Mariëtte Hamer has received the honorary medal of Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) in recognition of her eight years as a member of its Supervisory Board. The PvdA politician joined the board in 2018 and bid farewell to the university yesterday.
During her time at TU/e, Hamer paid close attention to the people working behind the scenes. On issues such as social safety and organisational culture, she emphasised the importance of creating a university where students and staff feel safe to learn, work, speak up and be themselves.
Well-being
Workload, well-being and mental health were also recurring themes in her engagement with the university. She consistently highlighted the need to balance the organisation's ambitions with the limits of the people who work and study there. After all, excellent research and education require not only high performance, but also a genuine focus on the people who make them possible.
As the Supervisory Board's liaison to the University Council, Hamer regularly met with its representatives. She took the time to listen to the issues affecting the university community and ensured that their concerns reached the Executive Board and the Supervisory Board.
TU/e President of the Executive Board Koen Janssen: "Mariëtte has consistently helped us look beyond structures, processes and figures. She kept us focused on what decisions mean for the people affected by them. With her extensive expertise and attention to the human perspective, she has helped shape the way we think about social safety, workload and organisational culture at TU/e. I have come to know Mariëtte as someone who knows what she stands for, while always remaining open to others. She is a highly experienced leader who combines a wealth of governance experience with a strong sense of justice."
A focus on people
Over the past eight years, Mariëtte's focus on people has extended well beyond TU/e. At the national level, Hamer has also made significant contributions to society. Among other roles, she has served as chair of the Social and Economic Council of the Netherlands (SER), chair of the Committee on Benefits and Out-of-Home Placements, Government Commissioner for Sexual Misconduct and Sexual Violence, and chair of the Council for Public Administration. She also served as a government informateur, helping to facilitate coalition negotiations following elections.
The process to appoint Hamer's successor is under way.
