Manon Kluijtmans appointed new Dean of University College Utrecht

With the appointment of Manon Kluijtmans, UCU has chosen a dean with extensive experience in education. Kluijtmans holds a chair at the Faculty of Medicine in education related to science and the labour market. She was also the director of the Centre for Academic Teaching & Learning (CAT) for many years.

As the CAT director, she was also appointed Vice-Rector for Education, a role in which she assists the UU rector in matters relating to educational development. Kluijtmans played a major role in the renewal of the Utrecht Education Model. DUB recently talked to her about what UU wants to require from students.

Commenting on her new role, Kluijtmans says that she wants to work towards a stronger integration between education, research and practice, to contribute to positive social change. ‘The open curriculum, combined with UCU's residential character, the diverse intake and the highly motivated staff, provide an environment in which the Utrecht education model comes into its own.’

Kluijtmans has spent almost her entire academic career at Utrecht University. She studied Medical Biology, obtained her PhD at the Faculty of Medicine and has been working there since 2002. In 2000, she took a two-year sabbatical at the University of Arequipa in Peru, where she was a lecturer.

Kluijtmans succeeds Susan te Pas, who is leaving in July to become the dean of the Faculty of Science, Mathematics & Computer Science at the University of Amsterdam. Christel Lutz will be the interim UCU dean until November.