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A New Year Message from the President of Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences

It’s that time of year again, when our New Year’s message gets published. It's normally based on the speech that I give at the annual new year’s staff and relations dinner, which again didn’t happen this year due to the pandemic. Student events have also been cancelled and it almost seems that 2022 has started where 2021 left off, with regard to the pandemic.

However, I’m more optimistic and can see an exciting year ahead, and I think that in this respect 2022 will bring us a much brighter and more relaxed year, with less focus on what trouble Covid19 is causing us and more emphasis on other important matters – including many of the issues covered by the Sustainable Development Goals, that Wittenborg has committed to encompassing in its curriculum, including those covering the environment, but also peace, justice and strong institutions (#SDG16). Wittenborg’s values of #Internationalisation, #Diversity and #Ethics will remain the centre of support for the school’s mission in 2022.

2022 – a continued quest for quality higher education and applied research

During the year we will continue improving the academic quality of our Bachelor BBA, Master MSc and our MBA programmes, engaging new and interesting faculty and colleagues in all departments, stimulating applied research activities of our faculty and students and especially important – student/staff research combinations. Employability of graduates will remain high on the agenda, and Wittenborg will continue to forge relations with companies and businesses in the region of Apeldoorn and Amsterdam, and throughout the Netherlands.

The Big October Event: EuoChrie 2022 Conference

In October 2022, Wittenborg will host the Hospitality & Tourism EuroChrie 2022 conference in Apeldoorn. The theme for EuroCHRIE 2022 is about shaping the future of education and industries in the hospitality & tourism, events management and culinary arts sectors.​

Saying goodbye to Aventus in 2022

… and in July we will say ‘goodbye’ to our Aventus location!

We have been located within Aventus College since 2010 (12 years) and the school has changed enormously since then, in student numbers, the number of programmes, research projects, faculty, professional staff – you name it. We have grown!

In 2015, WUAS bought and renovated the Spoorstraat building, which gave us more space since we have basically grown out of our Aventus location, especially with offices to support our faculty and researchers, and larger classrooms and additional working spaces for students.

For that reason, we are leaving the Aventus location this coming July 2022. WUAS has been fortunate to be able to purchase a building that is part of the current residential campus at the Ruyterstraat, in the centre of Apeldoorn: Looking forward to seeing you all later in the year at Brinklaan 268!

Save the Date: 11th November, 2022 – Wittenborg 35 Celebration Gala

In 2022, we can look forward to celebrating ‘Wittenborg 35’ with a student party and the (now) traditional Wittenborg Gala, to be held at the Apeldoorn municipal theatre, Orpheus, on the 11th November, 2022.

Wittenborg was established 35 years ago, on the 21st September, 1987, in the Hansiatic town of Deventer. We first celebrated Wittenborg 25 two years after having moved the 18 km to Apeldoorn in 2010, when a Gala event ‘Wittenborg 25 Years’ was held. This was followed 5 years later with an even bigger event, ‘Wittenborg 30’, which was held at the City Hall in Apeldoorn. See the video.

Looking forward to a healthy and prosperous 2022!

Finally, I can say that I know we are all sincerely hoping that 2022 will go down as a successful and prosperous year for all of us – however, what we have learnt from the past two years is that good health, good company and good friendships are essential for keeping us mentally and physically safe, and I wish all of those things on all of you!

Peter Birdsall

President

Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences

WUP 26/1/2022
by Peter Birdsall
©WUAS Press