Changes of leadership and a new direction take centre stage at opening of academic year
A recently appointed president of the Executive Board, a new rector magnificus and a fresh strategy: the UvA is opening the academic year with a new direction for its leadership. The university needs to open up, according to Executive Board president Vinod Subramaniam. The university wants to become less inward-looking and instead seek out more collaboration.
“The shutters need to be opened. Wide open.” With those words, new Executive Board president Vinod Subramaniam emphasised the direction he wants the university to take under his leadership during his first opening of the academic year on Monday. More collaboration with other educational institutions, governments, civil society organisations and businesses. In the words of the university executive himself: “There is a great deal at the UvA that we can be proud of. But to continue to excel, we need to dare to step outside our own bubble.”
A little self-satisfied
During the development of the new UvA strategy, which is discussed at length during the opening of the academic year, the university was described as “arrogant” and “difficult to work with”. Subramaniam puts it somewhat more subtly (“rather inward-looking” and “a little self-satisfied”), but the message is clear: the university no longer wants to operate as “an island”, but instead actively seek out collaboration. Subramaniam says: “Together, we can achieve a great deal. And we can learn a great deal from one another.”
According to Subramaniam, collaboration also needs to improve internally. “A university where people really know how to find one another is not only a more pleasant place to work and study. Together, you see more, gain a better understanding of what is going on and get further than when everyone works individually. In short, it makes the university better, sharper, more creative and stronger in what it can contribute and represent.” He also sees a clear role for professional services staff (OBP). Their experience, expertise and ideas should, he says, “become a fully integrated part of our shared journey”.
Final appearance
That emphasis on connection also comes through in the farewell speech of outgoing rector magnificus Peter-Paul Verbeek, for whom the opening of the academic year marks his final appearance as a UvA executive before he hands over the rector’s chain of office to his successor, Professor Anniek de Ruijter. In his farewell speech, he places the rector’s chain of office – with 11 links, seven of which represent the different faculties – at the centre, as a symbol of that connection. “All the links bring the separate parts together to form a whole.”
According to Verbeek, that is precisely what was at stake during the “turbulent years” of his rectorship. The past few years have been marked by student protests, occupations and heated debates about the UvA’s collaboration with external parties, particularly Israeli universities. The polarisation both within and outside the university did not make his position as rector – and, temporarily, president of the Executive Board – any easier.
Foldable shield
Verbeek focuses in particular on one link in the chain: a swastika – originally a widespread symbol representing the four cardinal directions or good fortune – which is now primarily known as a Nazi symbol. Last year, the university decided to place a foldable shield over the swastika. Verbeek says: “Some people might say: how on earth could you possibly think it’s a good idea to leave that swastika there? And others might say: how dare you alter something from the UvA’s past? In that sense, this little flap also symbolises how I wanted to lead the UvA: I wanted to make room for all perspectives. I wanted to cherish the UvA’s identity, while also connecting it with perspectives from outside the university.”
After a long and loud round of applause for the outgoing rector, Verbeek hands the chain over to De Ruijter, who also says a few words: “As a student, I quickly got the feeling that I belonged at the UvA. I really came to love the university. That’s why it feels incredibly special to be rector, and I’m so happy to have the trust of the students, staff and Supervisory Board. We’re really going to make something of it.”
