan and, more specifically, to decide about the main research goals, research coordination and all issues related to quality control and research
• to draft an annual work plan.

As of September 2007 the Board members are as follows:

• CHAIR: Prof. R.P. Mensink, Maastricht University - Molecular Nutrition
• Prof. M.A. Cohen Stuart, Wageningen University - Physical Chemistry and Colloid Science
• Dr. R. van Gorcom, RIKILT
• Dr. A.M. Henken, RIVM
• Dr. A. Juriaanse, NIZO Food Research
• Dr. J.M. te Koppele, TNO Quality of Life
• Prof. Dr A.A.M. Masclee, MD, Maastricht University - Internal Medicine/Gastroenterology
• Prof. I.M.C.M. Rietjens, Wageningen University - Toxicology

International Advisory Board
The International Advisory Board provides VLAG with advice and recommendations on strategic issues concerning the research and the educational programme of the Graduate School. International experts representing various research areas dealt with within the Graduate School constitute the IAB:

• Prof. Dr. Ian Macdonald (Biomedical Sciences, University of Nottingham, UK)
• Dr. J. O'Brien (Nestlé Research Center, Lausanne, Switzerland)
• Prof. Dr. Prof. Thomas Ohlsson (SiK, Sweden)
• Dr. N. Overbeeke

Management Team
The Management Team consists of:

• Prof. M.A.J.S. van Boekel, scientific director (WU-Product Design & Quality Management)
• Prof. R.M. Boom (WU-Food Process Engineering)
• Prof. H. Gruppen (WU-Food Chemistry)
• Prof. A.M.W.J. Schols, (Maastricht University / NUTRIM director)
• Prof. P. Van 't Veer (WU-Nutrition and Epidemiology)
• Prof. M.H. Zwietering (WU-Food Microbiology)
• Dr. F. Pepping (managing director) / V. Pršić, MSc (programme coordinator)

Staff bureau
The VLAG office is staffed by:

• Managing director: Dr. Fré Pepping
• Programme coordinator: Mrs. Vesna Pršić, MSc
• Education coordinators:
  Mrs. Chantal Doeswijk, MSc
  Mrs. Ingeborg van Leeuwen-Bol
  Mrs. Yvonne Smolders, MSc
• Education coordinator/Finance & administration: Mrs. Eva Oudshoorn-Gijsbertsen, MSc