Search results

… of governments, from the Netherlands and abroad, Dear rectors, colleagues from partner universities, Dear members of the university, students, staff and alumni, and last not least, dear guests, from Maastricht, Limburg and beyond, I would like to welcome you, also on behalf of my colleagues, Rianne Letschert and Nick Bos, The purpose of the opening of the academic year is to project optimism and discussing the way ahead. This is more difficult this year as we have experienced or expecting some … and discovery of public value and assuming funda- mental responsibility for the economic, social, cultural and overall health of the communities it serves. I think this is a mission statement, that could also be applied to Maastricht University, where the communi- ties it serves have different dimensions, from the regional to the European and international context. I also would invite the decision makers in The Hague to look more closely to the pragmatic and special way in which Maastricht … directly and indirectly. But we have to think further than that. Knowledge is increasingly proving to be the product of international trade. Limburg is in a special position here, a Dutch province that has more borders with Germany and Bel- gium than contact with the rest of the Netherlands. Limburg, therefore, has a natural international orienta- tion. These regional developments, therefore, cannot be seen isolated, but interact with the international dimen- sion, particularly here in Limburg. …