VISION 2020
INNOVATE EXPERIMENT PIONEER
VISION 2020: INNOVATE EXPERIMENT PIONEER
UNIVERSITY OF TWENTE: A FUTURE DEFINED BY AMBITION, INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP
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THE UNIVERSITY OF TWENTE IS ACCELERATING. AS A UNIVERSITY, WE ARE EMBRACING A BOLD NEW SET OF AMBITIONS AND RAISING THE BAR EVEN HIGHER. THE UNIVERSITY OF TWENTE IS THE LEADING ENTREPRENEURIAL UNIVERSITY. WE CONSTANTLY ANTICIPATE FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS AND RESPOND RAPIDLY AND EFFECTIVELY TO THE CHANGING WORLD AROUND US. OUR STAFF ARE EXPERTS IN THEIR FIELD AND SET THE AGENDA FOR PUBLIC DEBATE. OUR ONGOING INTERACTION WITH INDUSTRY, RESEARCH INSTITUTES AND GOVERNMENT GENERATES GROUND-BREAKING RESEARCH AND WORLD-CLASS INNOVATIONS. WE PRODUCE OUTSTANDING GRADUATES WHO EXCEL BY COMBINING EXPERTISE FROM A RANGE OF FIELDS AS THEY DESIGN SOLUTIONS THAT MEET THE DEMANDS OF THE FUTURE, IN THE NETHERLANDS AND THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.
VISION 2020: INNOVATE EXPERIMENT PIONEER
ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE, UNIQUE COMBINATIONS
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Academic excellence matters now more than ever, but excellence in itself is not enough. As a dynamic university of technology that features the social and behavioural sciences alongside its focus on science and engineering, the University of Twente both wants and needs to develop a more distinctive profile based on a balanced portfolio of education, research and commercial knowledge transfer. We are focusing more intensively on targeted and innovative combinations in research and education. We intend to become leaders in high-impact innovation and to offer unique degree programmes. Our campus continues to develop as an inspiring setting where scientists, students and the university’s partners meet and interact. A community for professional and personal development. We are expanding our long-standing commitment to entrepreneurship with the ambition to develop an enterprising mindset in staff and students throughout the university, giving them the motivation and the opportunity to innovate, experiment, pioneer and push boundaries. We are more dedicated than ever to communicating this message to ensure that we receive full recognition as Europe’s most entrepreneurial university. The world is our workplace. We develop knowledge in close collaboration with international partners, operating in and for an international context, with a strong focus on the Grand Challenges. We educate our students to be the global citizens of the future. We attract a significant degree of international funding. This combination of academic excellence, an enterprising spirit and an international orientation will make our impact on society greater than ever by 2020. We remain firmly committed to our partnership with the region of Twente and aim to play an even more important role in economic and societal innovation in our region. To gain a strong global reputation as a top-ranked university in the future requires an institution-wide culture shift. We are an international meeting place for pioneers, entrepreneurs and people determined to realize their full potential through collaboration with others. A flexible organization with a greater scope for personal responsibility and innovation. As a university we want to be distinctive. We can achieve this through the community and experiences we offer on our campus. By excelling in niche markets and by making design an integrating concept across our disciplines. We will grow to be recognized as an authority in all of our fields of endeavour. University of Twente: Academic excellence, unique combinations
VISION 2020: INNOVATE EXPERIMENT PIONEER
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UNIVERSITY OF TWENTE: THE STATE OF PLAY IN 2020
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In 2020 we will be known throughout the world as a scientific and social innovator with an outstanding technological profile, renowned for our inspiring, international learning environment. On the campus there is plenty of scope for innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship, producing a strong brand that attracts students, academics and support staff. Our approach generates significant exposure, both national and international. We are and will remain the leading entrepreneurial university in Europe. We deliver excellent scientific research and education in the key technologies (ICT, Nanotechnology, Biomedical Engineering, Geo-Information Science) and in Engineering, in the context of societal development (Management and Behavioural Sciences). Our high standards are valued and recognized worldwide. We focus our expertise on strategic areas, creating synergy through smart combinations and collaboration between various disciplines: High Tech, Human Touch. Public and private organizations choose us as their preferred partner for comprehensive research agendas that unite technology and the social sciences. We develop knowledge in collaboration with industry and government, and produce relevant innovations that contribute to the advancement of society. We use advanced techniques to educate the professionals of the future: well-rounded individuals with an international outlook and a thorough knowledge of their chosen discipline – the global citizens of tomorrow. We provide research and education that make a powerful impact, achieving maximum added value for society and the economy. In 2020, the University of Twente will be regarded by every student and researcher as an excellent, entrepreneurial university. Our unique approach to encouraging creativity, problem-solving and a keen eye for business will be a source of pride to alumni and staff. Every student and employee will contribute in their own special way to the university’s distinctive profile.
EDUCATION RESEARCH ENTREPRENEURSHIP
VISION 2020: INNOVATE EXPERIMENT PIONEER
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EDUCATION The University of Twente educates the professionals of tomorrow. Graduates with an outstanding education, sought after by industry and government. The university’s alumni are well-rounded individuals with a thorough knowledge of their discipline. They are uniquely capable of taking a smart and relevant approach to applying their expertise. This approach is informed by their keen awareness of the interdependence between technology, the individual and society. That is why, in addition to subject knowledge, the University of Twente’s degree programmes seek to develop a wide range of personal skills in the three areas of entrepreneurship, research and design. These are enriched by essential practical experience gained through internships and projects. We provide continuous learning pathways (Bachelor’s, Master’s, postgraduate) in each of these areas and give students ample opportunity to create their own development and learning experiences. We have therefore embraced the combination of e-learning and face-to-face education.
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The university graduate of the future is flexible and often works in an international context and with a wide range of disciplines. That’s why we offer broad and flexible degree programmes. We make the most of the potential that our campus represents, making intensive use of its resources to put theory into practice, both on campus and in the region. We also provide challenging opportunities for outstanding students by further expanding our range of honours programmes, most notably ATLAS University College. We offer innovative teaching methods and state-of-the-art learning facilities and facilitate the dedicated training of academic professionals in various stages of their career. Personal interaction and personal development are at the heart of our activities in this area. We actively encourage the development of education in national and international networks, and promote international participation in our programmes. The University of Twente is a leading player in national and international consortia, making extensive use of the opportunities provided by ongoing digitization (e.g. blended learning). These networks accommodate intensive student and staff mobility on a global scale through exchange programmes within a particular discipline or track, and jointly designed programmes. Our students not only experience studying and working abroad, but are also thoroughly enriched by the multicultural classroom and the international community on our campus. We provide a very high standard of education and do so efficiently and effectively thanks to far-reaching digitization, close collaboration with industry and a substantial influx of students from the Netherlands and abroad who bring alternative sources of funding (e.g. grants, corporate contract education). We aim to achieve the best possible match between our students and the degree programmes we offer. This results in excellent success rates, professional academic and career guidance, and outstanding employment opportunities. Our students make the best possible use of the university’s network of corporate contacts, and this gives rise to career prospects, scholarships (corporate and otherwise) and the chance to set up their own businesses.
VISION 2020: INNOVATE EXPERIMENT PIONEER
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RESEARCH Research at the University of Twente centres on technology and the role of technology in society. To remain leading and to guarantee the outstanding quality of its educational programmes, the university will continue to set clear research priorities, particularly with regard to innovation and relevance to society. The University of Twente is open for business. We launch innovative projects in cooperation with industry and government in the Netherlands and throughout the world. In doing so, we are not afraid to push boundaries, making the most of the expertise and infrastructure present in these joint ventures. Where possible, we seek to obtain external funding, both national and international. Through Business Development Teams we optimize not only our approach to collaborative projects but also the results they yield. The successes we achieve through our iconic university-wide projects demonstrate our relevance to society and represent the fullest expression of our unique profile. Through these projects in promising areas such as health, safety and Smart Cities, we will reinforce our national and international reputation, attracting significantly greater resources to fund our research and our educational activities. To further expand the financial foundation for our research, we are also broadening our proactive strategy with regard to national and international sources of funding. We will achieve this both by focusing on the quality of the research proposals, and by carefully monitoring and anticipating national and international trends in funding. The University of Twente is highly skilled in combining disciplines that are in demand, for example as part of the Horizon 2020 European Research Agenda. Publicizing our strengths on an ongoing basis is a vital part of this process. Making our research programmes more flexible and attracting ambitious research talent are important conditions for remaining innovative and focused on society’s needs. We will offer opportunities to invest in promising new areas by attracting new funding and reallocating existing resources. We will recruit outstanding talent not only by providing integrated Master’s-PhD tracks with advance funding where necessary but also through intensive scouting and recruitment within our international networks.
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KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP We are and will remain Europe’s leading entrepreneurial university. We are therefore ideally placed to respond successfully to the increasing focus on building bridges between science and the demands of society. This position also enables us to navigate the ongoing thematic and financial constraints on resources for education and research. Our strategy is geared towards expanding entrepreneurship to instil an entrepreneurial attitude in all staff at every level of the organization. It’s time for us to tell the world how remarkably entrepreneurial we are. Our unique position will be further enhanced by increasing the number of spin-off companies (especially in collaboration with Kennispark Twente) and by developing programmes aimed at educating the professionals of the future (with a specific focus on knowledge and entrepreneurial skills). We will pursue research that centres on technology and the role of technology in society, and adopt an extensive focus on innovative projects in collaboration with industry and government. But it is even more important to develop an inspiring culture of innovation, spirit and creativity throughout the organization. By building on this foundation, we will confirm our status as a leading international university that fuels the innovative power of the region and acts as a vital driving force for the regional economy.
VISION 2020: INNOVATE EXPERIMENT PIONEER
OUR CORE VALUES • SOCIETAL IMPACT: MAKING A REAL DIFFERENCE • SYNERGY: EXCELLENT COMBINATIONS • ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND INNOVATION: THE BEST IN EUROPE • INTERNATIONALIZATION: TOMORROW’S GLOBAL CITIZENS THE WAY IN WHICH WE EMBODY AND COMBINE THESE CORE VALUES MAKES US UNIQUE.
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UNIVERSITY OF TWENTE: FROM CORE VALUES TO MANAGEMENT STRATEGY SOCIETAL IMPACT: MAKING A REAL DIFFERENCE • We will enhance the University of Twente’s public image as a leading university of technology, making clear that we are not solely focused on technology push but that our scientific questions and answers are inspired by the needs of society. Our strength lies in delivering an effective response through integrated research projects. • As an opinion leader in public debate we proactively address social developments and design solutions. • We share knowledge and collaborate with alumni, industry and government. • We lead and actively engage in strategic partnerships with companies and institutions, both national and international. • In assessing our strategic options, we regard social and economic impact as essential criteria.
SYNERGY: EXCELLENT COMBINATIONS • We invest in research priorities as a foundation for knowledge-based cooperation and innovation. • Using targeted investments and incentives as management tools, we achieve internal collaboration and cohesion in line with comprehensive research agendas (such as Horizon 2020). • We have introduced design as an integrating concept across all our academic disciplines. • We enter into external collaborations aimed at intensive interaction between education, research and commercial knowledge transfer. • We respect individual excellence and contributions, assessing activities in terms of their specific contributions to enhancing the university’s profile. • In recruitment, we seek students and staff who have a wide range of interests, a readiness to collaborate and a desire to achieve personal development.
ENTREPRENEURSHIP: THE BEST IN EUROPE • We create an environment where people feel free to take risks and push boundaries. • We reward successful creative and original innovation in research, education and commercial knowledge transfer. • We develop specific activities that contribute to a culture of encounter, knowledge sharing, creativity and personal development, such as the Young Academy@UT, Create the UT of Tomorrow and the DesignLab. • Our strategic management is aimed at socially relevant and economically attractive collaborative themes, as demonstrated by our iconic university-wide projects. • By developing new business models for the University of Twente, we aim to generate greater revenue from patents and intellectual property, investments and spin-offs.
VISION 2020: INNOVATE EXPERIMENT PIONEER
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INTERNATIONALIZATION: EDUCATING TOMORROW’S GLOBAL CITIZENS • We invest in programmes that specifically prepare students for an international career, providing opportunities to gain international experience within each educational programme and research project. • We participate in national and international corporate and research networks which enhance the university’s profile, and we capitalize on existing networks. • We develop an attractive international university community characterized by far-reaching diversity and mobility. • We aim to increase our intake of new international students, particularly in the graduate phase. We work consistently to ensure that our activities in these areas and the results we achieve are given a high profile in both the media and in the political arena. The above management strategy will result in a cultural shift towards a more international, collaborative and entrepreneurial university, where experimentation, pioneering and risktaking are actively encouraged; a university that deploys its combined strengths for the good of society.
MORE INFORMATION W: www.utwente.nl/vision2020/en/ E: vision2020@utwente.nl
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University of Twente Drienerlolaan 5 7522 NB Enschede P.O. box 217 7500 AE Enschede The Netherlands T +31 (0)53 489 9111 F +31 (0)53 489 2000 info@utwente.nl www.utwente.nl/en