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Improving Student Experience will be Priority in New Academic Year

The management of Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences unveiled a new slogan on Tuesday at the first general staff meeting of the 2018-19 academic year, along with details of its short- and mid-term plans for the institution. The new slogan reads: Better yourself, better our world, signaling a unified message to students and staff.

The meeting was led by Wittenborg’s chair of the executive board, Peter Birdsall, who said improving student experience remains high on the agenda with measures such as maintaining small class sizes, upping academic support for students and creating true value for their money. “Everything we do has to relate back to the three pillars in our mission statement: Internationalisation, Diversity, Ethics,” Birdsall told staff.

Currently, Wittenborg hosts around 800 registered students, rapidly nearing the 1,000 mark at its three locations: Apeldoorn, Amsterdam and Vienna. In the new year they will be supported by a significant increase in staff capacity.

The meeting was led by Wittenborg’s chair of the executive board, Peter Birdsall, who said improving student experience remains high on the agenda with measures such as maintaining small class sizes, upping academic support for students and creating true value for their money. “Everything we do has to relate back to the three pillars in our mission statement: Internationalisation, Diversity, Ethics,” Birdsall to

In the coming years, Wittenborg will also be spending considerable time on gaining new accreditation from bodies such as the Association of MBAs (AMBA) and the American Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), while making sure it re-accredits programmes with other agencies such as FIBAA and NVAO.

First up will be getting its MBA programme re-accredited with FIBAA as well as taking the first steps towards AMBA accreditation.

To this end Wittenborg has brought on board a new Vice-President: Academic Affairs, Prof Dr Ron Tuninga, who has considerable experience in accreditation and has worked extensively for top universities in the UK, US, Denmark and the Netherlands over the past three decades. Birdsall took time to introduce Tuninga, as well as Wittenborg’s recently appointed Head of Research, Dr Nicolet Theunissen, to staff.

Besides seeking recognition as a (ranked) International Business School by way of AMBA and AACSB accreditation, Wittenborg’s other long-term goal is to attain the status of a research university in the Netherlands. “This is something I discussed with the current and previous ministry of education and still believe we can attain. To get there, however, we need to create a thriving research community, independence from the political system, and our research needs to be impact-led.”

During the meeting, staff were given the opportunity to bring in their own suggestions as regards current goals and challenges in their departments.

WUP 31/8/2018

by Anesca Smith
©WUAS Press