The Mayor of Enschede Roelof Bleker is in “town” this October and invites UT alumni from the Brussels region for a brief talk with him and Victor-Jan Leurs, Director of Twente Board Development. Main topics are the European ambitions of both the city of Enschede and the Twente region. Mayor Bleker is himself a graduate of the University of Twente where he studied Industrial Engineering & Management (TBK) and even during his days on campus was active politically in the Campus Board (now: Student Union). Twente Board Development is the triple-helix collaboration in Twente, combining the strengths of entrepreneurs, knowledge and educational institutes and government for the strategic agenda of the Twente region. The University of Twente is one of the lead partners in Twente Board.
After the fireworks disaster in Enschede in 2001, Roelof Bleker became an alderman at the city of Enschede and was responsible for the city’s urban development and culture. Under his leadership, the reconstruction of the Roombeek district devastated by the firework disaster was realized, among other things. From 2010 he was Dike Warden (dijkgraaf) of the Rivierenland Water Board (waterschap Rivierenland) and from 2018 he was Chairman of the Executive Board of the HKU University of the Arts Utrecht. He has been mayor of Enschede since February 1, 2022.
This event will also be an opportunity to meet another fellow Brussels based Twente alumna and former campus student leader, Sevim Aktas, who as a civil servant for the European Commission’s DG for Climate Action conducts research into ways of storing harmful greenhouse gases. Twenty-six year old Sevim also uses her Instagram account to make Europe more accessible to a wide audience and show the inner world of Brussels.
See below for the programme which will also include an update from the UT Alumni Office and a concluding borrel with the Mayor, members of his delegation and local Twente alumni from Brussels.
Date: Wednesday, October 11th
Time: 17:30-19:00hr
Location: Holland House - Rue d'Arlon 20, 1050 Bruxelles, Belgium
Programme:
17:00 – 17:30 Doors open
17:30 – 17:45 Our European Ambitions
Mayor of Enschede Roelof Bleker & Victor-Jan Leurs, Director Twente Board Development
17:45 – 18:00 Perspectives from Brussels
Sevim Aktas Policy Officer DG Climate Action, European Commission
18:00 – 18:10 UT Updates
Joe Laufer Relationship Manager Alumni
18:00 – 19:00 Borrel reception with drinks and finger food.
19:00 End