2017 Annual Report: addressing future societal challenges

Quality played an important role this past year. In this context, in 2017 the Institutional Quality Assurance Assessment was started. Additionally, the quality of education also received a stimulus with the formation of the Centre for Learning and Innovation (CLI). The CLI, located since this year in the Polak Building, is a hub that brings together all faculty-based innovations in education.

Internationalisation

Internationalisation continues to be an important theme for EUR. Currently, 26 percent of bachelor’s students are acquiring international experience studying abroad.

Moreover, the university has taken significant steps in the area of research. The three Erasmus Initiatives, multidisciplinary teams that have been grouped around major global challenges, have started with new staff and communities. Moreover, the Research Services programme, providing optimal support to top researchers, started last year. This past year, these EUR scholars made an impressive haul of important research grants, such as multiple ERC Grants, and VENI and VIDI grants.

Impact on society

Making an impact on society is becoming increasingly important. In this respect, Frank van Oort, Professor of Urban & Regional Economics at Erasmus School of Economics, was a member of an international research group studying the repercussions of the Brexit

De Volkskrant proclaimed Carin Uyl (Erasmus School of Health Policy Management, ESHPM) the authority in the area of the prices of expensive medicines. She provides important data used by the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport in negotiating the prices of these medicines.

Regionally, the university entered into a new collaboration agreement with the Municipality of Rotterdam in which both parties will tackle urban issues. Last year saw the signing of the City Deal Kennis Maken project, where we want to enable more students to work in practice on Rotterdam’s urban issues. “In 2017, EUR was also able to demonstrate that it is a pioneering world-class university that contributes towards finding solutions for today’s societal issues”, said Baele.

Other highlights from 2017 include: the Challenge Accepted campaign, the appointment of diversity officers at each faculty, and the launch of the new website. “Thanks to our students and employees we can look back on a successful year”, said Baele.

Strategy

A new institutional strategy is currently being developed. Baele: “Since entrepreneurship is deeply entrenched at Erasmus University, we will be continuing to address future societal issues in 2018 as a committed university, in collaboration with our partners.”