‘I want to be the eyes and ears for TU/e’

It can’t have gone unnoticed how Eric van de Geer-Rutten-Rijswijk’s career has been on the rise in recent months. He went from managing director of the department of Industrial Engineering & Innovation Sciences to director of Education and Student Affairs (ESA), where he happily started in October 2023. And as of today, barely four months on, he becomes secretary of TU/e, and thus director of General Affairs.

“It was certainly not my intention to leave ESA so soon, but the position of secretary suits me so perfectly that I had to apply. I also felt like a fish in water at ESA where I had a soft landing in a fantastic team. Everything I had done before came together: operations, education, leadership. I could have continued in that position for many enjoyable years."

It was really hard to swallow, because I had only just started at ESA.

University Secretary Eric van der Geer-Rutten-Rijswijk

Vacant

“No one could have foreseen that the position of secretary would become vacant again so soon,” says Van der Geer, referring to the fact that Patrick Groothuis had recently swapped that position to become vice president of the Executive Board.

"You wish an organization anything other than the perfect storm in which the university board found itself since the departure of rector Frank Baaijens, vice president Nicole Ummelen and university secretary Susanne van Weelden. But sometimes that’s just the way things work out. The Executive Board is now complete again and I hope that together we can bring a bit of calm and look forward.”

Great match

“When I was asked to take a look at the secretary’s profile, I saw a great match. With my knowledge, TU/e network and experience, and with my way of working. It was really hard to swallow, because I had only just started at ESA. But I felt that if I could add value to the university, I should at least look into and discuss the role of secretary.”

This was not something he entered into lightly, more with a bit of a bellyache. “But it also excited me. Because as secretary you are a spider in the web, and that suits me. I know the organization and the primary processes well. In addition, I have a large network to assist the Executive Board, services and departments.”

Surprised

“Just before the Christmas break, I called the members of ESA’s management team to tell them I was leaving. They were surprised and somewhat disappointed, but they also generously admitted to understanding my choice. I certainly had that dual feeling, too, and that indicates how in a short time I already felt an integral part of the ESA team. So I’m very happy about that.”

The process of finding a new ESA director is now underway. Daisy van der Schaft, ESA manager of Policy Advice & Projects, will assume the role of director until then.

Behind the scenes

To the Executive Board, the secretary is of great value in helping the university realize its strategic ambitions. He works hard behind the scenes on this as an advisor to the Executive Board. “We have had very open and sincere conversations and are really looking forward to forming a team together,” says Van der Geer.

We're really looking forward to forming a team.
University Secretary Eric van der Geer-Rutten-Rijswijk

“I am connecting, diplomatic and good at keeping calm,” says Van der Geer, when asked to describe himself. “I have a heart for the academic world and a great drive for change, always looking for how we can do things even better. At the same time, I can also be the raft that people can cling to. If you stay close together and do it together, people embrace the courage to go through these processes of change. I hope to offer that stability and peace of mind.”

Director of General Affairs

At our university, the secretary is also the director of General Affairs (GA). This division shapes TU/e’s strategy, links goals and activities to it, and also monitors it. “I look forward to immersing myself in this and putting General Affairs well into its role. In doing so, I hope to constantly be able to make the connection on the basis of the content, also with the other services and departments. This requires having an overview, in which the primary processes serve as a compass and the strategy sets the course. It helps to shift your perspective regularly, from outside to inside and to put yourself in the shoes of the users.”

On February 1 GA gets underway in the latest round of SQUAD, the self-assessment program for all TU/e services, together with the Communication Expertise Center (CEC), ESA and the Research Support Office (RSO).

SQUAD

“This is going to be a very interesting round,” Van der Geer predicts enthusiastically. “We're going to do it with the services involved as one team, because we’re convinced that’s what the university needs.”

“I am proud of TU/e, its excellent education, leading research and its role in the Brainport ecosystem and beyond. That requires a decisive organization and I hope TU/e takes the opportunity to seek each other out even more and intensify collaborations, across walls and barriers while clearly allocating responsibilities.”

“Of course, a university has to be organized in a certain way, but frankly what belongs to which service is not the primary concern for teachers or staff. They want to be helped and supported. That’s why we look at domains, rather than separate services. These are Education, Research & Valorization and Strategy, Branding and Governance. From those domains, we explore from the user perspective how we can improve the integral services at our university and initiate a long-term quality cycle.”

Open invitation

Above all, Van der Geer hopes people will come through his open door and connect with him. “I want to be the eyes and ears of our organization. So feel free to walk into my office, or send me an email or app. That way we can take all the signals into account in the decision-making process. In doing so, I like to seek cooperation, including with the employee participation body. I believe in doing things together. It’s about coordinating processes, creating support and involving people. As secretary, you have the ultimate role in establishing such a culture.”