Executive Board member Timo Kos leaving Saxion
Timo Kos will be leaving Saxion at the end of February 2025. He has been an Executive Board member since 1 January 2020 and after 5 years in office, is going to say farewell to the university of applied sciences. He will become vice-president of the executive board at Leiden University on 1 March.
Karl Dittrich, Chair of the Supervisory Board (RvT): “Timo’s departure is a severe loss for us and a golden opportunity for Leiden University! Timo has not only excelled in his portfolio, but also beyond it. A good team player with an open mind for those around him and in the organisation. He will be sorely missed, but we wish him all the best with his next step! Good directors get noticed quickly and end up on other people’s wish lists!”
Step has come earlier than expected
Kos looks back with satisfaction on his time as board member at Saxion: “This step has appeared on my path earlier than I had expected. What I will miss the most is the great cooperation with all my colleagues at Saxion and our partners in Twente, the Stedendriehoek and the rest of the Eastern Netherlands.”
He says that he looks back with great pride at all that has been accomplished together these past years. “Despite extremely challenging circumstances including corona and other crises, we held our course and managed to achieve the main objectives of our strategy. We have renewed our education, further developed interdisciplinary and part-time education, got study success back above pre-corona levels, been able to provide more support for student well-being, expanded our portfolio with 8 ADs, a new bachelor's programme and several master’s programmes among other things, and taken steps in the further professionalisation of our organisation. Despite difficult times Saxion is in good shape and I’m taking this step confident in the knowledge that Saxion will remain a strong innovative partner in this great region.”
Kos’ portfolio included ‘education and educational support’ and he has Deventer as focus area, where he also contributed to the development of the city campus De Kien. He has also been actively involved in improving cooperation between entrepreneurs, education and government bodies and strengthening the Stedendriehoek (city triangle) of Apeldoorn, Deventer and Zutphen. At national level, Timo has been committed to lifelong learning and vital regions at the Netherlands Association of Universities of Applied Sciences, and as member of the Steering Group Groeifonds NPuls to taking advantage of the opportunities of digitalisation in further education (MBO, HBO, WO).
Karl Dittrich, Chair of the Supervisory Board (RvT) responded by saying: “Timo’s departure is a severe loss for us and a golden opportunity for Leiden University! Timo has not only excelled in his portfolio, but also beyond it. A good team player with an open mind for those around him and in the organisation. He will be sorely missed, but we wish him all the best with his next step! Good directors get noticed quickly and end up on other people’s wish lists!”
President of the Executive Board, Anka Mulder says: “First and foremost: what a wonderful next step and I wish Timo and Leiden University all the best. However, Saxion and I will miss Timo very much. He has done so much for Saxion.”
Successor
The announced departure of Timo Kos to Leiden University means there will be a vacancy in the Executive Board. The Supervisory Board will soon be starting the procedure for recruiting a successor to Timo Kos in consultation with the Executive Board and Saxion University Council.