Wilco Hazeleger announced as the new rector of Utrecht University

Wilco Hazeleger (1971) joined Utrecht University in 2019 as the dean of the Faculty of Geosciences. He studied meteorology at Wageningen University and Reading University, in England. He obtained his PhD in physical oceanography from UU. He then worked for several years at Columbia University in New York and at the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI), where he became the head of the Global Climate division in 2006.

In 2014, he was appointed director of the Netherlands eScience Center, a national centre of excellence promoting multidisciplinary and data-intensive research. He has been the dean of the Faculty of Geosciences at UU since July 2019. In this role, he championed an interdisciplinary approach to social issues in areas like sustainability, climate change, digitisation and AI.

"Wilco had proved to be an inspiring, accessible and committed leader in recent years," said Karin Laglas, chair of the Supervisory Board. "He is an experienced and collegial administrator with a big heart for the UU community and all its diversity. As the dean of Geosciences, his efforts include interdisciplinary collaboration, open science and increased diversity and inclusiveness in professorial appointments and the composition of faculty committees. He is well-informed about national and international developments in the fields of education, research and impact. He has a large network at UU and beyond. He is a transparent leader, keen to collaborate, and will strike a good balance between continuity and innovation."

Hazelegger is pleased with his appointment. "UU is a wonderfully broad university. As a climate scientist, I know how important it is to connect society with scientific research and education. UU does it to promote broad strategic themes in sustainability, open society, youth and health. We conduct research and educate students from a strong foundation and with a broad outlook. I look forward to further shaping this together with the other members of the Executive Board and with the entire university community."

Hazeleger will join the Executive Board at a remarkable moment, while the cabinet imposes massive cuts to the higher education budget. In addition, UU will debut a new education model and a new Strategic Plan in 2025.

Another remarkable thing is that UU published an ad in several national newspapers announcing the vacancy. Usually, rectors are chosen among the university's existing faculty to represent the academic community. But UU ended up choosing an insider anyway. The appointment advisory committee included two members of the University Council. Hazeleger was appointed for four years with the possibility of reappointment. This is not the first time UU has chosen a geoscientist as its rector. Before Henk Kummeling, the role was held by from 2011 to 2018. He was a professor of Biogeology and also held the position of dean of Geosciences.

The appointment will be made official on March 26, 2025, when the university will celebrate its 389th anniversary in the Dom Church. Henk Kummeling will take his leave then. Apart from the rector, the Executive Board consists of President Anton Pijpers, Vice-President Margot van der Starre and the student assessor Niels Vreeswijk.