'From Budget Day, the ITC faculty knows that major cutbacks are awaiting them from 2026 onwards. This means that from next year, we will have to cut back as much as 14.5 percent, that’s three million euros per year. In 2025, we will investigate what this means for the faculty in concrete terms. Just like your household book, you look at what comes in financially and what goes out.'
'We have to take a critical look at our workforce'
'That is why we will be working on an outline with criteria and possible scenarios in the coming months, and taking a critical look at our workforce. A draft of this will be sent to the Executive Board in March. So it will be a tough year with unpleasant choices. Of course, we make those very carefully, because it's about people.'
'Despite the cutbacks, there are also ambitious plans. The new two-year Master's programme in Humanitarian Engineering will start in September. A unique programme founded by three UT faculties. We offer the study in collaboration with the UT faculties of Engineering Technology (ET) and Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences (BMS). In my opinion, faculties should work together more often, so you can make use of each other's skills and expertise. I am realistic and know that the cuts make that more difficult. Yet the content of education and finances must be seen separately.'
'In addition, we are investigating the possibility of setting up our own bachelor's programme, focusing on climate and sustainability. Possibly in collaboration with the Vrije Universiteit. This is also an option to offer the master's in climate and sustainability in the future. This is one of the themes we are discussing this year. I strongly believe in working in alliances through VU-UT, but also ECIU.'
'There will be no student intake at ATLAS from September. The excellence programme is ending. Unfortunately, this means that interfaculty education is disappearing, and the entrepreneurial competencies that go with it. It is up to us – and the challenge – to find out how we retain these entrepreneurial elements and use them in a different way. It is a shame and painful to lose those competences. That is why ATLAS is an important point of attention this year.'
'You don't want to regret the decisions we make now'
'In terms of cutbacks, it is known what ITC can expect. Three million a year must be cut in the coming years. It is very important to implement a careful and thorough process. You don't want to regret the decisions we make now.'
'Anyone who knows me knows that lifelong learning is of paramount importance to me. In that area, there is growth potential for the ITC faculty. I secretly look at the TechMed Centre with jealousy. There, they pay attention to lifelong learning in the right way. For example, a doctor has to keep learning throughout his life after completing his studies. Especially because the medical world is developing rapidly. At ITC, techniques are also changing at lightning speed. Enough reason to pay attention to this, because a bridge builder doesn't build a bridge like he learned thirty years ago, does he?'
'Our own lifelong learning platform 'Geoversity' - which offers online courses - has an important role to play. It offers people the opportunity to develop in a flexible way. Someone can then retrain in addition to their job. The best part is that they can study at a place or time when they want to. Those who live abroad can also participate in the Geoversity platform. This will make it more attractive to study at the UT. Ultimately, we want all regular training courses to be available online. In short, the UT can lead the way with lifelong learning.'
