Investing in talent is particularly important right now

For President of the Executive Board Tim  van der Hagen, the coronavirus pandemic emphasises the huge importance of TU Delft’s work: groundbreaking teaching, research and innovation, and there is a role in this for the new TU Delft Excellence Fund.

When I handed in my previous copy for Delft Outlook, we in Europe still thought that the coronavirus pandemic would leave us largely unaffected,” says Tim van der Hagen. “Now we know better. We have no idea what the world will look like by the time you are reading this, but it seems clear that Covid-19 will be around for a long time and will affect us all, personally, economically and socially.
For Tim van der Hagen, the coronavirus pandemic emphasises the huge importance of TU Delft’s work: optimising an ecosystem for groundbreaking teaching, research and innovation. He sees a great role in this for the new TU Delft Excellence Fund.
The last few months have given us a close-up view of what such an ecosystem can achieve. Van der Hagen: “Our researchers and students joined forces to work together with social research partners on combating the coronavirus problems and achieving the transfer to the new social-distancing society.” TU Delft will be continuing these efforts in the coming time, funded in part by the TU Delft Covid-19 Response Fund.

Huge challenges

Looking ahead to the post-coronavirus era, Van der Hagen sees a society faced with many challenges, old and new. Because even though issues such as climate change and the energy transition may seem less important right now, they cannot be ignored. “They will have to be tackled against the background of the impending economic crisis, but must also be seen in the light of the lessons we are now learning on the consequences of globalisation – and what that will mean for production, distribution and transport networks, for example.” And a revolution also awaits the healthcare sector, where we will have to deal with the problems that have come to light during the present crisis.These are complex, interrelated issues, but issues that TU Delft loves to get its teeth into. “It corroborates our vision for an ecosystem in which top-class science, innovation and a new generation of engineers can flourish to their best,” explains Van der Hagen. “We are working to strengthen that ecosystem in all kinds of strategic ways, through international academic partnerships and intensive collaboration with fellow universities in the region.” These include our close links with Erasmus University Rotterdam, Erasmus MC, Leiden University and LUMC.TU Delft is continually working on educational innovation, so that it meets the expectations of ambitious students and to ensure that our graduates’ competences meet the needs of a changing world. We are presently working hard on a new framework for the Master’s degree programmes between now and 2030. The campus is also becoming more and more of a platform for public-private partnerships and open innovation, a place where companies and researchers work together on the innovations needed to answer the huge societal challenges.

Margin for negotiation

The success of our mission – impact for a better society – stands or falls with the right people, which is why TU Delft is constantly looking for top-class researchers in crucial knowledge fields. But how can TU Delft distinguish itself on an international playing field? “We have a campus and a community to be proud of, an excellent international reputation and a host of inspirational top-class scientists as examples to follow in our midst,” says Van der Hagen. “Looking at the financial aspect, then our margin for negotiation is somewhat limited. As a public organisation, it is only right that we must keep to the salary standards set by the government and the VSNU. Even though we are successful in general in winning Dutch and EU research grants, the success rates for individual scientists are often discouragingly low.”“We know from experience that money is not usually the decisive factor for researchers choosing to come and work at TU Delft,” explains Van der Hagen. “When asked, our ‘internationals’ praise such factors as the research climate, the safe Dutch society and the university’s horizontal organisational structure. But a financial starting contribution can make the choice just that bit easier: it makes it possible to purchase a special research instrument, to start a new lab or attract research assistants.”A flying start like this more than pays its way: it makes the research group more attractive, it raises the standard of teaching and research, it strengthens TU Delft’s international reputation and it increases the chances of success in finding external funding.

Excellence Fund

Until recently, the options for this were limited because the university does not have any non-discretionary funds for this purpose. However, in 2019 alumni and friends of TU Delft established the Excellence Fund, specially aimed at developing our excellent ecosystem. “The Excellence Fund has considerably improved the starting position of TU Delft in the international ‘war for talent’. I am proud and grateful for that,” says Van der Hagen in closing.