4. Together with our stakeholders

As an educational institution with a social mission, we are at the heart of society. Our network of stakeholders stretches across the full breadth of society, from far across the border to within the municipality of Nijmegen. These stakeholders – funders of our research, governments, scientific institutes and the business community – expect us to make our values visible. Based on impactful themes, we regularly explore who might be valuable partners for us.

Academic freedom, commitment, readiness for dialogue and expertise are important considerations here. We strive to share issues, find allies for initiatives, build trust and create added-value solutions for the short and long term. All university departments contribute to this in dialogue with external parties such as suppliers, knowledge institutions, regulators and civil society organisations.

Although contacts within our networks were strongly influenced by COVID-19, in 2021, we – together with our partners – emphasised our ambition to make a difference. As a university, we strive to share issues, find allies for initiatives, build trust and create added-value solutions for the short and long term.

A powerful example in 2021 was the Radboud Impact Day on 18 November. The university called on everyone to contribute to a more sustainable world and received the commitment and cooperation of many stakeholders, such as the municipality, other knowledge institutions and civil society organisations.

The Executive Board maintained good relationships with the boards of Radboud university medical center, HAN and ROC Nijmegen, and with the heads of cultural institutions. Thanks to our close relationship with Keizer Karel Podia, we were able to use De Vereeniging and De Stadsschouwburg as lecture halls during the pandemic. We also continued regular consultations and working visits with the King’s Commissioner and the Provincial Executive of the Province of Gelderland, and with the mayor and council members from the Municipality of Nijmegen.

The Provincial Executive paid an online working visit to the campus on 23 March, followed in October by the VVD faction of the Provincial Executive, which paid an in-person working visit on its own initiative. We also received two ambassadors, from Columbia and Mexico. Warm contacts were also maintained with several local organisations, such as the science film festival InScience. We also continued our positive collaboration with the Economic Board and the Alumni Board. Due to the pandemic, there were no Radboud Current Events Lectures at Nieuwspoort in The Hague this year, and the presentation of the Treaties of Nijmegen Medal was cancelled (this was moved to 2022).