Opening academic year

Opening Academic Year 2019: Tradition and Innovation

Date: Time: 15:00 Location: Auditorium

In this ceremony, we looked forward to the academic year ahead. This year's theme was 'Tradition and Innovation in Academia'. We want the innovations we pursue to be inspired by our traditions.

The keynote speaker was Professor Richard D. McCullough, chemist and Vice-Provost for Research at Harvard University. He is well-known for his research on developing printable electronic materials, holds more than ten US patents, and is the founder of two companies. He gave his view on digital innovation in relation to academic traditions.

Professor Koen Becking, President of Tilburg University’s Executive Board, elaborated on the appreciation of traditions and Tilburg University’s innovative efforts to create a sustainable, digital society. Traditional collaborations with local governments are essential to achieve this.  

To round off the session, there was an exploratory debate between Koen Becking and a number of students on the added value of academic traditions and what our future traditions might look like.

Opening Academic Year