University Council 2016

Tilburg University is an internationally oriented employer of which our academics and support staff are very proud. A third of the academics across campus at Tilburg University comes from abroad. This creates an exciting international work environment, but also poses challenges.

1. As we want to include everyone, the use of English as the working language is encouraged. All relevant university documents are available in English, allowing international staff to participate and helping non-Dutch speaking newcomers to feel at home at once.
2. English and Dutch language training for staff and students is of high quality and easily accessible.
3. The campus is an open and lively place where everyone can feel at home and work flexible hours. Any need to extend opening hours of a particular university building is taken seriously.
4. More diverse and better quality food is available on campus, also in the weekends and evenings. Small businesses and food vendors are given opportunities to open new places on and around the campus.
5. Requirements to book (ATP) and buy (e.g. Sodexo, Index Books and Dell Computers) from designated sellers are relaxed or lifted, saving money, time and stress. The interests of the university community are put first in tender procedures.
6. The university and its schools build strong alumni communities to generate networking, funding, and placement opportunities.

The goal of our university is to deliver high impact and high quality research and teaching and reach out to society. World class support is key for this. Academics and support staff work together in teams to achieve their shared goals. Good performance is rewarded. Those who struggle receive help.

7. The university is attractive to top academics, support staff, and students from around the world, who have the ambition to give their best for the benefit of the university and society at large.
8. Research and teaching go hand in hand; we expect academic staff to be good at both. Support staff members help achieve quality in research and teaching by being knowledgeable about both processes.
9. The university actively contributes to the shaping and implementation of best practices in teaching. Best practices are often school specific.
10. The current course evaluation system is prone to multiple biases and is not flexible enough. It therefore needs to be improved.
11. PhD researchers across campus have the same voting, medical and parental rights and should all have a minimum period to devote to research. Solutions for optimizing the PhD track to the job market and other PhD researchers’ needs are discipline-specific and are crafted in close cooperation with the PhD community.
12. Pre- and post-grant support is professionalized.

Decisions are well thought out. University administrators let progressive insights be reflected in decisions. Decisions are based on vision, solid evidence and an in-depth study of good practices at other leading higher education institutions, both in the Netherlands and abroad.

13. Budgetary decisions are made following transparent and rigorous decision-making processes and are instrumental to a long-term sustainable vision of the university, academic quality and the needs of academics, staff, students, and society.
14. When laws or policies from The Hague or Brussels are hindering the university’s vision and ambitions, the Board proactively lobbies for reforms.
15. The university fosters a culture in which feedback is given not only from top to bottom, but also the other way around.
16. All decisions on buildings and other physical aspects of the campus are made in the interest of a welcoming and inspiring work and study environment. Money is spent carefully and transparently.

The university flourishes only if our leaders know what they are doing and what is going on in the primary processes. We are in favor of thorough procedures when it comes to selecting board members, directors, deans, and heads of departments (academic and service departments).

17. The governance structure at the top of the university adheres to the principle of ‘academics in the lead’.
18. Diversity in teams – in terms of background, gender, nationality, and talents – is prioritized. Equal career opportunities do not just exist on paper but also in practice.
19. Support staff members who do a good job are rewarded and given opportunities to grow.
20. The Supervisory Board stays in close contact with the academic community. The Supervisory Board grants the right of advice for renewal and appointment of Executive Board members to the University Council.