Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences
Looking back and looking forward - Peter Birdsall, President of the Executive Board of Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences
Today is the last day of January 2021, and although this year has started during a stranger period than any of us have experienced until now, the year brings a sense of hope and excitement as we start to move into new pastures. This year’s annual New Year’s dinners, parties and speeches have not been given in the same way as usual; however, it remains important that we take a brief moment to look back at the achievements of last year and especially forward to the next eleven twelfths of this year.
The President of Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences, Peter Birdsall, says he is optimistic that the institution can attain at least 60% of its usual September intake of new students despite COVID-19. Birdsall made the remarks in an interview with Dutch daily, De Stentor, along with Wittenborg CEO Maggie Feng. Flight restrictions still hamper free travel in many countries and a lot remains uncertain.
From 2nd June Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences will cautiously reopen all its locations in the Netherlands for appointment-only meetings and for students who wish to use its library or internet facilities. This follows a gradual ease in COVID-19 restrictions announced by the Dutch government Wednesday evening. Students and staff are strongly cautioned to adhere to those regulations that will remain in place such keeping a distance of 1.5m and newly issued ones like wearing a mask when using public transport.
Congratulations to Wittenborg students for completing the first full week of online delivery of their bachelor's or master's degrees. Congratulations to Wittenborg teachers for doing something they weren’t prepared for, and making it happen. Congratulations to Wittenborg staff teams who have been working around the clock this past week.
Wittenborg CEO, Maggie Feng, was the guest on BNR Radio Talk Show "Groeihelden" this week where she talked about how the organisation maintains growth in a highly competitive education sector.
Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences will ask the Dutch Ministry of Education to exempt private institutions from proposed changes to the Higher Education Act, which will require them to maintain a strict policy justifying their choice to teach in English rather than Dutch.
During Wittenborg University of Applied Science's annual New Year Reception, Wittenborg's chair of the executive board, Peter Birdsall, gave an oversight of the past year's successes and what the focus will be in 2019.
A new slogan was unveiled for Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences this week at the first general staff meeting of the new academic year, along with details of the institution's short- and mid-term goals.
Dutch universities are expecting record numbers of international students when the new academic year starts in September, the Dutch financial daily Het Financieel Dagblad (FD) reported this week. The paper even talks of an “explosion” of first year students from abroad. Technical studies and International Business Administration (IBA) programmes in particular are proving popular.
Wittenborg aims to improve teaching quality by reducing class sizes after the summer holiday in September as student intakes grow.
