Opening Academic Year

Yesterday, the annual opening of the academic year took place in the Auditorium. The very official event is always well-attended by the Big Names of the university and the local political and cultural environment. And as always, the university’s leaders had a novelty to share, that everybody already knew of.

Former Minister of Justice Ernst Hirsch Ballin was the keynote speaker of the day. He advocated administrative transparency and a good legal system, as a basis for good cooperation in the region and in the world. His speech was printed as well, also in English. You can read it here.

The obligatory news flash came from college president Koen Becking. He announced that Tilburg University (TiU) is opening a dependance in Den Bosch, in cooperation with the University of Technology Eindhoven (TUe). The local paper (Brabants Dagblad) had already reported that news, though, and this did not benefit the suspense. In the old monastery in Den Bosch, TiU and TUe will educate data scientists, because the business market demands more of those people.

The opening was also used to say goodbye to Ruud Lubbers, the president of the Supervisory Board. Except for some loving words about our university and the time he has had here, he emphasized the need for more financial cuts. As an example, he named the Nexus Institute, and stated that he hoped that the 20th anniversary of the institute did not also mean its goodbye.

Over to the after party. Rumors went around, along with the drinks. Mijntje Luckerath has apparently finished her Female Board Index 2014, the index that shows how women are represented in important university positions. Meanwhile, the attendants of the reception networked along. Despite the good catering, at 18.00, everybody went home for their boiled potatoes.

_Advertentie.