Professor Wolters will Be Missed by Staff and Students as He Pursues Other Interests

After more than 10 years as a faculty member and valued colleague at Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences, Dr Teun Wolters will now assume a new role at the institution. Though he will lay down his duties as lecturer, Wolters (72) will stay connected to Wittenborg by serving as an external marker and will officially become Emeritus Professor of Applied Sciences.

“Who knows? Maybe I will also teach a few masterclasses,” Wolters said in an interview. During his time at Wittenborg, Wolters has taught hundreds of bachelor’s and master’s students who remember him fondly. Last week at a student and staff event, Wittenborg President Peter Birdsall used the occasion to highlight Wolters’ development work, his impact and achievements at Wittenborg.

Wolters continues to be a respected researcher, economist and consultant with vast experience in project management, field research as well as being an editor and author of books and articles. Among the subjects he has taught over the years at Wittenborg are Labour Relations and Strategic Management. One subject that he particularly enjoyed was Corporate Sustainability, and he is pleased that Wittenborg is gradually incorporating the theme of sustainability not just in its curriculum but beyond.

In fact, for the current academic year Wittenborg will have the theme of “Climate Change” connected to its curriculum, teaching, learning and university-wide activities.

Now that he is no longer a member of faculty, Wolters will spend more time on some very admirable causes he is involved in. One of those is HOST Apeldoorn, a pastoral care programme which supports international students as they grapple with challenges such as loneliness, self-image, lack of confidence and relationships. Aimed primarily at students from different cultural backgrounds, English will be the main language of communication. The programme has two wings: providing pastoral care for individual students and establishing a community of students who can support each other and build friendships.

Aside from HOST Apeldoorn, Wolters is involved in establishing a small foundation providing scholarships to African students and is also in talks with the municipality of Apeldoorn to set up a “Voedselbos” - essentially a Dutch term for forest gardening as a low-maintenance, sustainable, plant-based food production and agroforestry system based on woodland ecosystems. It incorporates fruit and nut trees, shrubs, herbs, vines and perennial vegetables.

With so many activities, what does he do to relax? According to Wolters, who has two children and five grandchildren, he enjoys spending time with his family as well as a spot of tennis.

WUP 21/10/2021
By James Wittenborg
©WUAS Press