- People
- 10/04/2026
National Beadle Day: 70 beadles visit the 70-year-old TU/e
Around seventy beadles from across the Netherlands are gathering at TU/e on Friday to celebrate the annual National Beadle Day. “The day is all about sharing experiences, networking, and of course getting a look at our campus,” says Femke Witteveen, co-organizer of the event.
A beadle is responsible for ensuring that everything runs smoothly on the day of a PhD defense. They are also often present at other important academic occasions—such as inaugural lectures, farewell lectures, or the opening of the academic year. They can be recognized by their unmistakable staff; only a beadle is allowed to carry it.
Every university in the Netherlands has its own beadles, and once a year they come together for National Beadle Day. This year, the event is being held at TU/e. “Because TU/e is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year, it was decided that it would be fitting to host the gathering here,” says Femke Witteveen, coordinator at the TU/e Office of Doctoral Presentations and Academic Ceremonies. It marks the third time that National Beadle Day is taking place in Eindhoven.
Getting acquainted and sharing knowledge
The day focuses on meeting one another and exchanging knowledge, starting with the latter. “All beadles were able to submit questions in advance about how others handle certain situations,” Witteveen explains.
For example, someone from Erasmus University Rotterdam wants to know which platforms are used to host online PhD defenses, while a representative from Radboud University Nijmegen is curious about who is typically responsible for the academic gowns. Witteveen herself submitted the question of whether other universities have a beadle present at master’s graduation ceremonies. “This way, we can learn from each other.”
The rest of the day has a more informal program, including a walk around interesting locations on campus. “Think of the soccer robots from Tech United and the concrete printer,” Witteveen says. Beyond that, the day is mainly about meeting people and exchanging experiences. “Some are looking for information, while others see it more as a day out.” There will be plenty of opportunities for this during the lunch, dinner, and walks in between.
“With a full program like this, there are no PhD defenses or ceremonies scheduled today,” Witteveen adds.
The TU/e beadles
TU/e has a total of seven beadles. Together, they oversee a large number of ceremonies, Witteveen explains. “Each year, about 375 to 400 PhD defenses, as well as 70 to 80 master’s graduation ceremonies, 8 to 10 EngD graduation ceremonies, and around 20 inaugural and farewell lectures.” Witteveen and a colleague are responsible for scheduling all of these events.
At TU/e, all beadles are retired volunteers. “Some are even over eighty.” They do receive a volunteer allowance for their work, which for most amounts to about one to two days per week. This is not the case everywhere, however. “At some universities, beadles are actually employed and work full-time.”
Most Eindhoven beadles did not come to TU/e by chance but already have a longstanding connection to the university. “Five out of the seven are former TU/e employees,” says Witteveen. “Many are also still active at TU/e as exam invigilators alongside their work as beadles.”
One of the TU/e beadles, Annelies Verschuren, previously told Cursor what the role of a beadle entails.
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