Dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology (S&T)

Your role as Dean:

As Dean, you will chair the Faculty Board and be responsible for policies relating to education, research, personnel and organizational matters within S&T. You will lead the Faculty Board, which presently includes portfolio holders for education, research and operations, as well as a student assessor. You will work closely with the Executive Board, department heads, educational programme directors, deans of other faculties and the scientific directors of the MESA+ and TechMed institutes and the Max Planck Center Twente for Complex Fluid Dynamics. As Dean, you will also sit on UT’s Strategic Board, which determines university-wide strategy and policies.

You will play a pivotal role in translating the university’s strategy into action within the faculty, taking the lead in shaping its strategic development. You will oversee strategic HR policy and represent the faculty in meetings with the Executive Board, as well as in strategic networks within and outside the university. You will actively foster collaborations within UT and with external partners, including other universities, research institutes, government bodies and industry.

Strategic challenges and core responsibilities
As Dean, you will guide the faculty through an ever-changing scientific and societal landscape. Your key responsibilities will include:

• Leading the faculty through the post-reorganization phase, ensuring stability while driving direction, synergy and development;
• Providing leadership and building collaboration across departments.
• Further developing and anchoring the faculty's vision and translating it into strategy and implementation.
• Enhancing the faculty’s research strategy in response to the recent research evaluation;
• Safeguarding and improving the quality of education in light of changing societal demands, with focus on student numbers.
• Promoting synergy between monodisciplinary and multidisciplinary research.
• Contributing actively to the internal and external positioning of the faculty.
• Increasing external visibility and strengthening partnerships.
• Enhancing the faculty's ability to attract external funding.
• Promoting leadership, talent development, and strategic HR policy;
• Creating a healthy, socially safe, inclusive and inspiring work and study environment;
• Representing the faculty in national and international networks.

As a respected academic leader, you have demonstrated strategic insight and experience in governance within complex organizations. You have:

• A professorship in physics, chemistry, health technology or a closely related field;
• Experience of, and a clear vision for, academic education and research;
• Scientific authority and broad insight into collaboration and valorization.
• Experience with change management and integral management
• A proven track record in organizational development and leading change processes.
• Affinity with and experience in operational management and finance.
• A collaborative leadership style focused on community building and cooperation.
• Strategic, entrepreneurial and pioneering capabilities.
• Strong communication, decision-making, sensitivity, strategic vision and execution skills.
• Experience with or affinity for the Dutch academic and educational system.
• Active participation in relevant national and international networks.
• Excellent command of both Dutch and English.

The UT is a young, entrepreneurial university that prepares students for the future by offering innovative, societally relevant educational programmes with intellectual depth, and by conducting groundbreaking research. UT is renowned for its strong integration of technology and society, and is recognized internationally for its leadership in knowledge transfer and collaboration with industry.

The Faculty of Science and Technology (S&T) is one of the UT's leading faculties. It offers bachelor's programmes in Applied Physics, Technical Medicine, Biomedical Technology, Health Sciences, Advanced Technology and Chemical Science & Engineering. The corresponding master's programmes include Technical Medicine, Applied Physics, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Science and Engineering, Health Sciences and Nanotechnology. The faculty's research covers a wide range of disciplines and is closely intertwined with leading institutes such as the MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, the TechMed Centre, and the Max Planck Center Twente for Complex Fluid Dynamcis.

The faculty is currently undergoing a significant transformation as a result of a major reorganization. A new foundational structure consisting of eight departments has been implemented. The coming years will be crucial for consolidating this structure, encouraging interdepartmental collaboration and developing a distinctive, forward-looking research strategy. At the same time, it is essential to maintain the high quality of education in the face of evolving societal and scientific demands.

The faculty places great value on the societal impact of its teaching and research. Attention is being given to implementing the recommendations of the recent research evaluation, re-evaluating the research strategy and strengthening the university's position in key areas such as health, climate, energy, water and chip technology.

Faculty Profile: Science and Technology (S&T)
Education and research of the S&T faculty are strongly intertwined, focusing on systems and devices for the application areas of health, climate, energy, water, and chip technology. Fundamental and applied research is conducted on materials and processes essential to emerging technologies.

Procedure:

The selection process is as follows:

First- and second-round interviews with the Appointment Advisory Committee (in two configurations) will take place on 27 June and 4 July.

The committee includes:

• The Rector Magnificus
• The Scientific Director of the TechMed institute
• The Vice-Dean of Education
• Full professor from the faculty
• The Portfolio Holder for Operations
• Dean from the faculty Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science
• Director HR UT and the Faculty HR Manager

A meeting with the Faculty Advisory Committee (FAC), which represents both academic and support staff, will take place on 7 July.

A meeting with the Faculty Council (FC) will follow on 8 July.

The FAC and FC will submit their recommendations, which will be considered by the appointment advisory committee.

The terms of employment will be discussed on 11 July.

Information and application:
UT is committed to diversity and inclusion. If you feel that you are a good fit for this vacancy, please apply via the button below. Please include a cover letter and your CV. The deadline for applications is
22 June 2025.

For more information, please contact Tom Veldkamp (Rector Magnificus) at a.veldkamp@utwente.nl.

Please note that reference checks and screening are part of the selection process. An assessment may also be included.

Contacts:
If you have any questions about the process, please contact:

Marie-Christine Prédéry (Personal Assistant to the Rector Magnificus) at m.c.predery@utwente.nl

Lieke Bosch (HR Manager for the Faculty of Science and Technology) at l.s.bosch@utwente.nl.