The Supervisory Board of Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) has appointed Professor Ed Brinksma to be the next President of the university’s Executive Board. Brinksma will succeed Hans Smits, who will continue as interim President until mid-July. Professor Brinksma has been appointed for a four-year period, commencing 1 September 2020.
We, the members of the Supervisory Board, are convinced that with the appointment of Ed Brinksma, we are providing our university with a highly experienced and motivated President of the Executive Board. Ed Brinksma has an impressive track record in academia. With his experience and background, he is perfectly equipped to lead our university in the coming years and see that we realise our ambitions as detailed in our Strategy 2024 including our intended regional convergence with partner universities.” - Prof. Jaap Winter, the Chair of the Supervisory Board.
Creating a substantial societal impact
Ed Brinksma has been President of Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH) since February 2018. As Chair of the Presidium he has primarily worked on the development and implementation of TUHH’s growth strategy and its strategic cooperation with other universities and research institutes in the Hamburg metropolitan area. In the period 2009-2016, Brinksma served as Rector Magnificus at the University of Twente (UT) where he is still a Professor of Computer Science (Formal Methods of Embedded Systems). While at UT, Brinksma was a strong proponent for seeking and establishing cooperation and connection between technical and social sciences and the humanities as a requirement for solving societal issues (High Tech, Human Touch). He was instrumental in establishing the ATLAS University College.
"To this end, I consider it my duty to involve and mobilise all of EUR’s schools, departments and disciplines"
Ed Brinksma
“I am extremely honoured to be the next President of Erasmus University Rotterdam. I find EUR’s combination of academic excellence and its powerful drive to realise significant societal impact, together with its partners to be, a very inspiring objective. One which, I will gladly help further shape from my new position. To this end, I consider it my duty to involve and mobilise all of EUR’s schools, departments and disciplines.” - Prof. Ed Brinksma.
Brinksma studied Mathematics at Groningen University (1982) and was awarded a Doctorate in Computer Science by the University of Twente in 1988. He served as Dean of UT’s Faculty of Computer Science from 1995 to 1997 and also served as Academic Director of the Embedded Systems Institute and Professor of Computer Science at Eindhoven University of Technology (2005-2008). In addition, Brinksma was an adjoint professor at Aalborg University.
Appointment
Ed Brinksma has been appointed for a period of four years. The EUR’s Supervisory Board made this decision after consultation with the Executive Board, the Deans and the University Council’s Confidentiality Committee. Brinksma will fully focus on his presidency of Erasmus University Rotterdam from 1 September 2020. In his capacity as the President of the board, Brinksma will be responsible for general governance issues, the university’s strategic policy and international affairs. In addition, he will create and maintain contact with external parties including government departments and agencies, the business community and other knowledge institutions.
Hans Smits
Ir.drs. Hans Smits has served as the interim president to EUR’s Executive Board since 1 December 2019. Smits was appointed for a six-month period, which has recently been extended until 17 July 2020. “The Supervisory Board is very grateful to Hans Smits for his fine contributions and hard work in these last months. With a high level of experience, competence and involvement he has, alongside the other members of the Executive Board, worked tirelessly and effectively to guide the EUR through the Covid-19 crisis” - Jaap Winter.
