University Council: 'Too much marketing in an overly positive annual report’

| Stan Waning

The University Council believes that the University of Twente's 2020 annual report is 'written too positively' and lacks critical reflection. This was discussed this morning during the meeting of the University Council in the Horst.

Moreover, the council found 'marketing terms' in the document and, according to them, there is no room for this in an annual report. Because the draft of the 2021 annual report is already being prepared, the University Council advises the Executive Board to adopt a more critical view. 'Critical considerations not only give a more realistic picture of the UT, but also reinforce the excellent results of the university,' said Bram van Uden on behalf of DAS.

According to the University Council, overly positive marketing terms do not do that. In a written response from the beginning of September, the Executive Board announced that a new concept for the annual report had been deliberately chosen: 'The UT is often modest about its accomplishments, which is why it was decided that the annual report should showcase 'the pearls' of the UT.'

However, the Council does not agree with this. ‘The annual report aims to show the performance and progress of the UT, but a marketing-like report is undesirable. We therefore strongly advise the UT to take a more critical look at the 2021 annual report.'

On behalf of the Executive Board, Machteld Roos indicated that she will include the Council's criticism in the new annual report.

Stay tuned

Sign up for our weekly newsletter.