Jasper's day
Jasper Knoester is the dean of the Faculty of Science. How is he doing, what exactly does he do and what does his day look like? In each newsletter, Jasper gives an insight into his life.
From Beethoven to chemistry exams: a day filled with plans for the future
‘I wake up early and sit down to breakfast well before seven in the still chilly basement. It’s going to be an interesting day. The highlight will be Beethoven at the Circustheater in Scheveningen, though it has a rather different meaning than the name suggests. But first, breakfast and lunch to prepare, with special attention to the kids, both of whom are in the middle of exam week.
Before leaving home, I have an 8 o’clock call with our rector, Hester Bijl, about negotiations with the China Scholarship Council. These discussions have been going on for a while, and we’ve actually passed the deadline for signing a new contract this year. Yesterday, I had an in-depth discussion with Yun Tian, our Global Engagement policy officer, which led to a recommendation for Hester on how to proceed. She’ll present this approach later today at the Research Board meeting (the regular consultation between the research portfolio holders in the faculties and the rector, ed.), but I’ll miss that myself.
After the call, I quickly head to Leiden. It’s a cold day, and a dense mist hangs over the city as I cycle past the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. Gloves and a hat are definitely needed. At the office, we start with the executive board meeting. The agenda isn’t very long, but it includes major topics that easily fill the morning. Having ample time for these discussions is helpful; it allows us to carefully examine the issues together. Today, one key topic is knowledge security—a challenging issue that is receiving increasing attention from the government. In the coming months, we’ll communicate about this extensively within the faculty.
After the board meeting, we have a quick 15-minute lunch together before I move on to the team meeting with the Academic Affairs department. Pieter Schipper is away for two months, and I’m taking over coordination in his absence. It’s a great team and fun to work with for a while!
Next, I hurry to the Circustheater, where an event marks the launch of Beethoven, a national programme aimed at strengthening talent recruitment and education in the microchip industry. We are involved in the regional South Holland plan and are using the resources to develop a joint master’s track focused on high-tech and microchip industries. This track will be integrated into master’s programmes in physics, astronomy, mathematics, computer science, and chemistry. An industry internship will be a core component of this new track. I’m very enthusiastic about this development and see it as a potential stepping stone towards several programmes with a technical profile, which could strengthen the faculty’s position. The combination of fundamental and technical sciences is a strong one, and I expect the demand for it to grow significantly in the future.
‘We develop a joint master’s track focused on high-tech and microchip industries’
It’s an engaging afternoon with informative presentations from the Economic Board South Holland, ASML, and Stef Vink, the director of the Leidse Instrumentmakers School (Leiden Instrument Makers School), situated next-door. The LiS is keen to collaborate with our faculty in the coming years on new concepts, such as using AI for designing and manufacturing innovative products. We’re even treated to a real piece of Beethoven, performed by three students from Codarts, the Rotterdam Conservatory.
After the event, I quickly head back to Leiden for the evening meeting of the Doctorate Board and the Board of Deans. This joint meeting takes place monthly, always in the early evening, and is characterised by a very collegial atmosphere among the deans and the rector. Regular topics include everything related to PhD trajectories, professorial appointments, promotion rights, and academic ceremonies. This time of year, discussions also touch on the upcoming lustrum and honorary doctorates. Today, we also have an in-depth discussion about the university’s profiling themes. I’m pleased to hear that our recommendation regarding the CSC negotiations was adopted by the Research Board. A good result!
After the meeting, I quickly head home. By now, the mist has thickened, and the streets are quiet. I spend the rest of the evening helping the kids with their chemistry exams for tomorrow. I write this column and get ready for bed. Tomorrow, I’ll be heading to Groningen, starting the day once again in a fresh basement, preparing breakfast.’