Ank Bijleveld, the first alumnus to become a minister
University of Twente alumni have gone on to succeed in a very diverse range of roles. Alumna Ank Bijleveld made it to a very special position: she is the first University of Twente alumnus – male or female – to become a government minister. Eddy van Hijum is the second alumnus to become a minister.
From 1980 to 1986, Ank Bijleveld studied Public Administration at what was then Technische Hogeschool Twente (‘Twente Technical College’). After she graduated she took on a variety of roles in Dutch politics, both locally and at a national level. Her educational programme helped prepare her for a career in public administration, as she told U-Today in March 2018: ‘The analytical approach to a problem is something I use on a daily basis. But it’s a long journey from being a student to becoming a minister, and you have to show you have a knack for administration.’
That long journey began straight after Bijleveld’s graduation. From 1986 to 1989 she was part of the Enschede city council, after which she left Enschede for The Hague to take her seat in the Dutch House of Representatives as a member of the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA). In 2001 she returned to Twente, this time as Mayor of Hof van Twente, a function she carried out until 2007. Bijleveld then returned to The Hague and got down to work as State Secretary in the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations. She remained in the role of State Secretary until 2010, when she briefly returned to the House of Representatives, but she was soon appointed Queen’s (later King’s) Commissioner in the province of Overijssel. Bijleveld has been Minister of Defence in the Third Rutte Cabinet since 2017.
When she got the call asking her to become a minister, Bijleveld didn’t say yes straight away. ‘I was at the Military Boekelo [equestrian event] when they called, and I wanted to think it over,’ she explains in her interview with U-Today. ‘Defence is a serious portfolio. The previous minister Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert had just resigned in the wake of the fatal mortar accident in Mali, and there were other things to consider. Defence has faced years of budget cuts, and both the Dutch Safety Board and the Court of Audit have published critical reports about the culture and about safety. The job comes with big responsibilities, but then I’m not easily frightened.’ She had her doubts, but in the end she decided to go for it. ‘I’m in awe of the 55,000 people who work in Defence. They are the reason I said yes.’
Over the course of her career Bijleveld has never lost touch with the University of Twente. As the Queen’s (and King’s) Commissioner in Overijssel her duties were ceremonial. ‘Of course, I was present at the opening of the academic year, and at the Dies when I presented the PhD award and pinned a ribbon on former university board chairman Anne Flierman who awarded a royal decoration during their farewell..’ And that’s not the only link: ‘My nephew is studying at ATLAS’.
Ank Bijleveld was Minister of Defence in the Rutte III cabinet from October 2017 to September 2021.
Eddy van Hijum (BSK'95/PhD'01) second alumnus to become a minister
Eddy van Hijum, studied public administration at the University of Twente from 1990 to 1995 and has since built an impressive career in Dutch politics and administration, besides that he managed obtaining his PhD from the UT in 2001. His time at the UT not only gave him a solid academic foundation, but also the skills and network to grow in the public domain.
After graduating, he held various positions in the public sector. Van Hijum started his political career as a CDA municipal councilor in Zwolle, after which he sat in the Dutch House of Representatives for the CDA from 2003 to 2014 and then served as a deputy, member of the Provincial Executive, in the province of Overijssel until 2023. In August 2023 he switched from CDA to Nieuw Sociaal Contract (NSC), the party founded by Pieter Omtzigt, where he played an important role in writing the election manifesto for the party and was eligible as MP. After the election win, he and Omtzigt conducted negotiations for the new PVV-NSC-BBB-VVD Cabinet. Since July 2024, he has been Minister of Social Affairs and Employment and third Deputy Prime Minister in this cabinet.
As a Member of Parliament for the CDA, he was committed to SMEs, employment and regional economic development. As a representative, he advocated regional economic growth and innovation. Since his appointment as minister, he has focused on themes such as social security, income policy and labor market regulations within the Schoof cabinet. He was a regular guest at the Dies to present the Overijssel PHD Award. His background at the UT has influenced his vision, especially in how technology and entrepreneurship can contribute to regional development.