Committees
What is a committee?
A study association cannot operate without its committees and the SPIL is no different. The SPIL offers the opportunity to experience new things by participating in committees. This will give you the option to become active in whatever area you might find interesting. There isn’t only the opportunity to organize activities, one could experience writing for a semi-scientific magazine or even work in an international atmosphere. Here you can find out which committees there are, what those committees do and who are in these committees.
Committees are a key part of the operation of any student association, and the SPIL is no different. The committees that the SPIL offers can give you the opportunity to experience something completely new, or participate in an area that you are already passionate about. There is also variety of ways that you can participate in your area of interest, from organising activities and events, to writing for a magazine, to working as part of an international group. As you can see committees encompass a wide range of possibilities for ways students to get involved. Here you can find out what committees are provided, what they do, and how to join a committee.
Why participate in a committee?
It is important to develop your academic skills during your studies, it is also crucially important to acquire professional skills as well. This is where the SPIL can provide extra-curricular opportunities to gain knowledge and experience in a variety of skills outside of the academic. For students of Political Science and Political Science – International Relations and Organizations the SPIL is the ideal environment to develop these extracurricular skills through participating in a committee.
What does committee membership consist of?
The SPIL is an association which is sustained by the contributions of students. The day-to-day tasks of the association are performed by the board, a group of seven students. The board also works in tandem with committees. These committees organize activities, social events, study trips and write articles for DEBAT, the association magazine. Committees are typically chaired by a committee chair and also have a secretary, treasurer and general members.
How do I join a committee?
At the beginning of each school year the board sets up interview rounds during which students can apply for a position in a committee. Each board member decides upon his or her own interview procedure for the committees which they’ll be guiding that year. Normally this will take the form of an application letter or an interview.
The audit committee is a special committee that is assigned by the general assembly. It is assigned every year in September during the general assembly in which the old board gets replaced with the new one. The main difference between this committee and the others is that the audit committee doesn’t organize any actual activities. The responsibilities of the audit committee is written down in the statutes of the SPIL, but to summarize: this committee checks the work of the finance commissioner and advises the general assembly. Two weeks before the half year general assembly the audit committee checks the income statement, the cash flow and the balance on accounting accuracy. The audit committee then provides advice to the general assembly about the performance of the finance commissioner.
Committee members
- Janneke Pool
- Judith Hordijk
The Acquisitions Committee is responsible for creating and maintaining connections with organisations outsite of the SPIL. The SPIL is composed of over a thousand students and maintains multiple means of promotion (the monthly newsletter, DEBAT, social media). Because of this, SPIL is an attractive opportunities for companies and organisations from a variety of sectors. The Acquisitions Committee tries to discover new possibilities to cooperate with these companies and organisations in order to bring the benefits or expertise tha the groups offer and vice versa. They also bring out a new merch item every year. Previously we have seen a SPIL water bottle, a SPIL umbrella, a SPIL shot glass and the SPIL cards.
Commissioner
Jagoda Pluskwa-Dąbrowska
Committee Members
- Fabian Richter
- Martina Vendrell
- Gaja Faflja
- Anna Maria Balaska
- Carla Rojas
- Inja Hildebrand
- Nicole van der Ent
- Thom van Kessel
This Committee organises the yearly excursion to Brussels, which has been taking place for as long as our SPIL-memory goes back. During this 2-day trip, excursions are organised such as a visit to the EU commission, hearing about the World Bank, meeting with members of a think thank and talking to delegates of the Dutch Embassy in Brussels. This trip is one of the cornerstones of the SPIL calendar! The Committee is looking for one or two more people to help plan the trip, which will take place on the 17th-18th of November!
Commissioner
Olivia Pappas
Committee Members for the 2026 trip
- Diana Parpalita
- Jule Cordes
The association has its own quarterly magazine, ‘DEBAT’. This political science magazine is released four times per year and, most importantly is written ‘for’ and ‘by’ students. On top of that, DEBAT also has it’s own website, on which weekly articles are published. The magazine is composed of a variety of articles, from opinion-pieces to columns to book reviews. It also features regular interviews with high-profile people in the acadmic or political world. The magazine also keeps you up-to-date on the various committee activities through articles written by the committee members themselves. DEBAT offers the ideal opportunity for SPIL members to improve their writing and those that may have journalistic ambitions. By writing articles, taking interviews and editing, committee members can gain the experience required for such ambitions.
Commissioner
Casijn de Haas
Committee members
- Emilia Mager
- Lisa Harmeling
- Anamy Arafa
- Anna Maria Balaska
- Aylin Geweniger
- Beatrice Panceri
- Carlotta Schrader
- Chiury de Nijs
- Christian Lences
- Christina Schudde
- Elin Bosschieter
- Elizabeth O’Mara
- Emmet Mythen
- Esmee Jansen
- Esmee Widdershoven
- Hendrik Keßler
- Isabeau Tönjes
- Jázmin Farkas
- João Lovato
- Kaylee Drillenburg
- Kseniya Sidorenko
- Laurens Goddijn
- Leo Blair
- Leonie Kriegsmann
- Maj Jolij
- Margaux Laus
- Maria Monti
- Marit Hakvoort
- Marlene Walter
- Mila Trouiller
- Nelson de Rijke
- Nita Itashvili
- Paolo de Simone
- Piotr Leligdowicz
- Romain Perfereau
- Rozemarijn van Rijs
- Saoirse Hoitink
- Scarlett Boles-Ryan
- Valentina Gabellich
- Yağmur Nisanoğlu
The Podcast Committee produces podcasts about political as well as SPIL-related topics. In the past, the podcast episodes were produced by the DEBAT Committee. This year, the torch has been passed to the newly introduced Podcast Committee. The committee will work hard to publish informative and entertaining podcasts. We hope you will take a listen!
Commissioner
Gabriel Reijans
Committee members
- Djen Veenendaal
- Monika Markevičiūtė
- Bánk Bakos
- Bruno Donners
- Carolin Köhl
- Casijn de Haas
- Elina Al-Yazji
- Frédérique Alders
- Freek van Lierop
- Frida Petersen
- Guusje Valkenburg
- Jácinta Lilla Nagy
- Jesper Vink
- Matthieu Nicoleitzik
- Pulkit Bhawsinghka
- Thom Vrijdag
- Tristan Ouguerzi
The Education Committee, chaired by the commissioner of Education & Politics, helps the students of Political Science – International Relations and organisations in making sure that they receive satisfactory education throughout the duration of their course. One of the ways it does this is by ensuring that the student book sale is carried out competently and without issues. Due to the fact that this book sale happens online, it can be managed solely by the commissioner. Furthermore the committee organises education related trainings and career prospective events.
Commissioner
Antonina Basarab
Committee member
- Leo Gebauer
- Hanna Idzikowska
- Yağmur Nisanoğlu
- Cezara Serghei
- Diana Karsay
- Gabriel de Queiroz Goldshtrakh
- Ilyas van Dobbenburgh
- Martha Wenisch
The Excursions Committee organises formal excursions. Examples are the yearly excursions to the Parliament (Tweede Kamer) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, an Embassy hop (including the Embassy of Austria, Brazil and Mexico), Amnesty International and visits to the ICC and the Peace Palace. This is a great way to get students involved with their field of studies outside of the university!
Commissioner
Antonina Basarab
Committee member
- Dahab Kamel
- Zahra Jeffery
- Thijs van Vliet
- Christian Lences
- Eleftheria Galanou
- Jazmin Kuncsik
- Theodora Georgantzi
This committee organises all the parties, borrels and other social activities of SPIL. There are two monthly SPIL borrels, one in Leiden and one in The Hague, where our members can drink a beer and catch up with each other, which this committee organises. Moreover, this committee organises all the (themed) parties that the SPIL has to offer! To top it all off, the committee organises the annual SPIL Gala, which takes place at a beautiful location, everyone gets dressed up nicely and where there is an unlimited amount of alcohol.
Commissioner
Gabriel Reijans
Committee member
- Jack Vuijk
- Elisabeth Hager
- Ysé van Anken
- Alexis Georgescu
- Esther Lainez
- Farah Cherif
- Leya Songe
- Sarah Nagy
This committee is formed at the beginning of the academic year with the sole purpose of making first year students feel at home at the SPIL and university. The committee organises ‘borrels’, gatherings, lectures, speed dating events, parents day (you name it) for first year students. By the end of the year, the committee organises the cherry on top: Fresmen Weekend where the upcoming first years can meet each other!
Commissioner
Jagoda Pluskwa-Dąbrowska
Committee members
- Juliëtte Ruizendaal
- Roos van de Watering
- Kedawit Nuguse
Next to the Winter Trip, the SPIL also organises a yearly Summer Trip. In the past years, SPIL has travelled to Washington DC, Thailand, Jordan, and India. During this trip, similar activities as during the Winter Trip will be organised, such as visiting an embassy, the parliament, newspapers and ministries. Of course during this trip, there is also more time to explore the city we are visiting. If you are enthusiastic about planning such an important trip, this is the perfect committee for you!
Commissioner
Olivia Pappas
Committee Members
- Cosmin Tanasa
- Zahra Jeffery
- Martin de Haan
- Barbora Bankova
- Bettina Balc
- Gaja Faflja
- Hanna Juhász
- Ivar Peracchia
This committee is organizing events around current political affairs. Traditionally it happens as a cooperation with the B.I.L.
Commissioner
Antonina Basarab
Committee members
- Mark van Donk
This committee focuses on activities specifically for master students of political science. They are often more specialised and have more knowledge about certain topics. The committee organises lectures and activities that go more into depth than our regular activities. Think about lectures by proffessors, talks by representatives of a certain deparment or institution. The committee consists of mostly master students, so if you have good ideas, don’t hesitate to apply!
Commissioner
Antonina Basarab
Committee member
- Madeleine Digby
- Beatrice Panceri
- Caspar Lemmens
- Jelrik Westra
- Rafael Pollo Flores de Sá
- Reilly Shackelford
- Sophia Koppensteiner
Commissioner
Hidde Heijerman
Committee members
- Juliëtte Ruizendaal
- Chloè Merkx
- Eleni Pasiali
- Jack Vuijk
- Lieke de Jong
- Thomas van Marle
Contact
president@spilplaats.nl
The SPIL organises numerous activities and parties, and it is the responsibility of the promotion committee to make sure that these receive high turnout rates. In this committee you’ll be working closely with other related committees and you’ll be involved in organizing these activities. But the committee also covers the planning of promoting guest lectures, excursions, study-book sales and study trips. These activities are promoted in a wide variety of ways. As a member of this committee you can use harness your creativity in desing and arrangement of event-posters, photography of said events and maintain the committees social media presence so that everyone knows about SPIL events.
Commissioner
Jagoda Pluskwa-Dąbrowska
Committee members
- Laia Heldt
- Esmee Jansen
- Djen Veenendaal
- Inès Hamdaoui
- Jázmin Farkas
- Matas Jurevičius
- Thom van Kessel
In this committee you will help organize the yearly Winter Trip. This trip goes to a location within Europe. Some past destinations have been Prague, Madrid, London and Edinburgh. On this trip the committee organises excursions such as visits to a newspaper, ministries, the parliament and embassies. Of course, it wouldn’t be a SPIL trip if this wouldn’t be accompanied by cultural events and evenings out!
Commissioners
Olivia Pappas
Committee members
- Barbara Bątkowska
- Adela Hlasna
- Mikail Unal
- Flor Machado
- Joséphine Matissart
- Laura Seifert
- Nora Schoonheim
- Thijs van Vliet
Every year the SPIL releases a yearbook, the ‘Almanak’, which provides an overview of the events and achievements of the past year. The almanak is the summation of the work that the board and the committees and the members have carried out in that year. The members of the Almanak Committee, headed by the commissioner of Internal Relations, compile material throughout hte whole year to present in the almanak. This involves creating a fitting theme, developing and appropriate lay out and gathering texts and interviews for it. These texts are not only written by SPIL members but also by board members of other Student Associations and renowed acamedic and political individuals.
Commissioner
Gabriel Reijans
Committee members
- Alicia Freichet
- Secretary: Barbora Bankova
- Elisa Dupont
- Elisabeth Hager
- Esther Lainez
- Sarah He
- Soizic Michotte van den Berck
Committee Cup
You earn points for your committee by attending activities: 1 point per activity and 3 points for attending a GA. You will not get points for attending activities organised by your own committee. In the end, all points will be divided by the amount of committee members.
The Winning Committee wins a prize at the end of the year! Last year it was won by the Promotion Committee and they received 100 euros to spend on an activity together.