Believing in exploring and learning

This phrase lies at the heart of the Christmas message that we as a university have sent out to the world this year. To my mind, it’s a message that strikes an important chord.

We believe in what we do. Passion and commitment are the key words to describe how we think and work. We believe in the development of our students and the significance this holds for the future of our society.

We are not prepared to settle for the security of existing knowledge. Our research is aimed at new challenges and undiscovered territory. Exploring how our society is developing and seeking to understand what moves and motivates people. This is an ongoing process.

Learning is the very lifeblood of the university. It is a vast and all-encompassing undertaking. Of course, we do all we can to encourage learning among our students. But this process extends much further: on a daily basis we seek to further our own learning and in doing so to continue to improve ourselves. To embody the concept of lifelong learning! In 2010 and beyond.

I wish all the readers of my weblog an inspiring Christmas and a very happy New Year.

Friends of Cobbenhagen; Sustainable relations

Last week I attended the Friends of Cobbenhagen meeting. This platform for the “hard core” of Tilburg University’s alumni has been in existence since 1993 and organizes meetings at least twice a year. The theme this time was: Twelve months on from the credit crisis. What are the consequences?
It was a very popular meeting, with interesting speakers. The background aspects and consequences of the financial crisis were highlighted in various ways.

Focus on the customer?
But I suspect that prof. M.J.H. Cobbenhagen, the founding father of our university, would have been very surprised, had he been in a position to follow the discussions. For example, the chairman of the Van Lanschot Bankiers Executive Board, Floris Deckers, made it clear that the banks are unable simply to switch their priority to that of the customers’ interests. Apparently, this would call for a radical change to the “frame of mind”. Remarkable!
It seems that self-interest has become the accepted norm.

Social responsibility
I think that Cobbenhagen would make an even stronger appeal to people than he did in his day, to refrain from acting solely in their own interests and making short-term profit their top priority. A sustainable future requires people to accept their social responsibility. ‘Corporate social responsibility’ would have been music to Cobbenhagen’s ears.

Valuable friends
I discovered again how valuable the Friends of Cobbenhagen are to our university. During the meeting and the dinner that followed, it was apparent how strongly involved they are in the concerns of Tilburg University. Indeed, they are Friends for Life.