The spread of the coronavirus has changed our lives. The coming weeks and months will undoubtedly bring new and unexpected challenges. It is our responsibility to help each other where necessary. That is why we would like to ask: how are you? Are you and your loved ones feeling well? Please let us know if the UT can do something for you.
Education, research and other online activities
The ever-increasing measures to control the coronavirus mean that in the upcoming time we have to start living differently and improvise a lot. We are also working hard to ensure that education and research continue online as much as possible. It is inspiring to see our community's commitment and dedication to this.
Consequences for alumni
Unfortunately, our alumni activities in March, April and May had to be cancelled, such as the Twente Alumni Lectures and DEAN events abroad. But together with the alumni volunteers involved, we are looking for new, online ways of coming together. As soon as more is known about this, we will share it with you. Our communication with alumni via social media, e-mail newsletters and magazine continues.
Worldwide UT community
Know that as a UT alumnus you are not alone. Not only the University of Twente is here for you, but the entire worldwide UT community, with more than 50,000 alumni, who can support you. "We are all in this together"! Do you have an idea to help others during this crisis, or do you want to enlist the help of other alumni, then use the UT community. Reach out to them via Facebook or LinkedIn, or send an email to alumni@utwente.nl so that we can help you further.
There have already been great innovative examples within our alumni community of togetherness and ‘noaberschap’ over the past few weeks. Visit www.utwente.nl/wall for an overview of inspiring initiatives from our UT community. We would like to share a few of them with you:
- Science journalist Diederik Jekel (TN ‘10) regularly posts (Dutch) updates about the coronavirus in everyday ‘people’ language.
- Healthcare entrepreneur Daan Dohmen (TBK '03 / PhD '12) developed a corona mobile phone app together with the OVLG Hospital in Amsterdam. Possible corona patients from the area can use the app to transmit their measured health values which will be assessed by a medical team.
- Joost Diepenmaat (CS'09) and Edwin Vlieg (CS'10), founders of Moneybird host a daily Tea-time session online for companies and professionals with a good dose of positivity.
- The UT TechMed Centre is mobilizing forces to support hospitals. They are, for example, researching methods to connect multiple patients to one respiratory machine. Furthermore, the centre calls for close collaboration with industry.
If you know of other inspiring stories involving UT’ers please send them to us: alumni@utwente.nl.
Stay safe, stay healthy and take care of each other.
The UT Alumni Office
