About the Comenius project on peer-mediation

Our Mission

We are committed to fostering affective learning and conflict-competency training at THUAS. Through peer mediation, we empower students to navigate difficult emotions and conflicts constructively, ultimately promoting a socially just academic environment.

What is Peer Mediation?

Peer mediation is a structured process where trained students help their peers communicate, resolve conflicts, and restore relationships. It encourages open dialogue, trust-building, and emotional resilience, the key skills for both academic and professional life. Our model integrates pedagogy of discomfort, helping students engage with difficult emotions and perspectives in an educational setting.

“Together, we transform discomfort into connection and conflict into growth.”
— Comenius Project on Peer Mediation

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Peer Mediation

The Comenius project on peer-mediation at THUAS is designd to foster empathy, emotional learning, and conflict resolution through the Pedagogy of Discomfort. By sharing stories, engaging in critical dialogues, and building mediation skills, we empower students and staff to turn moments of discomfort into opportunities for connection and growth. Join us in shaping a more inclusive and empathetic learning environment!

  • Marcus Kempe

    Student Leader

    Hi, my name is Marcus Kempe, and I am currently in my second year of Safety & Security Management Studies (SSMS) at The Hague University of Applied Sciences. Some areas I study are conflict studies & peacebuilding, where my future goal is to pursue work in international security, dealing with conflict resolution and peace operations.

    Being part of the Comenius Relational Peer Mediation Project has been both professionally relevant and personally transformative. The project connects directly to theories I study—like Galtung’s Conflict Triangle, Azar’s theory of Protracted Social Conflict, and the Hourglass Model—but applies them on a human scale, within the university setting.

    Here, I am learning how real change begins with understanding people’s stories, building trust, and creating safe spaces where discomfort is embraced, not avoided. This experience has deepened my ability to recognize the emotional roots of conflict, and it has shown me how vital relational mediation is—whether between students or nations.

    In both local and global contexts, I believe this kind of mediation work lays the foundation for healthier dialogue, stronger communities, and sustainable peace.

  • Emma Együd

    Student Leader