- The University
- 04/07/2025
Services Real Estate and Facility Management Center merged
Campus & Facilities. That is the name of the new service unit formed by the merger of the Real Estate and Facility Management Center departments. The goal of the merger is to provide better service to users. “This makes it clearer where they can go for support,” says communications officer Annelien Besijn.
The merger had been in the pipeline for some time, but as of Tuesday, it’s official: Real Estate (RE) and Facility Management Center (FMC) have now become Campus & Facilities (C&F)
Improved Service
The merger is part of the SQUAD program (short for Support Quality Drive), a multi-year initiative aimed at evaluating all university services. Where necessary, changes — such as the merging of two departments — are implemented to improve the overall service.
According to communications officer Annelien Besijn, the integration of RE and FMC helps users better understand where to go with their questions. Previously, building-related issues — like a leak or a window that wouldn’t open — fell under the responsibility of RE. Issues related to movable objects within buildings — like a broken desk or a mounting strip for a painting — were handled by FMC.
Campus & Facilities brings together all expertise related to housing, facility services, campus development, and real estate management
This distinction was not always clear to users, often leading to people being redirected between the two departments. "Campus & Facilities brings together all expertise related to housing, facility services, campus development, and real estate management,” Besijn explains. “As a result, staff, students, and other users (like external campus partners) now have a single point of contact — whether it’s for a renovation, catering, cleaning, or the furnishing of classrooms or labs.”
Not a Reorganization
Besijn emphasizes that this is not a reorganization. “To be precise, it is a Type B organizational change. This means no jobs will be lost and there is a position for every employee within the new Campus & Facilities organization,” she explains.
The newly formed unit will be led by Dorine Peters, who has served as director of RE since 2019 and has also been the interim director of FMC for the past 2.5 years. “With her at the helm, continuity is ensured, and we can confidently continue building a strong, integrated team,” says Besijn.
Streamlining ways of working
Now that the merger into C&F is official, the next phase begins: streamlining the different ways of working. “We are aware that we are not ‘finished’ yet. The underlying processes — such as collaboration, coordination, and harmonization of procedures — require time and care,” Besijn explains.
According to her, this streamlining process is part of the implementation plan, which will be rolled out through 2027.
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