Manon Ruijters

Prof. Manon Ruijters is a Full Professor of Learning, Development and Behavioral Change at the School of Business and Economics, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. She co-leads the Change Management team, overseeing programs like the MSc Change Management (part-time). Her roles include Lector (Leading Researcher) at Aeres University of Applied Sciences (Wageningen) and co-owner of the consultancy firm Good Work Company.

Education: PhD in Organizational Learning (Utrecht University, 2006). Formerly worked at Twynstra Gudde as Academic Partner for 17 years. Research focuses on professional identity, organizational learning, and good work dynamics across sectors.

Key research areas include: professional identity development, work-based research methodologies, and creating shared standards of excellence in teams. She leads interdisciplinary research groups involving universities and practitioners, such as the Good Work Expedition network (15 organizations, 40+ participants).

Teaching emphasizes organizational development, intervention design, and bridging theory-practice gaps through courses like 'Organizational Development & Change' and 'Advanced Change Management.'

Her work integrates academic research with practical consultancy, producing both scholarly articles and practitioner-focused publications. Current projects explore identity pressures in organizations, certification systems' impact on professionalism, and embedding identity work in vocational education.