Hundredth Radboud edubadge goes to Ruud: ‘Valuable addition to digital backpack’

18 March 2025 News item

Until recently, he didn’t even know about them. Ruud Goossens, strategic organisational advisor at the Municipality of Venlo, recently received an edubadge — a digital certificate — from Radboud University for successfully completing the Psychology of Organisational Change programme for professionals. This also turned out to be the 100th edubadge awarded by the university in Nijmegen. “A digital certificate like this has advantages.”

Ruud already had a paper certificate when he found out that he could also request an edubadge for his completed programme. “To be honest, I didn't know what that was at first”, he admits. “Then I started looking into it. I read that an edubadge is a digital certificate that you can use online to show what concrete knowledge and skills you gained during a programme that you’ve completed. It can even be linked to your LinkedIn profile.” An added value, Ruud realises. Especially in these current times. “A digital certificate like this has advantages. As the tight job market is making it increasingly difficult to fill specific vacancies and match them to a full job profile, there is a growing emphasis on accredited competences. And as more programmes and employers are adopting these digital (accredited) certifications, we can work in an increasingly skills-based manner. This can facilitate the matching of supply and demand in the job market. In that sense, having an edubadge like this is immensely useful: a valuable addition to my digital backpack.”

Up-to-date knowledge

Coincidence or not, the edubadge Ruud received turned out to be the 100th one awarded by Radboud University. His connection with this university goes back many years. From 2004 to 2008, he successively obtained a Bachelor's and a Master's degree in Business Studies here. Later, when he was already working at the Municipality of Venlo, he successfully completed the programme in Organising Local Government. “I find it important to keep developing myself”, Ruud explains. “Developments in society, technology and my field are moving fast, which makes it necessary to keep knowledge and skills up-to-date. And it also helps you stay relevant in the job market. After graduating, as an alumni, I actively kept an eye on the offerings of the Radboud Management Academy. The links it makes between scientific insights and practical applications particularly appeal to me.”

From feeling to foundation

It was also for this reason that Ruud asked his supervisor at the Municipality of Venlo last year whether he could attend the nine-day Psychology of Organisational Change programme at Radboud University. “In my work, I advise on organisational change processes. People often talk about the tangible things in this realm, such as processes and structure: things you can see, write down and record. But it is often precisely things that are not immediately visible that play a crucial role in the success or failure of change processes, such as human behaviour and resistance. With the work experience you gain over the years, you develop a feel for it; which you then act upon. However, I was looking for some more insight, models and perspectives to get some guidance on this. And that is exactly what this programme has given me: from feeling to foundation.”

This also benefits his employer. “I can now add even more value. For instance, I have learned how to combine insights from psychology and business administration. So, my toolbox has been further kitted out.”

Ruud looks back on the programme with a good feeling. “The depth through literature, the combination of theory and practise, the sparring with fellow course participants, the feedback received: it all gave me new knowledge and perspectives. In any case, it is nice to be away from your working environment for a while during a programme like this; you learn to look at it from a distance. That gives you new insights.” Partly because of his positive experiences, Ruud hopes to even further strengthen ties with his former university as an alumnus. “For us as the Municipality of Venlo, staying connected with Radboud University is valuable. After all, that is where our potential employees of the future study. It would be nice if we could work together from a careers perspective. That way, we would also maintain the link between learning and working.”

Read more about edubadges and about courses at Radboud University for professionals (alumni receive a discount).