There was no joint breakfast to formally kick off the new calendar year for the UT. Instead, one had to make do with coffee, tea, mini muffins and slices of cake. This had everything to do with the current financial state of affairs of the UT, which necessitates a certain restraint.
The Executive Board could not ignore this situation during their New Year's speech. President Vinod Subramaniam called 2024 'a dynamic year full of uncertainties', referring to the difficult process leading up to the Ministry of Education's budget. 'That's why we have to focus on what is within our sphere of influence.'
'Becoming a resilient university'
2025 will be the year in which the UT will have to reinvent itself, Subramaniam continued. 'We have to become a resilient university, with fewer students and fewer staff.' But he is confident that the UT will succeed, given the teamwork and entrepreneurial spirit. 'The flipside of this entrepreneurial spirit is that we have to choose the areas in which we have an impact – and we have to have the discipline to stay within budget', the president of the Executive Board warned.
Rector Tom Veldkamp and vice-president Machteld Roos shared a similar message. The latter insisted on the importance of leadership. Veldkamp emphasized again that the UT must take action this year.
Media awards
Then it was time for the traditional UT in the media awards, for those who drew attention to themselves with media appearances in the past year. Student team Solar Boat Twente was the winner in the student category. Femke Witmans won the 'Junior Talent' prize. The social media award went to policy officer Monique Verwers, because she fanatically used the UT's own 'social branding app' UT Share last year.
In the main category, the media awards went to three professors. Ernst Bohlmeijer (BMS faculty) came third, Bram Nauta (EEMCS) second. Most of the media attention last year went to public administration professor René Torenvlied, who completed his research on fireworks disasters .
After another honourable reference to the recent Disney princess research by several UT scientists, Executive Board President Subramaniam closed the meeting with the message that everyone has to roll up their sleeves this year. 'Don't talk, but act!'
