Social excellence in education

Last week, I was presented with a cheque for almost one million euros by the Minister of Education, Dr Ronald Plasterk. Tilburg University has been awarded this sum in the context of the Sirius programme, which is aimed at the promotion of excellence in higher education.




















I am very happy that we have received this recognition, not only because we will need the funds for our ‘Outreaching’ programme, but also because our university aims to rank among those institutions whose educational programmes offer students something extra.
At last week’s presentations in Amsterdam, it was shown that Tilburg University has an exceptional programme that is distinct from most others. We aim not only to expand the discipline, but also to seek connections with society. The students undertake a flexible programme of 30 ECTS with a prestigious internship, a stay abroad, a business course and master classes.

Within the programme, we cooperate with social partners: companies (such as Philips), social enterprises (such as CZ health insurance) and public organizations (such as the Court of Audit).
There is capacity for around 50 students. This concerns students who have completed a perfect first year of studies with an average grade of at least 7, and who are sufficiently motivated to develop their knowledge and skills in relation to social issues in the second and third years of the Bachelor’s programme.