It may sound a little strange, but at the moment I am taking it all in my stride. This is partly due to the incredibly busy academic period, which leaves little time for reflection. But on the other hand, I notice a lack of connection with the university. And above all, a kind of lack of direction at the university that I want to connect with. What does Radboud University actually stand for? What are our core values, both internally and externally? What is our signature? It is often stated, for example by the Executive Board, that Radboud University has a clear, unique identity. In the past, there was indeed a clear Catholic signature, and Nijmegen, as a traditional left-wing stronghold, also has a certain signature. But what are the core values of Radboud University today? How do we navigate these turbulent times as a university? What is our compass in this regard?
It may not sound surprising coming from a business administrator, but I think it's time to start viewing universities more like businesses. That may sound scary, but it's not. The bottom line is that businesses can survive in a challenging environment when they create value for their customers. When businesses create value, it attracts potential customers (read: students). In addition, you have to look carefully at how you can continue to create that value, otherwise you will be overtaken by the competition. Due to declining student numbers, competition between universities will increase; we are all fishing from a shrinking pool of students. We need a clear message to that pool of potential students: why should they come to Nijmegen and not to another university? In marketing terms, what is our unique selling point in the field of education? What value do we create for them, and how is that unique compared to other universities? Students mainly look at the programmes and education, plus, of course, things that are less within our control, such as student life and housing. Given the increasing competition, this also requires courage and a clear vision of the value we want to create as Radboud University, and the values on which that is based. This is not an issue for the marketing department alone, it is something we all have a role to play in. It is up to administrators at all levels to formulate that vision and to implement it jointly. In this way, we can deliver on the promises we make to students about value creation.
To continue creating that value for our students, you need good, motivated staff. Another nice management term: the employee value proposition. What makes Radboud University an employer you want to work for and stay with, and for which you are willing to go the extra mile? In other words, what value do we create for our employees? This is a clear task for the board of our university, which must set a clear vision for this value and these values. But we also have a joint task here. By tackling things together, helping each other and creating value for each other and for our students, especially now. I sometimes think back wistfully to 20 years ago, when I worked in Tilburg and, at the time of the transition to the Bachelor's-Master's structure, we kept four programmes running with only a small team. It was a wonderful time with close ties between staff members and with students, despite the particularly difficult circumstances. But it was also a time with very clear goals of value creation based on a clear vision. So it is time for clear core values and a bold game plan for our business (sorry, I couldn't resist).