A celebration with families

On 17 March, Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences held its traditional annual #WittenborgFamilyDinner 2023 at the Bilderberg Hotel de Keizerskroon in Apeldoorn. The event was attended by distinguished guests, including academia, industry leaders and prominent figures from the business community.

The annual dinner is one of the highlights of the academic year at Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences, providing an opportunity for staff and faculty and other members of the Wittenborg family to come together to celebrate achievements and look ahead to the future. This time, everyone brought their families to the dinner, giving staff a chance to finally meet their colleagues' spouses, parents or other family members. 

The evening started with a welcome reception in the front room of the hotel, where guests interacted and enjoyed the beautiful surroundings. The reception was followed by a sumptuous dinner in the hotel's main living room, which had been transformed with elegant decorations and lighting for the occasion. Between the opening and the main part of the evening, attendees had the opportunity to pose for the camera as a souvenir of the evening. 

The dinner was accompanied by a series of speeches and presentations, with members of the Wittenborg family taking to the stage to share their thoughts and experiences. Wittenborg chairman Peter Birdsall gave an open and upbeat speech in which he mentioned the great achievements of WUAS in 2022. Later in the evening, former councillor and friend of the Wittenborg family Johan Kruithof received a cheque of €2,500 from Wittenborg on behalf of the local food bank. Kruithof received the award of Apeldoorner of the Year earlier this year for the food bank's aid to more than 300 families in financial need in Apeldoorn.

Welcoming, engaging, and inspiring

"It was great to see many esteemed guests, old friends and key members of the advisory panels in a relaxed environment with excellent food served with great service," says Head of Business school Rauf Abdul, who brought along his wife to the #WittenborgFamily Dinner. So did his colleague and head teacher Zijang Wang, who shared some words about the Wittenborg Family: "The Wittenborg Family is very welcoming, committed and inspiring. Wittenborg treats all its stakeholders as part of the family and involves them in the development of the university, which is very beneficial for both parties."

Not everyone brought their spouses to the #WittenborgFamily Dinner. Admissions manager Mykhailo Huba came with his Ukrainian mother. He enjoyed everything at the dinner, from the beginning to the end: "Food, photos, speeches. I enjoyed everything."

"The Wittenborg family itself is special. There is something unique from many perspectives in the Wittenborg Family," added Abdul. "We have cultivated a culture of care and respect based on our main pillars of diversity, ethics and internationalisation. Usually such themes are promoted in other organisations for branding purposes, but here at Wittenborg they are put into practice in the best possible way. This has created the great trust through which we interact with each other and bring joy in achieving challenging goals and objectives."

The annual #WittenborgFamily Dinner was an unforgettable event. It showcased the strength of the Wittenborg family and its commitment to excellence in education and research and provided an opportunity for all involved to celebrate their achievements and look to the future with confidence.