Students at institutions across four continents, including The Hague University of Applied Sciences (THUAS), will graduate ready to build the open financial systems the world needs.
The Interledger Foundation (ILF), an organization building and advocating for an interoperable payments network, has partnered with over 10 universities across North America, Europe, Australia and Africa to bring open payments curriculum into the classroom. The new initiative introduces programs designed to build the next generation of payments leaders who understand where today’s financial systems fall short and how to build something better with open finance.
Payments are fragmented today. Most merchants need to accept a mix of cash, credit cards, debit, buy now pay later options and other digital payment methods to ensure point of sale limitations aren’t a roadblock to customers, and each of these methods requires different technical capabilities and standalone integrations. Everything coexists separately, but nothing inherently works together and there are currently few incentives to opening up the silos that keep them apart. The result is a fragmented, costly and slow global payments ecosystem where money that could settle in seconds instead takes days.
The Interledger Foundation is addressing this challenge with a multi-country educational effort to promote interoperability by proliferating its Interledger Protocol (ILP). This open-source network enables any currency to move freely across institutions and borders without the limitations characteristic of the current patchwork financial system. When deployed at scale, ILP could serve as the foundation for digital public infrastructures (DPIs) similar to India’s UPI and Brazil’s Pix – but with cross-border capabilities.
Payments issues are core to the new curriculum that the Interledger Foundation and universities are bringing to the next generation of entrepreneurs and technologists who will help shape the future of financial infrastructure and expand the talent pipeline. The goal is to make open payments the default rather than the exception through the following programs:
Alabama A&M University (Alabama, USA) is embedding open payments into credit-bearing business coursework through its Dollarcraft program, where students research financial inclusion challenges and build ILP-enabled digital banking prototypes alongside engineering students.
Atlanta University Center Consortium (Georgia, USA) — Comprised of Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College, Morehouse School of Medicine, and Spelman College — is uniting 25 HBCU students to design and prototype open payment solutions that address systemic financial inequities.
Benedict College (South Carolina, USA) is launching a new ILP Pathways program in which students complete a 150-hour internship, then mentor local youth and help minority-owned businesses adopt open payment solutions.
Bowie State University (Maryland, USA) built a multi-campus open payments program that engaged more than 700 students across four continents through integrated coursework, micro-internships, and hackathon-style events, expanding to seven additional HBCUs nationwide.
Covenant University (Nigeria) is launching two new courses dedicated to open payments and ILP, giving students hands-on experience building interoperable fintech solutions through innovation labs, hackathons, and community digital inclusion clinics.
The Hague University of Applied Sciences (Netherlands) is launching an interdisciplinary course bridging finance, law, and technology, which is the first effort to build a European talent pipeline in open payments education.
USIU-Africa (Kenya) is integrating the Interledger Protocol into entrepreneurship training and startup incubation in Nairobi, equipping 40 students to build financial inclusion solutions for Kenya’s underbanked communities.
University of Cape Town (South Africa) embedded open payments into its Master’s in Financial Technology program, requiring students to build fully operational payment applications as capstone projects. It also launched a dedicated Financial Innovation Hub for fintech research across Africa.
Western Sydney University (Australia) is integrating an eight-week ILP curriculum module into its cybersecurity and business programs, challenging students to design and stress-test secure, interoperable fintech applications.
“The next generation of leaders has the opportunity to build payment systems that improve the closed, siloed systems of the past,” said Briana Marbury, President and CEO at Interledger Foundation. “Working with these universities, we have the opportunity to instill in students the knowledge and tools they need to design for interoperability from day one, so open payments become the standard, rather than the exception.”
These university partnerships are one part of a broader effort by the Interledger Foundation to build an open financial system where sending money is as simple as sending an email. ILF continues to expand its ecosystem through partnerships with organizations and individuals to simplify open payments infrastructure, including People’s Clearinghouse, Paysys Labs, and Kanzu Finance. The Interledger Foundation has invested more than $21 million in over 200 projects across 42 countries, backing developers, entrepreneurs, artists, and innovators who are building solutions that remove barriers within outdated and restrictive financial systems.
For other schools interested in getting involved, the Interledger Foundation will open a new call for applications later in the year.
About Interledger Foundation
The Interledger Foundation is an organization that builds and advocates for an open, interoperable payment network where transactions are not limited to a particular bank, mobile money provider, or location. The organization works to increase access to digital financial services for the 1.4 billion people worldwide who are currently excluded from traditional banking systems through the Interledger Protocol (ILP). The organization works with partners to integrate its ILP into existing and emerging financial and payments infrastructures. It currently has large-scale projects underway with Wallet Guru, People’s Clearinghouse, and miPlata. Learn more at: www.interledger.org
Text and images provided by the Interledger Foundation
Featured image: executive leadership team at The Interledger Foundation, including Evan Schwartz (left), Briana Marbury (center), and Stefan Thomas (right).
Residents of The Hague and the surrounding region can now visit a new Belastingdienst support point in the Escamp district office for help with taxes, benefits, and payments. The new location aims to make support more accessible for people needing assistance with tax matters and allowances.
The support point was officially opened by Sorayda Berkhout, General Director of Social Affairs and Employment, Marieke Vos, Domain Manager for Financial Assistance, both from the Municipality of The Hague, and Bjorn Meijer, Unit Director of Services at the Belastingdienst. They were joined by Belastingdienst service staff who will become the familiar faces at the new support point.
Several staff members at the new support point are also able to assist residents in English, making the service more accessible for the international community in The Hague.
Time and personal attention
Bjorn Meijer highlighted the importance of year-round support for residents dealing with tax-related issues.
“People appreciate being able to get extra help throughout the year with questions about tax matters. This could be after a major life event with financial consequences, or when someone temporarily loses track of their tax affairs. Our staff take the time to answer questions carefully and clearly. We hope residents of The Hague will quickly find their way to this support point.”
Closer cooperation between organisations
Sorayda Berkhout stressed the importance of keeping support accessible and easy to navigate.
“With the Belastingdienst now present in our district office, there is less chance that people will lose their way between different organisations. We want residents to leave our building fully informed about the support and financial arrangements available to them. This collaboration helps us offer broader assistance to more people with questions about money and financial support.”
Faster support for residents
Marieke Vos said the new location also strengthens cooperation between the municipality and the Belastingdienst.
“At our Helpdesk Geldzaken, residents can already access support at more than 50 locations across the city for financial questions and debt-related issues. With this new support point, we can now offer additional help for more complex tax questions or benefit checks. If Belastingdienst staff see that residents are struggling to meet their obligations, the municipality can step in more quickly to offer support. This partnership is important in helping residents work towards a healthier financial future.”
Opening hours
The Belastingdienst support point at the Escamp district office in The Hague is open Monday to Friday from 09:00 to 16:00.
Featured photo: Director Sorayda Berkhout and Domain Manager Marieke Vos from the Municipality of The Hague, together with Unit Director Bjorn Meijer from the Belastingdienst, officially open the new support point at the district office in The Hague alongside Belastingdienst service staff.
Photo below: Belastingdienst staff member Laila assists residents at the new support point together with her colleagues.
Laila said: “Our services fit well with the support residents already receive at the district office in The Hague. At the support point, you can really sit down and have a conversation with people about their tax affairs and benefits.”
The holidays are upon us again. In this article, we discuss the difference between official holidays and obligatory days off, so you know what to expect.
Official holidays
In the Netherlands, the following days are considered official holidays: New Year’s Day, Easter (Easter Sunday and Easter Monday), King’s Day, Liberation Day (once every five years), Ascension Day and the first and second day of Christmas. You are not automatically free on these days. Whether this is the case depends on the arrangements in your employment contract or collective bargaining agreement (CAO). If an official holiday is indeed a vacation day for you, this day will not be deducted from your accrued vacation days.
If you have not agreed with your employer that you have time off on an official holiday, but you would like to be, you must file a vacation request with your employer (in writing). Your employer has two weeks to respond to this request. Your vacation request must in principle be accepted. It may only be refused if there are important reasons to do so. For example, if Christmas is the busiest period for your employer and you request leave on Christmas Day, your employer may refuse the request because your absence would seriously disrupt business operations. Your employer must explain the reason for denying your request.
Obligatory days off
Employers may appoint days on which an employee is required to take time off, on days not designated as official holidays. It is common for employers to give employees time off between Christmas and New Year’s Day. For example, because the company is closed during this period. Such a mandatory day off is deducted from the employee’s number of vacation days. The mandatory days off must be included in the employment contract or collective bargaining agreement.
Do you have questions about the agreements in your employment contract? If so, please do not hesitate to contact GMW Lawyers. We can work it out!
The holiday season is approaching again. Employees may want to take a few days off for this occasion, or there may be questions about whether a Christmas package from the employer is to be expected this year. What labor law regulations apply during the holidays? You can read about it in this blog.
Requesting Time Off During the Holidays
Many employees will want to take a few days off around the holidays. If work is still required during this period and the company does not close for an extended time, an employee can submit a leave request to enjoy some time off. Leave requests are usually approved according to the employee’s wishes. An employer can only deny a leave request if there is a valid reason, such as insufficient staff or significant disruption to operations. It is important for the employer to inform the employee within two weeks after the request whether the leave has been approved or denied. If the employer fails to do so, the leave request is automatically approved according to the employee’s wishes, provided there is sufficient leave balance.
Holiday Pay?
If you do not request time off and must work on the holiday itself, the question arises whether you will be compensated for this. The law does not stipulate compensation for employees who must work during the holidays. Therefore, a bonus for working on Christmas Day is not mandatory. However, many collective labor agreements (CAOs) include provisions for bonuses or compensation for working on a holiday. This may also be specified in an employment contract or handbook. It is important to check the employment contract, handbook, and any applicable CAO for this information.
Christmas Package?
Additionally, many employers give their employees a Christmas package around the holidays as a thank you for their services over the past year. Sometimes an employer has given this package for many years but decides not to provide one this year. Is this allowed? Can employees claim a right to it? According to case law, giving a Christmas package to employees is considered a discretionary gesture from the employer, and employees cannot derive any rights from it.[1] A Christmas package is more akin to a gift, making it unlikely for a right to be established.
In Conclusion
Taking time off during the holidays or receiving holiday pay is not a given. The same applies to receiving a Christmas package from your employer.
If you have any questions about your rights and obligations during the holidays or any other labor law inquiries, feel free to contact GMW lawyers. GMW lawyers wishes you happy holidays and a good 2025!
Photo Credit: Shutterstock, provided by GMW
[1] Rechtbank Midden-Nederland, 1 February 2024, ECLI:NL:RBMNE:2024:1783.
As an expat, it can be difficult to feel at home in a new country. Especially in the autumn- and winter months, most of the Dutchies tend to meet up with each other in the comfort of their own home. Meeting new people, learning the language and getting to know the culture can seem challenging in these circumstances. It can therefore be a welcome addition to life in the Netherlands to consider volunteering.
It is important to be informed of the legal aspects of volunteering in the Netherlands and how to combine it with your paid work. Below an overview of the key legal considerations if you are considering to volunteer by Amber Willemsen, GMW lawyers
It starts with a contract
While it is not mandatory to put volunteer work arrangements in writing, it is usually advisable to do so. That way, there can be no discussion afterwards about the agreements made. Apart from the obvious agreements such as working times and volunteering tasks, you can think of agreements on travel reimbursement or other expense reimbursements, if you are required to follow trainings and who will bear the costs of the trainings. It is important that a suitable insurance is concluded for you, especially if the work you will do involves other people.
Visa and working permit
Before you start volunteering, it is a good idea to check whether your residence and/or work permit allows you to volunteer. EU/EER and Swiss citizens do not require a working permit to volunteering work.
(employment) rights
While as a volunteer, you are not an employee and do not fall under Dutch employment law, you are entitled to a safe and healthy working environment. The organisation where you intend to volunteer should take into account the relevant rules of the Health and Safety law. Among other, organisations should identify work-related risks and reduce them as much as possible, but the organisations should also ensure, for example, that there is a safe working atmosphere where bullying is not tolerated. In the event that you suffer damages in the exercise as a volunteer – for instance, you get into an accident and are injured – the organisation may be liable for your damages.
Volunteering and (paid) employment
In addition, it is wise to check whether your employment contract permits volunteer work. Generally, an employer may not prohibit side work unless he has a compelling business interest in doing so. Such an interest may lie in compliance with the Working Hours Act. In other words, if volunteering work next to your normal work would lead to exceeding the maximum number of allowable working hours, then the employer could have a good reason to prohibit (partly) the voluntary work. Incidentally, the Working Hours Act does not apply to workers earning more than three times the minimum wage. The employer may also have a compelling business interest if voluntary work would conflict with the paid work, for instance if the involved organisations are competitors.
Conclusion
Volunteering can be a great way for you to integrate into Dutch society and develop new skills. By being aware of the legal aspects, you can ensure that your volunteer work is both legal and safe. When in doubt, always consult a legal advisor for specific questions and guidance.
Amber Willemsen is a lawyer within the Employment law section at GMW lawyers. She represents both national and international employers and employees in various employment law matters. Amber is an excellent lawyer, involved and likes to think along with clients to achieve practical solutions.
Joint parental authority allows both parents to share the responsibilities and decision-making for their children after divorce, dissolution of a registered partnership or separation. It requires effective communication and collaboration, especially when it comes to significant decisions affecting the child’s well-being. This blog will explore the concept of joint parental authority.
What is joint parental authority?
Joint parental authority means that both parents have equal rights and responsibilities regarding their children. This means that they must consult and agree on important decisions that affect their children’s lives.
Is it possible to terminate joint parental authority?
It is not possible to terminate this on your own; that is up to a court. Moreover, a judge will rarely do this. The principle in the Netherlands is that there is joint parental authority, not sole parental authority.
Key areas requiring consent
In practice, it appears that the following decisions are usually the most important:
vacations: for a vacation of one parent with a child, the consent of the other parent is required. We sometimes see that the staying parent abuses their parental authority by not granting consent. If it is just a ‘normal’ vacation, a judge will generally grant consent. This is different if the vacation is to countries where there is a war or a high risk of a natural disaster;
school choices: choosing the right school is a significant decision that can affect a child’s academic and social development. Both parents should be involved in discussions about school options, including public versus private education, extracurricular activities, and special needs considerations. Collaborative decision-making in this area helps ensure that the child’s best interests are prioritized; and
medical decisions: health care is another critical area where parental consent is essential. Whether it’s routine check-ups, vaccinations, or more serious medical interventions, both parents should be informed and involved in medical decisions. This cooperation not only ensures that the child receives appropriate care but also helps to avoid potential conflicts.
What if the other parent does not grant consent?
In that case, it is possible to request substitute consent from a court. The judge will then weigh the decision in the best interest of the child. However, a proceedings at a court is usually not in the best interest of the child and the relationship with the other parent, so it is advisable to try to avoid proceedings.
Conclusion
Joint parental authority requires both parents to collaborate on significant decisions impacting their child’s life. By prioritizing communication and mutual consent, parents can create a supportive environment that fosters the child’s growth and happiness. Ultimately, the goal is to ensure that children feel secure and loved, regardless of their parents’ relationship status.
More information
Would you like to discuss these cases or do you have another legal question? Please do not hesitate to contact GMW Lawyers.
Dylan Bertsch specializes in family law and is a committed and passionate lawyer and mediator.
