In his message at the start of 2022, the university president addresses staff and students. Dr Oliver Locker-Grütjen expresses his gratitude for everyone’s extraordinary commitment during the COVID-19 pandemic, provides an outlook on the summer term and looks ahead to the university’s strategic development.
Ladies and gentlemen,
distinguished professors,
colleagues in academia, technical and administrative staff,
friends and supporters of Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences,
and dear students,
First of all, I would like to wish you a Happy New Year and every success, joy and, of course, above all good health for 2022.
For us at the university, too, 2021 was yet another extraordinary year, one that was heavily shaped by the pandemic, both professionally and personally. And it was a busy year, which once again demanded significantly more from many at the university than in the past – whether in studying, teaching, research, or technical and administrative work. Without your extraordinary commitment, it would not have been possible to keep the university running whilst always looking ahead. I would like to express my sincere thanks once again to each and every one of you for your dedication, understanding and cooperation.
The new year begins just as the last one ended: with worrying reports about the Omicron variant of the coronavirus and, in some cases, polarising calls regarding the next steps to curb the pandemic. However, it is important to note that politicians and the authorities are not currently planning any significant changes for the higher education sector. We therefore expect that the forthcoming examinations will be able to go ahead as planned.
And for the 2022 summer term, our guiding principle remains unchanged: face-to-face teaching should once again become the norm. The pandemic will certainly not be over by the coming semester. Nevertheless, dear students, you can expect a general return to face-to-face teaching across all degree programmes. We at the university will do everything we can to make this possible. I would therefore like to encourage you to return to your campus in Kleve or Kamp-Lintfort – if you have not already done so – so that you can once again experience campus life, academic exchange and stimulating discussions.
From the feedback I have received from you, I know that many of you – whether you are students or university staff – very much welcome a return to face-to-face teaching. But of course, some have also expressed concerns. I fully understand this. It is not just me; the entire Executive Board takes these concerns very seriously. We are therefore striving for a balanced approach and, as a matter of principle, coordinate measures internally with representatives from the various committees and interest groups – be it the AStA, the Senate or the staff councils, to name but a few examples. In particular, there is close dialogue with the COVID-19 task force and the health and safety team, who are providing active support in this regard. I can assure you that no decisions are taken lightly, but are carefully weighed up against different viewpoints. Protecting health is always the top priority.
However, the pandemic has had us in its grip for far too long and has dominated the agenda. It is time to look ahead and refocus on other issues as well.
A key concern is the long-term viability of our university. The HSRW is now set to draw up the University Development Plan 2030 (HEP 2030), which will essentially address the following question: How can we ensure that Rhein-Waal University of Applied Sciences is fit for the future so that it can meet the challenges of the coming years? The current crises – such as the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change and social inequality – are transforming our societies to an unprecedented extent. At the same time, they highlight the particular importance of academia, whose role is precisely to collect valid data and engage in objective discourse. It is only on the basis of data and facts that answers can be formulated and innovative solutions developed. The universities in the state play a particularly important role in helping to shape societal transformation through knowledge-driven discourse. For Rhein-Waal University of Applied Sciences, the new University Development Plan will provide the framework for fulfilling this social responsibility over the next decade and define the areas of action.
2022 will be a year in which the main focus will be on getting the process of shaping the HEP 2030 off to a flying start, thereby laying the foundations for the further strategic development of Rhein-Waal University of Applied Sciences. We have already set out ‘who we are’ in our mission statement: “We are ambitious. We have the courage and passion to be different! For us, finding solutions is more motivating than discussing problems. We are open to new approaches, reflect on our actions and continuously develop on the basis of our experiences. To this end, we seek feedback from all stakeholders, both within and outside the university.” I look forward to another year of trusting and successful collaboration with you.
Stay well!
Dr Oliver Locker-Grütjen
President of Rhein-Waal University of Applied Sciences
