Tijo Collot d’Escury is stepping down from his position as Chair of TU Delft’s Supervisory Board with immediate effect. In a statement, he writes that he wants to avoid ‘any appearance of a conflict of interest’ with his partnership with Roland Berger.
The Supervisory Board has halted the recruitment of a Vice-Rector/Vice Chair. This is part of a new plan for the phased filling of Executive Board seats. It is likely to last well into 2026 before the last permanent Executive Board member takes office. Why can this not be done more quickly?
After months of consultation, the way has been cleared for the new TU Delft social safety contact point. The Works Council and Student Council have agreed to the procedure, although the first had some points for attention.
Even before the Senate’s official approval, the Ministry of Education has decided to compensate dozens of victims of student financing agency DUO’s discriminatory fraud crackdown.
This spring, the Labour Inspectorate will start a new investigation into work pressure and undesirable behaviour at fourteen universities, including TU Delft. They must show improvement, otherwise there is a threat of enforcement and even fines.
All services and faculties of TU Delft have to cut back by 10 percent, but according to the Works Council, more is needed than this ‘cheese slicing method’. The council is asking the Executive Board for ‘vision’ and ‘courageous choices’, for example about Campus Rotterdam.
An initially peaceful demonstration at the Delft Career Days on Tuesday ended up as a blockade of the main entrance to the Aula. Ten people were arrested for breaching the peace and one is suspected of assault. The protesters were protesting against the presence of fossil fuel and weapons companies.
Michael van der Meer, Director of the TU Delft Science Centre, will step down shortly. ‘Different knowledge, skills and management’ are said to be needed for the public centre.
The TU Delft unions are watching the compulsory redundancies at the University of Twente with concern. Dozens of jobs are being cut in a single faculty to save EUR 6.2 million. TU Delft needs to save EUR 79 million. Will that cost hundreds of jobs? The unions feel there’s a lack of vision and want a new Executive Board to develop this first.
