Rector Tilburg University

Appreciating education

noreply@blogger.com (Philip) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 23:45:00 +0000

The educational system is under pressure.
Teachers in secondary education recently went on strike to protest their heavy workload and the reduction of their leave time. There was a great deal of rhetorical saber-rattling. They said the current Minister of Education was not worthy of wearing the robes of her office. It is clear that more is going on here than meets the eye. The issue is about confidence in, and appreciation for the professionalism of the teacher.

The belts of diligence are being tightened in higher vocational education following the InHolland affair and other issues relating to the quality of education and the assurance of proper scrutiny. The Cabinet recently discussed a bill that would toughen oversight in higher vocational education with an eye to putting a stop to the practice of awarding dubious degrees.

The universities are under pressure, too. According to the recent outline agreement concluded with State Secretary of Education Halbe Zijlstra, performance agreements will be made with the with individual institutions on issues such as reducing drop-out rates, improving educational yields and raising the profile of research.

This pressure on education and the educational system may have positive results, but it may also backfire. The directors and teachers can work together with pupils and students to face up to the challenge and really improve education, even though the educational sector in the Netherlands already has a solid international reputation. Just as in any field, there is definitely progress to be made. For example, the link between education and research needs to be reinforced (also at the Bachelor’s level) and education needs to be made more rigorous and challenging. Personnel policies also need to reflect a sense of appreciation for education, and I am personally very much in favor of efforts in this area.
But there is also a risk factor. The contradictions could become more pronounced, and there will be more supervision and less space for the institutions and for the teachers. This will ultimately result in less confidence in, and appreciation for education, which is a situation that must be avoided at all costs.

How can we keep our students on their toes?

noreply@blogger.com (Philip) — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Our 2011 Teaching Meeting, which took place on 19 December, was more than worthwhile. The theme was teaching large classes and in particular the challenge of encouraging active learning in students. The event was well-attended (around 150 people participated) and during the 16 workshops, teaching staff from various faculties engaged in intensive discussions on the pros and cons of a wide range of working methods. In his keynote speech, Professor Martin Valcke of the University of Ghent demonstrated how vital it is to have a well-balanced program worked out in advance to determine the various types of classes and how and when to use them (see http://t.co/Vosyg1XL). In the workshops, teaching staff had the opportunity to get to grips with very practical examples of methods that activate student learning.
I rounded off the afternoon by drawing the participants’ attention to the possibility of submitting a proposal for a grassroots project (see http://www.tilburguniversity.edu/intranet/teaching/tm2011/grassroots//). This is a simple and readily accessible way of encouraging practical follow-up for valuable and innovative ideas on how to teach large classes.
In my view, this Teaching Meeting deserves its own follow-up. Love of teaching is very much alive at our university and what better way to promote it than by learning from each other’s experiences?

Rich through science

noreply@blogger.com (Philip) — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Tilburg’s Science Café is celebrating its fifth anniversary. It’s worth taking a moment to reflect on its role. The café provides a way for Tilburg to combine all that is engaging and inspiring about science with the levity and dynamism of a place for socializing (and a generous dose of Brabant jollity). I was asked to deliver an opening statement on the theme for the evening: the purpose of science. The intriguing question that hung above my head as I opened my mouth to speak was: ‘Away from science?’ (thank goodness for the question mark at the end). The tone was set.

For me, the essence of science and research is the quest, driven by curiosity, to uncover new and unknown phenomena and whenever possible to get to the very bottom of things. And as far as I am concerned, this attitude will continue to set the tone. I also appreciate the element of doubt in science, rather than that of certainty. Then, of course, science is also about ambition, competition and the search for acclaim. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. The renowned social psychologist Carsten de Dreu characterized the behavior of his former colleague Stapel as a lack of curiosity combined with an excess of ambition (to paraphrase). His actual words were: “Inquisitiveness serves as science’s safeguard against fraud and fads; it is not only what drives one’s own research forward, but it is also what keeps one asking critical questions of one’s colleagues – how did you come to that conclusion, can you show me? We need to be inquisitive. In fact, we need to become even more inquisitive.” He puts it very eloquently. Doubt and inquisitiveness, then, lie at the heart of science.

But what about its purpose? There seems to be a tendency in our society towards science that can yield a financial return. All the talk is of valorization, cutting edge sectors led by representatives of the business community and funded largely with money from science – ‘convert knowledge into cash’ is a mantra that one hears everywhere these days. This is not something that I am happy about. It is the scientific equivalent of a fast-food diet and does not do justice to the dynamism of science as a profession.

However, this does not mean that we can turn simply disregard what society wants and needs. Of course we must demonstrate the value of science, but not only in economic terms. The social, cultural and democratic aspects cannot be neglected. For me, valorization does not present a problem when approaching a new area of research. It is science and the scientist who define the parameters of research and nothing and nobody else can dictate which areas will or will not be researched. The challenge lies more in how we use the results of our research. It is certainly true that a great deal more can be achieved with our education and research activities than we might suppose. I am absolutely convinced that we can use the results of research even more effectively. And it is easy to think of examples that demonstrate what science contributes to our society. There is also the fact that the leaders and entrepreneurs of the future are currently studying at our universities. That, too, is a form of valorization.

That is why I have chosen to give this short opening statement the title of ‘Rich through science’. Let us be thankful for that richness.

Honest science

noreply@blogger.com (Philip) — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 17:00:00 +0000

There is of course a great deal of discussion – both on and off campus – over the fraudulent use of data. People are surprised, shocked and angry. And so they should be. I have the same feelings. However, this is not the time to explore the minutiae of this particular case. Besides, I have already said quite openly everything that needs to be said on this matter.

What I would like to talk about here is what I have heard and read about the background to this case, and the pressure to perform in science. Are we perhaps demanding too much from our scientists? Certainly, there is pressure to perform in the Academy. There are all kinds of research rankings. Teaching is evaluated. We are ranked in terms of our media coverage. We want our people to secure grants from national and international organizations. All of this is certainly true.

But we must not confuse the means with the end. The Academy does not come down to indicators and rankings. On the contrary, the essence of the Academy is sound knowledge, insight, practical wisdom and the ability to inspire people in the name of shared ideals.
Most of all, it is about honest science. For after all, it is science that will outlive all of us.

Adding value in the Academy

noreply@blogger.com (Philip) — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 17:30:00 +0000

I recently had the honor of presenting the first Valorization Prize (see www.tilburguniversity.edu/nl/samenwerken/advies-en-dienstverlening/valorisatie/valorisatieprijs). At the time, I remarked on the Academy’s role in value creation. Or to put this another way – how can we differentiate ourselves from other universities? I mentioned four particular points.

Firstly, research must be innovative and must – as often as possible – result in the publication of work that adds to the existing body of human knowledge and insight. Nothing too controversial about that – after all, research is at the foundation of all universities. However, I have the distinct impression that not all work that is published can be said to distinguish itself from the rest. We could set the bar a little higher in this regard.

We can also differentiate ourselves when it comes to our academic teaching. In this area, a link could (and should) be made with research in the Academy. That will be quite a challenge, particularly for Bachelor’s degree students. But innovations in teaching are, I think, necessary to challenge students, for example by using case studies or by having them write papers and reports. We need to spend more time thinking about how we can innovate in our teaching methods.

Then we turn to valorization. This is essentially a question of relevance to society – using our knowledge to raise additional funding by developing partnerships with various sectors. However, valorization is not solely to do with economic gain. It also involves notions of social and cultural value and evidence-based methods of working. As far as I am concerned, valorization does not involve imposing limitations on the ‘front-end’ of our research, but it does require us to look more closely at the value of the results of our research. In the field of human and social sciences, this means thinking not only in terms of economic activity and entrepreneurship, but also in terms of developing new concepts, criteria and profiles, policy advice, input for new legislation and teaching and training programs.

These three areas constitute the primary activities of a university community. But these activities are not possible without an excellent supporting infrastructure. This, too, marks out a good university from just an average or mediocre one. We need to focus on ‘operational excellence’ in order to support our primary activities. Good team work between teachers and researchers on the one side and ‘support staff’ on the other will always be invaluable.

Learning from the Finns

noreply@blogger.com (Philip) — Tue, 03 May 2011 22:41:00 +0000

The Netherlands really needs to regain its position among the world's top-five knowledge economies. We are currently just managing to hold onto a top-ten position. We're now ranked eighth, but in 2000 we were ranked third. We are lagging behind our competitors in terms of innovation. And our competitors are not just the usual giants like the US and Canada, but also smaller countries such as the Scandinavian countries, Switzerland and Singapore.

What are these countries doing differently, and especially better, than the Netherlands? They are investing more in research & development. Both the public and private share of research funding is lagging behind in the Netherlands. The level of our innovative and knowledge-intensive entrepreneurship also leaves something to be desired. The Netherlands has traditionally been an entrepreneurial country, but in this age of globalization it is more important than ever that small and medium-sized companies innovate and amass new knowledge even quicker. We must forge a more solid link between companies, governmental organizations, and knowledge institutes ('Triple Helix'), giving us the opportunity to turn knowledge into real value (valorization).

A good example is Finland, especially the thriving region around Helsinki. This region is a center of advanced knowledge and a hub of human capital (also see http://www.scienceguide.nl/201103/nederland). One explanation for this Finnish success story is the interest that universities in that country take in their PhD students and the scope they give them to venture outside the walls of academia. This means that the job market for PhDs is very good, even outside the university. Researchers find employment in business and consultancy just as easily as other experts. They are a link between universities, trade & industry, and the public sector. This is exactly the combination that a knowledge economy needs.

It's time to go the extra mile

noreply@blogger.com (Philip) — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 21:00:00 +0000

These are restless times in the Academy. We are coming face to face with the reality of the proposed cutbacks in higher education and scientific research. At the same time, competition between universities, both at home and abroad, is on the rise. Universities must promote themselves and they need to show how they can make a real difference.

In this prevailing climate, it is only logical that university administrators are also being asked to show their true colors. Students and staff members regularly ask me where I stand on the issues.

Of course I have quite a bit to say, but what is the core of my message? In a nutshell: everyone will have to go the extra mile!

Students, too, will have to work harder in their first year to secure a positive recommendation on continuing their studies. They will need to invest more time in their academic endeavors. Lecturers will need to demonstrate to students that diligent study habits really do produce results. Our teaching programs will become more demanding and interactive, requiring didactic innovation and commitment. This will also demand extra effort from everyone at Tilburg University. Our focus needs to be on redoubling our commitment to teaching and rewarding didactic excellence.

We will simply have to work more effectively and with a clear sense of purpose. The university’s central support services and the faculty offices will need to work smarter and more efficiently so that we can save money and strengthen our primary mission.

We will have to get to work now if we want to retain our ranking. This requires commitment and energy, and we need to expend this extra effort now to stay in the lead.

Tell us what you think!

noreply@blogger.com (Philip) — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 01:30:00 +0000

At Tilburg University we value the opinions of our students about education and campus facilities. These opinions can be expressed in many different ways.

One obvious example is the student evaluations of our courses. Students in our various schools can also vote for the best lecturer and there are other distinctions for those who make a special contribution to our teaching. Twice a year, we receive the results of the International Student Barometer, which provides an accurate impression of what our international students think about the education and facilities we provide.

There are also more informal signals from students – both Dutch and international – which reach me in my capacity as Rector Magnificus. I’m happy to report that many of these are positive, but signals regarding matters which need attention or improvement are also welcome. These are things that we can turn to our advantage. After all, our ambition is to become better and better!

The National Student Survey (NSE) is also very important to us in this regard. This is a comprehensive national survey, conducted each year under the auspices of studychoice.nl, in which all of the country’s 650,000 or so students are invited to state their opinions about the educational programs at our universities and universities of applied sciences.

The NSE also forms the basis for publications such as the annual Elsevier survey and the guides for potential Bachelor’s and Master’s students. I need hardly tell you how important such publications are to the good name and reputation of our university.

The annual NSE survey is due to get under way once again from 1 February 2011. All students will receive an e-mail inviting them to take part. I trust that as many of our students as possible will respond!

A day of protest and righteous indignation

noreply@blogger.com (Philip) — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 20:00:00 +0000

Friday 21 January 2011 promises to be a memorable day in the history of higher education and scientific research in the Netherlands. On that day, two demonstrations will take place in The Hague in protest at the government’s proposals to impose unprecedentedly drastic cutbacks in education and research. The students will raise their voices on the Malieveld and the professors will demonstrate their opposition with a procession in their academic gowns through The Hague city centre and by holding a special assembly at the Anton Philips Hall.

They have good reason to take action and a good deal to fight for. The proposed measures targeting students who take longer to complete their studies will result in a cut of no less than €370 million in government education funding. Research will be hit even harder as the resources from the FES fund (for investment in the Netherlands knowledge economy) are reduced from €500 million to zero.
Such far-reaching measures are unheard of in our society and will result in the loss of thousands of jobs at our universities. And those teachers and researchers are needed now more than ever if we are to realize our ambitions; ambitions which the present government also claims to hold dear in its coalition agreement.
After all, the gauntlet has been thrown down to intensify our education to ensure that pass rates improve while standards hold steady.
And what of the Netherlands’ lofty ambition to become one of the world’s top five knowledge economies? Such goals cannot be achieved without a concerted effort! Top-level education and research are the best investment in order to achieve them.

It would appear that the present government wants something for nothing when it comes to higher education and research. And that is quite simply an impossibility. I hope and expect that the students and professors, militant and dignified, each in their own way, will show that much hangs in the balance where the future of the Netherlands is concerned.

Room for debate? Shortism, or real discussion?

noreply@blogger.com (Philip) — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 19:30:00 +0000

The argument over the proposed measures to tackle students who take too long to complete their studies is a fascinating one, and I am curious to see where it will take us. Will we be given the chance to debate and try to persuade one another? That seems doubtful. After all, the various protagonists are often starting out from different places. Debate is not valued equally by all those taking part.
In fact, the discussion seems to be less about what is a reasonable length of time in which to complete your studies or what students can reasonably expect from the institution where they study, and more about finding ways to save money in higher education.
That approach is not only counterproductive, but is also a missed opportunity to reflect – partly from a Europe-wide perspective – on the benefits of investing in education and the reasons why some students take longer than others. Surely there is a great deal to be learned, as well as profit to be made.
This may well be a text-book example of what Al Gore recently referred to, in Tilburg’s own auditorium, as shortism.

One of the basic assumptions of the academic world is that there is always room for debate. In the end, it is the strength of the arguments that wins out, and not the position or importance of the individual who makes them. But this requires the free exchange of thoughts and a willingness to truly listen to one another. Jürgen Habermas, one of the founding fathers of sociology, once spoke of the importance of the value of ‘herrschaftsfreien Kommunikation’ – communication free from the bonds of dominion.

Enduring friendships

noreply@blogger.com (Philip) — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 01:20:00 +0000

Recently we have been strengthening our bonds of friendship with former students, and that is a source of tremendous joy for me.

Under the motto ‘Back to Campus’, our Board Connection campaign has brought at least 350 former board members of student associations back to Tilburg. The Board Connection 2010 event took place on 13 November (http://boardconnection2010.uvt.nl/). There was a very varied program, which finished with a cantus – during which our feelings of togetherness and solidarity reached a high point.

I also attended the Vrienden van Coppenhagen’s autumn meeting about the importance of nurturing talent in the Netherlands (http://www.tilburguniversity.edu/nl/alumni/vvc/).
This “circle of friends” has existed since 1992 and is a platform for committed graduates who are prepared to use their current positions to give something back to their alma mater.

Enduring friendships like these are particularly valuable, and indeed essential if we are to maintain our place among Europe’s top-ranking universities.

As a student of Tilburg University, you can also contribute by supporting student initiatives or donating to the grant program for international students. “Be a friend” is the program’s motto (see http://www.uvt.nl/universiteitsfonds/student-donateur).

It is very good to know that there is so much support for our university as it seeks to realize its ambitions for the future.

The European Research Space

noreply@blogger.com (Philip) — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 19:00:00 +0000

In my experience, the allocation of resources for scientific research is currently subject to two major trends. The first involves the shift away from ‘first-stream’ funding (money which comes directly from the government) and towards ‘second-stream’ and ‘third-stream’ funding (which is provided by research institutes, or comes from partnerships with the private sector, for example). In simple terms, the stable, dependable flow of money provided by government for research purposes is being reduced; instead, universities are having to compete with one another to gain funding for their research proposals and attract sponsorship or research contracts from the private sector.

The second trend involves Europe. The European research space is becoming increasingly important, relative to the national scene. The competition for indirect or third-party funding is increasingly being settled at the European level. The European Framework programmes involve big money. The new 8th Framework Programme, now being prepared, is expected to involve even larger amounts of funding than the 7th, which is currently in place. Likewise, the European Research Council (the European equivalent of the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research) is also able to allocate ever more funding through its competitive process.

For our researchers, Europe has become increasingly important. Even though we can safely assume that people are already aware of this fact, it can do no harm to make our researchers more familiar with the procedures for European subsidies and programmes. That is being done in several ways. Firstly, information is being channelled in a targeted way using advanced search programmes and through workshops and training courses. The Career Centre will soon (on 18 November) be holding a meeting about ‘How to maximize your chances in competitions for European funding’.

We can already be proud of several success stories. But let’s make sure that we really get the maximum out of the European research space.

The best specialist university!

noreply@blogger.com (Philip) — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 23:50:00 +0000

“Professors bestow laurels on Tilburg counterparts with five winning programmes”

This sentence was used as the header of the Economics and Law section in the recently published Elsevier Guide to the Best Programmes of 2010.
If you want a qualification in Accountancy, Econometrics and Operations Research, Economics, Tax Law or Law, then Tilburg is the place for you, according to the professors in these fields. Or, to put it another way, if they had a son or daughter who wished to study Economics or Law, then they would advise them to go to Tilburg University.
When it comes to Business Administration, we are second only to Rotterdam. The students, too, have nothing but praise for their programmes at Tilburg University.

Tilburg University also scored well in other domains of the humanities and social sciences (Sociology, Communication and Information Sciences), which meant that we emerged as the best specialist university. This applies to our Bachelor’s and Master’s programmes, as well as to the quality of our teaching and of our scientific publications. As many as 45 percent of professors and associate professors ranked Tilburg University above the rest. Erasmus University Rotterdam and Maastricht University scored 17 and 11 percent respectively.

This fine assessment is, of course, a just and fitting reward for the work of our teaching and research staff who, day after day, do their utmost to excel and to get the very best out of their students.
Many congratulations!

Study abroad – seize your chance!

noreply@blogger.com (Philip) — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 09:59:00 +0000

Our university is becoming ever more international. The proportion of international students is rising steadily, as well as the number of academic staff from other countries. This offers our Dutch students a wonderful opportunity to benefit from what has become known as ‘internationalization at home’. It gives them the chance to come into contact with students and staff from a variety of other countries – within Europe and beyond – while studying and during their free time. This is evident from the countless enthusiastic stories of Dutch students who made the decision to spend time abroad.

But this is only one side of the story. It’s also important for our Dutch students to gain experience abroad during their studies. The labour market is becoming ever more globalized. As a knowledge economy, the Netherlands can only survive by excelling at the international level. And to do that, we need students who have knowledge of other countries’ markets and who understand that time spent abroad is also enriching for them on a personal level. Tilburg University encourages and enables its students to gain experience of working, studying and living abroad. This is organized partly through the Study Abroad Campaign (see http://www.tilburguniversity.nl/students/study/abroad/campaign/). This campaign will get underway on Monday 4 October 2010. On Thursday 7 October, there will be an information fair (‘Global Village’) for students who are interested in studying or working abroad.

I would like to call on all our students to be there, because it is important to find out about all the ins and outs of studying abroad – and the sooner you do this, the better!

Welkom, welcome, willkommen, bienvenue, bienvenido….

noreply@blogger.com (Philip) — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 21:45:00 +0000

Last week, it was my pleasure to declare the Welcome Week programme open (for a brief report, go to http://www.brabant10.nl/). This programme gives our international students the opportunity to get to know the university, the faculties, the student associations and the city of Tilburg.

This year’s opening took place at Tilburg’s own pop music temple: 013. Our own auditorium is no longer able to accommodate a proper welcome for the impressive number of students that come to Tilburg University from all over the world to take a Bachelor's or Master's programme, or to take part in a student exchange. The event filled the main hall at 013. We look forward to welcoming around 800 students from almost 80 different countries. It’s a prime example of diversity in action ...

Next year we will take the significant step of organizing an integrated introduction week for Dutch students and international students alike. There’s still plenty of work to be done. After all, such an undertaking will involve a very large group of students and it will be a complex task to integrate the existing programmes of the TIK Week (Tilburg Freshers’ Week) and the Welcome Week. But we are convinced that it will be a success.

And it will be well worth the effort. We want nothing better than for our students to form a community, regardless of their origins, colour or nationality. And there’s nothing like getting off to a good start.

Strengthening the knowledge economy: A matter of choosing or of sharing?

noreply@blogger.com (Philip) — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 18:30:00 +0000

A joint manifesto for strengthening the knowledge economy was published this week by VNO-NCW, the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research, the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, TNO, MKB Nederland and the Association of Universities in the Netherlands (see http://www.vsnu.nl/).
The manifesto makes the case for a greater volume of research and a sharper focus on certain areas that are of scientific, economic and social relevance. The signatories believe that a more systematic and far-sighted approach must be taken to science policy. In order to be able to compete internationally, we must pool our collective strengths as universities as well as the sources of finance available to us. Research and innovation will have to occur in tandem.

What does this mean for Dutch universities?
First and foremost, universities will need to choose their research priorities. Specialization in ‘Centres of Excellence’ can then take place. These will have to be capable of competing internationally in order to secure funding, including European funding. Making choices is therefore going to be necessary!
But sharing is also on the agenda. These centres will not have everything they need in house and will therefore also need to share and cooperate with partners inside and outside the academic world. They will therefore play a vital connecting role in research and innovation.

My conclusion is that strengthening our knowledge economy will require us to choose as well as to share.

Summertime

noreply@blogger.com (Philip) — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 12:30:00 +0000

Summertime has arrived at the academy. But that doesn’t mean everything grinds to a halt now that lectures and exams are over. For many researchers, this is now the chance to concentrate on their research. For teaching staff, there are still educational activities to be taken care of on campus, including the Tilburg University Summer School, which I had the pleasure of opening on Friday 13 July.

The summer school's programme runs until mid-August and offers courses in International entrepreneurship, languages, philosophy, statistics and research methods, and theology. This successful programme currently attracts over 150 students from around the world, who come to Tilburg to enhance their knowledge and gain new experiences. In addition to a varied programme of study, we offer these students an exciting social and cultural programme (see: www.tilburguniversity.nl/summerschool).

My holidays are also fast approaching and for the next three weeks I’ll be maintaining radio silence as I relax in the hills of Provence. I would, therefore, like to take this opportunity to wish the readers of my blog a pleasant and relaxing summer.

Tilburg University student as future leader: involved and resilient

noreply@blogger.com (Philip) — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 22:00:00 +0000

I was recently interviewed by the editors of the university’s weekly publication, Univers, concerning our ambition to train and deliver ‘the leaders of the future’.
Naturally, I was interrogated on the distinctions of the Tilburg University student. What makes our students good material for future leadership?

These future leaders will probably be clever, curious and critical, creative and keen to achieve their goals. But is that so special? Surely this applies to the majority of students? Indeed.

What extra something, then, does this Tilburg University student have to bring to the required new leadership?

In my opinion, this is the resilience and capacity to adapt quickly to changing circumstances and the awareness of a social responsibility.
These qualities are not alien to our university’s tradition.
Our founder, Professor Cobbenhagen, firmly associated economic science with social issues and responsibility.
Our relatively small scale allows us to be resilient and flexible; we are able to adapt quickly to whatever our environment demands of us.
And that is what is needed in these times to make the difference.

Working on innovation

noreply@blogger.com (Philip) — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 23:31:00 +0000

Last week I delivered some opening remarks at the Tilburg Conference on Innovation, a three-day event focussing on innovation for international researchers. The event is being organized by our own Center for Innovation Research, www.tilburguniversity.nl/cir/.
There is currently a great deal of emphasis on the link between research and innovation. This applies not only to the technological aspects of innovation, but also to aspects of an economic, societal, legal and organizational nature.
Product, process or service innovation are still too seldom the ultimate result of our expertise and the results of our research. It is apparently quite difficult to go from research to development to implementation.

A number of our researchers are working in the area of innovation. We are also faced with the challenge of sharing expertise and forming productive alliances wherever possible. This extends both to the link with researchers’ work, such as working in multidisciplinary teams or research centres, and to the link with society. These links are essential for nurturing innovation based on expertise and research. These topics are fleshed out more fully in the most recent edition of our research magazine Tilburg Research under the theme of ‘Making innovation work’. The magazine primarily illustrates the challenges we are facing.

Deep roots and the highest heights

noreply@blogger.com (Philip) — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 22:30:00 +0000

I have just returned from a press conference where the new strategic agenda for the region of Central Brabant was presented. From now on, the region will promote itself and its economic programme under the title Heart of Brabant: region of Social Innovation.

The core elements of the region’s new strategy can be identified as enhancing an excellent residential climate, giving shape to a leading institute of social innovation, encouraging governmental renewal and designing a platform for knowledge development and exchange.

These choices correspond closely with the strengths of our university. Our knowledge domains, such as economics, sociology, psychology, law and culture, occupy a central place in this strategic agenda. Well-deserved attention is being devoted to what I have referred to in previous instalments of my weblog as "the human side of innovation". This is strongly evidenced by the highlighting of innovations in the conduct and activities of people and organizations, and by the focus on improving decision-making processes within and between public sector and private sector organizations. Such an approach enables the region to draw on its own strengths in complementing the Brainport initiative, with its emphasis on the technological dimension of innovation. Technological innovations can only come to fruition when the social fabric provides sufficient incentives and challenges.

Our university faces the challenge of giving shape and substance to the aforementioned leading institute of social innovation, working jointly with other higher education institutes, the corporate world and social partners.

Central Brabant’s strategic agenda enjoys wide-ranging support in the region. The directors of no less than 70 organizations (municipalities, knowledge institutes, companies, healthcare institutes) have already pledged their support. Many of them form part of the Regional Development Board set up to manage the programme. The Board's executive operates under the capable chairmanship of Tilburg’s interim Mayor Ivo Opstelten. When I was approached to take on the role of vice chairman, my response was a positive one.

In accepting this position, I am motivated by the conviction that a modern university can only reach the highest heights if its roots run deep. Don’t be fooled into thinking that international allure and strong regional ties are at odds with one another: they operate on the same continuum.

Valorization is not a one-man show!

noreply@blogger.com (Philip) — Fri, 21 May 2010 21:00:00 +0000

Last week, the conference on valorization took place. The venue was the Audax Textile Museum in Tilburg. In many ways, this museum can be regarded as a model for the development of the town of Tilburg. The building used to be home to a number of different textile companies. Nowadays there is a textile lab and a textile academy where workshops and master classes are organized.

The primary focus of the conference was the discussion on how to position our university when it comes to putting our expert knowledge to good use. Where do we stand? What are we already doing? And what could we be doing to improve our performance?

Two speakers from outside of the university did a good job of shaking up our ideas and encouraging us to take a long hard look at ourselves. Professor Annemieke Roobeek from Nyenrode, author of the book Netwerkend Valoriseren, Waarde toevoegen aan kennis [Network Valorization, Adding value to your knowledge] advocated systematic and durable connections between universities, companies and other social organisations. She argued that there are countless opportunities for adding economic and social value to our knowledge, but that they are insufficiently recognized and utilized.

Our other external speaker Renée Bergkamp, Director-General of Enterprise and Innovation at the Ministry of Economic Affairs, primarily examined the connections between research and innovation. She outlined the contours of the new incentive scheme being put into action by the Ministry, a development which also offers a wealth of opportunities for the humanities and the social sciences. She called on Tilburg University to produce a quality application in the field of Social Innovation.

Professor Rik Pieters (Professor of Marketing at Tiber) delivered a provocative column. He argued that valorization is primarily the result of academic education. Fundamental, groundbreaking research is and remains the essence of the academic world. After all, he reflected, it is often impossible to predict which line of research will ultimately prove to be socially relevant.

It was then time for the presentation of best practices by Tranzo (scientific center for transformations in health and welfare), the Center for Knowledge Transfer and TICC (Tilburg Center for Cognition and Communication), with room for discussion.

The conference certainly lived up to my expectations. It will help us to further determine our position and make conscious choices in this field. I do not believe in uniformity but in diversity. There will be research groups whose first priority is fundamental research and top-level publication, regardless of the direct benefits in social terms. I see absolutely nothing wrong with that. Such ambitions should indeed lie at the heart of academic endeavour.

But where we see opportunities to add value to our knowledge, we cannot afford to leave them unexplored. This is not simply about economic value but also value to society. This calls for an investment and a well-considered approach. Sustainable connections will have to be forged with social partners. Tranzo, for example, is already doing this by offering academic workshops, endowed professorships and dual doctorates.

Valorization is the ideal platform for interaction and for joining forces to make knowledge work.

In the land of Máxima and Messi

noreply@blogger.com (Philip) — Fri, 07 May 2010 20:50:00 +0000

The text of this weblog comes to you from my hotel room in Buenos Aires, for I am currently in Argentina. We are on a visit this week to Argentina and Colombia with a delegation from Tilburg University and other educational and research institutes. Our aim is to strengthen cooperation with leading universities in these countries.

The Dutch ambassador in Argentina was kind enough to receive us personally and to share with us his views on teaching and on the Academy in Argentina. Students and researchers from South America can be enriched by gaining experience in the Netherlands. Our international, English-language programmes provide the opportunity to prepare for a globalizing job market.
I can well imagine that Buenos Aires would be extremely appealing to our students in turn. It is an impressive city!

Yesterday we visited the Pontificia Universidad Catolica Argentina (UCA). Naturally, the conversation turned to Máxima Zorreguieta – she studied Economics at this fine university.
We have just returned from a visit to Universidad Torcuata Di Tella, a small private university with the focus on economics, business science, law, management and international relations. This is the most internationally oriented university in Argentina, with contacts all over the world. Concrete agreements have been made concerning the strengthening of cooperation in the area of economics and business and expansion into the domain of law.
My fellow rector of “Di Tella” spoke about the special bonds between Argentina and the Netherlands, among others through Máxima and our mutual passion for football. I could not, of course, hide my admiration for the Argentinian football virtuoso, Lionel Messi.

Tomorrow we travel on to Bogota in Colombia.

Students as organizers

noreply@blogger.com (Philip) — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 00:20:00 +0000

Being the Rector Magnificus, I often come into contact with students who organize events. Sometimes I am just a member of a Recommendations Committee. At other times I am asked to provide some opening or closing remarks at an event.

Recently, for example, I was the guest speaker at the Tilburg Legal Recruitment Days 2010 (please see http://www.jbtilburg.nl/). This three-day event provides students with an opportunity to get into contact with companies and other potential employers.

Last week I had the privilege of opening the 2010 edition of the Economic Business Weeks Tilburg. The ten-day (!) event provides extensive scope for forging connections with businesses, institutions and agencies. There were more than 50 participating companies this year (please see http://www.ebtilburg.nl/EBT2010/).

As a member of the Recommendations Committee, I am involved in the preparations for the National Congress on Public Administration 2010. This is a major, two-day congress that is being held in Tilburg for the first time. The theme of the congress is ‘The state of privacy’. A number of interesting speakers will discuss the many different perspectives on this topic. This congress will take place on 10 and 11 May in Theaters Tilburg (please see http://2010.lcb.nl/).

Being associated with all these events has really helped me appreciate the lengths our students go to when organizing events and congresses, many of which are of a rather large scale. And I can honestly say that I feel they are doing a great job. They leave practically nothing to chance and are generally able to put together impressive programmes. It’s a win-win situation: the students gain valuable experience, and these events are a great calling card for the university.

A sustainable education programme

noreply@blogger.com (Philip) — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 22:30:00 +0000

In their meeting on 26 March, members of the University Council endorsed the memorandum on Intensifying education.

Broad base of support
All members of the Council backed the proposals for intensifying the education programme. This means that the norm for the binding recommendation regarding the continuation of studies (BSA) will be increased to 42 ECTS with effect from 1 September 2011. The decision on whether to further increase this norm to 48 ECTS as of 1 September 2013 will be taken once an evaluation has been made of the effects of the proposed measures.
The new measures will not only be making new demands of the students, however. This has to be a joint effort, which means we will also be reassessing the content and organization of the study programmes.

Bolstering education
Large investments are to be made in this area as well. Faculties will be expected to devise a programme containing proposals for strengthening its educational content, with particular emphasis on the first year of the Bachelor’s degree. The Executive Board has earmarked €2 million for the programme over a period of six years. The faculties are expected to match this amount in their proposals.

Teaching Evaluation Support System
In order to be able to make a clear assessment of the quality of education, the existing student evaluations will be expanded to include a peer review system. In doing so, we hope to integrate the ideas of intercollegiate assessment, a common practice in research studies, into the education programmes. Investments will also be made in teacher training.

Strong together
The community of Tilburg University has proved yet again that we are stronger when working together. The students have not let themselves be guided by traditional sentiments and have resisted the temptation to derail the process. This is a testament to their courage and wisdom. After all, the provision of excellent and demanding education is in the interests of both students and teachers.

A question of endurance
The plans to intensify the university’s education portfolio will demand a great deal from us over the coming years. These are not quick-fix measures.
But I can assure you that it will be well worth the effort. A top-notch university such as ours deserves top-notch education.

Tilburg University encourages its top athletes

noreply@blogger.com (Philip) — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 23:00:00 +0000

Our strategic plan for 2010-2013 rightfully emphasizes the importance of sports. Sports and studying make easy bedfellows. Mens sana in corpore sano – a healthy body equals a healthy mind.

Tilburg University is investing in high-quality sports facilities. We have a new outdoor hockey field, six new tennis courts and a court for beach volleyball. The new facilities will be officially opened on Tuesday 6 April.

We want to be a university that gives students the opportunity to combine elite sports with a top-notch education. Top athletes are very welcome at Tilburg University; we provide them with specific support, for example when it comes to educational guidance and lodgings.

We also invest in ‘student sports’ that our students are engaged in at a high level, rowing and hockey.

I would be very pleased to see Tilburg University students participating in nationwide competitions. There is a fantastic opportunity coming up on Saturday 24 April: the Batavian Race. This is a relay race from Nijmegen to Enschede for student teams and it is a real classic. Twenty-five runners are needed to cover the 185 km distance. I am aware that the Pendragon Sports Council is trying to put together a relay team from a cross-section of Tilburg students. I would like to put the call out to running enthusiasts at Tilburg University to sign up for the race.