From gold medals to pay raises: this happened in summer
During the summer break, the TU/e campus is so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Yet, the TU/e frequently made headlines. A record number of young researchers learned they would be receiving substantial research funding. University employees could also rejoice after the signing of the new collective labor agreement: both their paychecks and percentages got a boost.
Ten early-career researchers at TU/e each received a grant of €320,000, allowing them to conduct independent research for three years. This is a record for the university. These so-calledVeni grants are awarded to researchers who earned their PhDs only a few years ago and are working on projects with potential societal and scientific impact. The topics vary widely. For instance, Rolf van Lieshout is applying mathematics to make public transport more socially inclusive, while Giulio D’Acunto is working to design the electronics of the future using light and plasma.
Sporting achievements
Rower Adam Street (main photo on the right) won a gold medal at the 2025 World University Games in July. The Industrial Engineering & Innovation Sciences student shared the top spot in the men’s double sculls with Nicolaas Dirkzwager (Windesheim). In July, he traveled with Student Team NL to Germany for the student equivalent of the Olympics, also known as the Universiade. The Dutch team took home a total of eight medals. Fellow rower and TU/e student Noortje Wilms reached the finals in the Women’s Pair and finished sixth together with Sona Hospers. TU/e student Niels Thijssen made it to the quarterfinals in judo in the under-73 kg category.
This summer brought more athletic success. University Racing Eindhoven (URE), TU/e’s student racing team, secured second place overall at the very last edition of Formula Student Netherlands, held at the TT Circuit in Assen. That made URE the highest-ranking Dutch team in the competition. Forty-four international student teams competed in the electric vehicle (EV) category over the course of a week, facing technical inspections, static presentations, and track races. Formula Student is the world’s largest student engineering competition, with innovation, sustainability, and teamwork at its core.
Appealing a discrimination ruling
TU/e is appealing a court ruling in the case of a British scientist of Iranian descent whose appointment as a full professor was withdrawn at the last minute. With this appeal, the university aims to refute allegations of discrimination. A judge had earlier ruled that the university had failed to convincingly demonstrate that discrimination played no role in the appointment process. As a result, the court ordered TU/e to pay the researcher €100,000 in damages.
In a separate case, TU/e faced former operations director Mark de Graef of the Chemical Engineering and Chemistry department. After a period of illness, De Graef wished to return to work, but according to the university, there was never an intention for him to resume his position. The university cited performance concerns, and someone else had already been hired. The judge advised both parties to engage in discussions to find a suitable solution, as that option had not been sufficiently explored. They must inform the court by Thursday, August 14, whether they have reached an agreement or if a ruling will be required.
Interim head for ethics committee
Niek Lopes Cardozo has been appointed interim chair for the ethics committee on sensitive collaborations. The retired emeritus professor will spend the coming months developing an assessment framework and setting up the committee’s structure and operations. The committee will review ongoing collaboration projects and programs with Israeli universities and companies. In June, the Executive Board had already decided to suspend cooperation with the Israeli university Technion due to the war in Gaza, and to refrain from entering into new institutional partnerships with Israeli universities and companies.
New dean for Chemical Engineering & Chemistry
Mark Boneschanscher has been appointed dean of the Department of Chemical Engineering & Chemistry (CE&C). Last year, he served for six months as acting managing director of the department, alongside his role as managing director of the scientific institute EIRES, a position he held for six years. He succeeds Jos Keurentjes, who had been serving as interim dean over the past year. According to Boneschanscher, there is a major challenge ahead: “The chemical sector is shifting its focus toward sustainability and circularity.” In addition to his role as dean, he will work part-time as professor of Sustainable Chemistry Innovations. He will assume the position on September 1.
Criticism over minister’s visit
Caretaker defense minister Brekelmans (VVD) has been invited as guest speaker at TU/e’s Opening of the Academic Year on September 1. The theme will be Building Blocks for the Future. The activist group University Rebellion is critical of the minister’s visit. The University of Twente also recently faced strong criticism from within its own community after announcing that Dick Schoof would speak at its academic year opening. Several activists hold the caretaker prime minister co-responsible for what they call “the largest attack on Dutch higher education this century.”
Ban on new CSC scholarship holders
The TU/e Doctorate Board has decided to stop admitting new PhD candidates and postdoctoral researchers funded by the Chinese Scholarship Council (CSC). The board cites significant risks, including possible infringements on academic freedom by Chinese authorities and self-censorship among CSC candidates. The decision is based on research published by think tank Clingendael and the Dutch intelligence service AIVD. The measure does not affect CSC-funded researchers who were admitted to TU/e before July 7, 2025.
Pay raises for university employees
As of July 1, university employees have received a structural salary increase of 2 percent plus an additional €100 gross per month, as stated in the new collective labor agreement. On average, this amounts to a 4.2 percent pay raise. Employees will also receive a one-time payment of €350 in October. Furthermore, €45 million will be made available to set up training and development funds at each university, aimed at increasing employee mobility and employability during reorganizations and budget cuts. Additional agreements have been made to improve social safety. The new agreement runs until July 2026.
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