The appointment was made in consultation with ACTA’s Faculty Student Council, Works Council and Client Council. Scheele will succeed Prof. Hans Romijn, who has served as dean since 2022.
‘Fedde Scheele is an energetic connector with a broad outlook. He is thoroughly up to date on current developments in higher education and research,’ says Peter-Paul Verbeek, chair of the selection committee and Rector Magnificus of the UvA. ‘He has a wealth of knowledge and experience, both as an administrator and with regard to education, research and healthcare. The majority of that knowledge and experience was gained within the OLVG and Amsterdam UMC, and as dean, he can now use it to provide direction and leadership to ACTA.’
‘We are very pleased that Fedde has accepted the deanship. He will continue on the path started by Hans Romijn, which focuses on ensuring a sustainable future for ACTA,’ adds VU Amsterdam Rector Magnificus Jeroen Geurts. ‘He is well-versed in healthcare and corresponding social issues. And at the same time, he is able to offer a fresh perspective thanks to his background in a discipline other than dentistry.’
Scheele says: ‘I enjoy working for a greater purpose: to provide respectful care in an open culture in which education, science and our role as healthcare providers can all flourish. I am looking forward to working toward this goal, together with all staff and students at ACTA.’
About Fedde Scheele
Prof. Fedde Scheele is a gynaecologist and dean of learning at the OLVG hospital. In the role of dean at ACTA, he will bear responsibility for the healthcare degree programmes and the scientific research within the hospital. Scheele is also professor of Health Systems Innovations and Education at VU Amsterdam’s Medicine Educational Institute and at the Athena Institute within the Faculty of Science. In his teaching and research, he focuses on healthcare education that is both socially relevant and aimed at preparing future practitioners. In recent years, he has also devoted an increasing amount of energy to change management in healthcare.
In addition to his work at the OLVG and Amsterdam UMC, Scheele is a member of the Supervisory Board of the health insurer Menzis and chair of the BOLS Foundation, which advises the Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport on the distribution of educational funding for programmes that train medical specialists. He is also a member of ZonMW's ‘Zingeving’ committee and three other ZonMW committees focused on innovation and implementation. Scheele was one of the initiators of Care4everyBody - with a focus on Women's Health, this European foundation is committed to promoting knowledge sharing with regard to gender-specific care, not only among healthcare providers, but also and especially among European politicians. In addition, Scheele represents the Netherlands in the European Board and College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.
He has also held various administrative and advisory positions in the past. These include serving as interim head of the Medicine programme within the VUmc, chair of the College of Medical Specialties of the professional organisation for Dutch doctors (KNMG), and chairman of the Dutch Medical Education Association (NVMO).
Scheele studied Medicine at VU Amsterdam and obtained his PhD (also at VU Amsterdam) in 1994 for the thesis 'Gonadotrophin-releasing hormone agonists in ovulation induction'.
About ACTA
A healthy mouth for everyone: this is the goal ACTA strives to achieve, each and every day. The 3 pillars of ACTA are scientific research, education and patient care. Every day, its staff and students treat more than 300 patients. Besides training students to become dentists, ACTA also provides continuing education for dentists, dental hygienists and dental assistants. ACTA is located on VU Amsterdam campus in the Zuidas district.
Image: Catalina Feres