The 2020 Professional Services Awards were awarded to the Science Hub (Wetenschapsknooppunt) and Funding Manager Adhemare de Rijk during the New Year’s reception on 7 January. Every year, the Professional Services Awards are presented to members of the professional services staff who have made an exceptional contribution to EUR’s education and research programmes. During the event, the interim Chair of the Executive Board Hans Smits looked back on the past year and looked extensively forward to what lies on the horizon.
"We are all responsible for what happens at Erasmus University."
Hans Smits
Continue realising our strategic ambitions
In the year ahead, the university will continue working to realise its strategic ambitions. A fruitful and constructive collaboration with internal and external partners remains of crucial importance in this context. Within the LDE Alliance, for example, or a new partnership with TU Delft and Erasmus MC.
‘We are all responsible’
Smits also emphasised that the university needs to remain a safe environment for students and staff, where professional conduct is held as an absolute standard: “We are all responsible for what happens at Erasmus University. The Executive Board invites you all to take that responsibility, whether it lies in the implementation of the strategy, keeping hackers at bay or providing a safe and secure environment to work and to study.”
Adhemare de Rijk
Executive Board member Roelien Ritsema van Eck presented the Professional Services Awards to Adhemare de Rijk and the team members of EUR’s Science Hub. De Rijk, who works as Funding Manager Research for Erasmus School of Economics and Erasmus School of Philosophy, received the award for the special way in which she has contributed to raising over 6.5 million euros in grants for Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR).
The jury praises her inspiring manner of doing this. “Adhemare de Rijk makes wide use of her knowledge and skills for the benefit of EUR and does not restrict herself to one faculty. She seeks cooperation, works in an innovative way and is an indispensable link for many.” De Rijk’s nomination was also endorsed and supported by a large number of researchers from various faculties.
The Science Hub
The Science Hub (Wetenschapsknooppunt) was honoured with this year’s Professional Services Award for teams. The Science Hub team, which is made up of five employees and 65 students, succeeds in making science attractive for pupils from all levels of society. The jury expresses its appreciation for the unique way in which the team has crossed the campus borders to connect with the city and the region: “They collaborate with social partners, academic staff and students, and contribute to the social impact of EUR.”
Professional Services Awards
The Professional Services Awards were formerly known as the Top Support Awards. Last year, the university greenlighted the establishment of a dedicated Professional Services Community, which includes all members of the various operational services who contribute to EUR’s education and research activities. To mark this, the existing awards have been renamed the Professional Services Awards. This year’s jury was made up of Roelien Ritsma van Eck (Executive Board), Victor Bekkers (ESSB), Anne van de Graaf (RSM), Lieke Skidmore-Vencken (HR), Lilian Jillissen (E&S) and Hans van den Berg (University Council).
New Year's reception 2020
Photos: Arie Kers
