Foreword Executive Board
It was a special year in which we celebrated our 95th anniversary. We were allowed to meet each other again and so we experienced a lot of great moments together, such as the Night University, the symposium for 50 years of psychology, the Hello Summer party, the Opening of the Academic Year, the ENGAGE conference on our campus, the Dies Natalis, and the Christmas Connection. These moments of encounter—which we had missed so much—provided new energy and connection. Education resumed briskly and quickly created full lecture halls. A lot of hard work was also carried out in research and business operations in 2022. But it was also the year in which war broke out close by on our European continent. The students from Ukraine who were studying or on an exchange at our university impressed us because, together with many employees, they launched a large relief effort. It was also a tough year in which the effects of the pandemic still played a major role, in which we worked hard to implement the Strategy, and in which external developments also demanded a lot of attention, with the associated challenges and workload as a result.
At a digital New Year's Eve meeting on January 10, 2022, we presented our university's new strategy, Weaving Minds and Characters: Strategy Toward 2027. This Strategy provides direction for the steps we want to take towards 2027—our 100th anniversary. A Strategy that pays close attention to current developments and focuses on values. Values that are intertwined with each other and the university. Values that guide our behavior and choices: Curious, Caring, Connected, and Courageous. Since 1927, the university has grown into a thriving, strong, medium-sized university. In the coming period, Tilburg University wants above all to grow in significance.
To achieve the ambitious goals in our Strategy, we have set up a careful approach to implementation. The Strategy is supported by and connected to the individual School Strategies. Thus, university-wide, we are working to achieve our strategic goals. Eight major ambitions from our Strategy have been developed and launched by means of individual concrete action plans. We have started integrating digital sciences into our education and research in order to understand and advance society. In 2022, the foundation was built for the new university-wide academic collaborative centers where relevant networks and ecosystems are created. The lessons learned during the pandemic and the importance we place on encounter led to the choice of blended education, where face-to-face and digital education reinforce each other. In addition, we are reinforcing our sustainable campus to further promote encounter and dialogue. In 2022, for example, our new campus vision was established, the library was renovated, and the official first pile was driven into the ground for Tilburg University's new Marga Klompé Education Building. Unfortunately, the required expansion of student housing is still proceeding with difficulty. As the Executive Board (EB) together with our Deans, we are proud of how energetically we worked on the implementation of the Strategy in 2022, but we also realize that in doing so we are asking a lot of our colleagues and ourselves. We believe this is necessary to truly be a university that is a lifelong partner for knowledge and inspiration. We look forward to the next steps we will jointly take in 2023.
In 2022, we also energetically pursued the funding allocated from the Administrative Agreement on Higher Education. Policy has been established for the allocation of Starter Grants, and in 2022, a large number of Starter Grants were conditionally awarded to university lecturers. Tilburg University also participates in the Social Sciences and Humanities Sector Plan (SSH). Based on the developed plans of the Schools, from the summer of 2022, the hiring of new staff members has started in order to achieve our goals. We are pleased that the allocation of the additional funds will structurally improve part of our backlog in funding. However, we have serious concerns about the bureaucracy, accountability burden, and monitoring pressure associated with the funds. This is at odds with our autonomy and governing based on trust.
In 2022, students and staff demonstrated that we are a diverse and close-knit academic community that feels engaged with society. For example, we appointed a university professor and city professor who both work on the theme of Widespread Prosperity for All. Our annual monitor shows that employees are proud of the work they do, and they feel part of their Department or Division. However, social safety, work pressure, and work stress are topics that continue to require a lot of attention.
Security in business operations also required a major effort. In 2022, we intensified our program aimed at reinforcing our cybersecurity, in addition to further raising awareness of the need to act safely when handling research data or personal data. Our university distinguishes itself in making connections, in inspiring and innovating, in treating each other with respect and care, and in critical and independent thinking. Especially in these sometimes-uncertain times, our values—Connected, Curious, Caring, and Courageous—are of great importance. We are delighted that everyone propagates these values in their work for our university. Please continue to do so because this is how our university can flourish and contribute to a good education for our students, meaningful and groundbreaking research, and a livable and inclusive society.
Wim van de Donk
Rector Magnificus and President
Jantine Schuit
Vice-Rector Magnificus
Paulina Snijders
Vice-President
