Susan te Pas appointed new dean of science faculty at the UvA
Susan te Pas, full professor at Utrecht University and dean of University College Utrecht (UCU), has been appointed the new dean of the Faculty of Science (FNWI) as of 1 July. Te Pas succeeds Peter van Tienderen, who is retiring.
Susan te Pas (IJsselstein, 1969) has a background in the ‘hard’ sciences: she studied experimental physics at Utrecht University (UU), where she also obtained her doctorate, in the field of Vision Sciences. After working in the field of science for some time, she switched to the social and behavioural sciences at the end of the nineties. In addition to being dean of UCU, she is currently professor of cognitive psychology of higher education at UU. She is also a member of the national Education Council.
Faculty connections
Te Pas has been the dean of the English-language UCU since 2021, where she was reappointed just six months ago. Henk Kummeling, the former rector magnificus of the UU, said at the time that there was “great appreciation for her open attitude towards students and the way she listens to them”. She stood out at UCU for strengthening the connection between the University College and the UU faculties. “That connection with the UU in the field of education and research is an important strength of our College in Utrecht,” she said at her reappointment. It is to be expected that she will do the same in her new position. Amsterdam University College (AUC) has its own programme director (dean), is substantively independent of the faculties, but organisationally falls under the Faculty of Science.
Technological profile
In a reaction to her appointment, Te Pas says she is looking forward to her new position: “I am very much looking forward to starting at this wonderful faculty. What I find particularly appealing about the Faculty of Science is the breadth of the faculty and the focus on a more technological profile. I would like to dedicate myself to giving the collaboration between disciplines and with the outside world the attention it needs to strengthen them. Of course, there is also a substantial financial challenge, which I would like to tackle together with the institutes and schools.”
Te Pas’ appointment coincides with faculty deficits of millions of euros, for which Te Pas must find a solution. On top of that, there are the government’s planned budget cuts, which could affect the entire budget of the UvA next year. President of the Executive Board Edith Hooge adds: “Susan is someone who can make clear choices, while always seeking connection and support.”
‘Radical’ dean
At the beginning of this month, a small group of students from the Faculty of Science caused a fuss by demanding more insight and democracy in the appointment of the new dean and organising a petition demanding ‘a radical dean’. That petition did not lead to the appointment procedure being changed and, for the time being, Te Pas does not appear to have a radical profile. The faculty works council and the faculty student council were represented on the appointment advisory committee.
Te Pas is married, has two sons and has been appointed for a period of four years.
