UM Medallion of Honour and named award mark the valedictory lecture of education innovator Frank Thuijsman
The UM Medallion of Honour and the first FSE Frank Thuijsman Award; Maastricht University ensured that Frank Thuijsman did not depart quietly into retirement. Thuijsman, professor of Strategic Optimisation and Data Science, is a pioneering figure in education innovation. He is the founding father of KE@Work and was involved in the very beginning of English-language instruction and project-centred learning at UM.
Thuijsman’s first encounter with Maastricht was during its lively Carnival celebrations. Little did he know he would later build his career there. At the time, he was conducting doctoral research in game theory, a branch of mathematics focused on decision-making in strategic situations, at Radboud University Nijmegen. Midway through his PhD studies, his supervisor relocated to Maastricht to establish a new mathematics group. Thuijsman followed, recognising the opportunity for better career prospects post-PhD.
Recognition from the global elite
His doctoral research garnered attention from leading figures in game theory. Shortly after completing his PhD at UM in 1989, he spent a year collaborating with mathematicians in Los Angeles and Jerusalem. Some of whom would later receive the Nobel Prize. “It was surreal, as a young researcher, to suddenly find myself among these mathematical giants,” he reflects. At later conferences, he occasionally crossed paths with John Nash, the 1994 Nobel laureate. “You find yourself at the table with the person about whom the movie A Beautiful Mind was made. How many mathematicians have been immortalised in film?” he muses.
Returning to Maastricht, Thuijsman immersed himself in mathematics education and research at the Faculteit der Algemene Wetenschappen (Faculty of General Sciences). Initially, the team provided service education to economics and health sciences students. “Service education tends to be an afterthought in timetabling, so we often found ourselves teaching at less-than-ideal times.”
A new bachelor’s programme
A shared ambition emerged within the group: to teach their own research areas. However, the national shortage of mathematics students posed a challenge to launching a traditional programme in the fields of mathematics and computer science. Their collective expertise in game theory, decision models, artificial intelligence, and knowledge systems inspired a solution: the Knowledge Engineering bachelor’s programme. In 1992, in collaboration with the Limburgs Universitair Centrum Diepenbeek (now Hasselt University), they launched the Netherlands’ first transnational academic programme.
Knowledge Engineering sought to align with UM’s problem-based learning approach. “Sitting around a table discussing formulas isn’t practical,” Thuijsman explains. Instead, they adopted a project-based model inspired by Denmark’s Aalborg University. In this project-centred learning approach, students apply new knowledge directly to group projects running parallel to their courses, fostering intrinsic motivation. “They need this knowledge to complete their assignments, which drives their engagement.”
The programme thrived nationally, earning top evaluations and consistently attracting 30 first-year students, a notable achievement for a STEM discipline at that time. Yet, Thuijsman laments, “We often had to fight for the survival of our small programme.”
Transition to English
English-language instruction was also added to the mix. “We were already using English textbooks, so the transition was natural,” he said. For the first two years, courses were offered in both languages, but it quickly became clear that Dutch students had no difficulty with English. This bilingual proficiency also enhanced their employability.
Thuijsman’s proudest innovation is KE@Work, launched in 2014 as an honours track for Knowledge Engineering bachelor’s students (today Data Science and Artificial Intelligence students). They spend two years, two days a week, tackling real-world challenges in artificial intelligence and data science at partner companies. “I noticed talented students dropping out because their side jobs were so successful, or they were launching their own startups with innovative ideas,” he recalls.
The solution was inspired by the Mathematisch Technische Software Entwickelung in Aachen. This German programme in mathematical software development allows their students to split their time equally between study and work. “We adapted this model, starting in the second year to select the most talented students and match them with companies offering academically challenging projects,” Thuijsman explained.
KE@Work now has two sister programmes: CS@Work for Computer Science students and the experimental Master@Work for master’s students. The @Work approach attracts global talent, with about 1,400 students currently enrolled across the five programmes of the Department of Advanced Computing Sciences at the Faculty of Science and Engineering (FSE).
More mathematics
Since he became an emeritus professor, Thuijsman continues to work one day a week at the university, finalising his research and strengthening ties between academia and industry. He remains optimistic about the future of his field: “I see endless applications for DACS and FSE students. But it’s crucial that we deeply understand the techniques we use and develop. This requires a strong foundation in mathematics. The university will need more mathematicians to maintain these fundamentals within FSE.”
Following his valedictory lecture on 16 January, Thuijsman received the UM Medallion of Honour, awarded by the Executive Board to individuals who have made exceptional contributions to the university’s reputation and development.
Photography: Jelle Coolen and Photostique
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