Shaping 2030: our mission

We are not living in an era of change, but in a change of era. With everything around us in flux, how can we confidently say anything about the year 2030? The 4th Industrial Revolution has come with promises of flourishing and prophecies of doom. Irrespective of our positions, we all must rethink our lives and help redesign society. For us, this calls for a reinvention of our university.

One can compare the current revolution to previous industrial revolutions: a flood of changes fundamentally reshaping society, but also with severe drawbacks, particularly in the balance between people and technologies. Right now, we are witnessing a transformation like that. And we are no passive subjects to it: we are its shapers. Join us in exploring what it means to shape 2030.

Our mission

At the University of Twente, we have a clear mission:

The University of Twente is the ultimate people-first university of technology. We empower society through sustainable solutions.

This mission represents our identity;

Being ‘people-first’ is our choice: we serve humanity, aware of the interdependencies between people and our planet, and always aiming to make sure that people can count on us. We have delivered technological innovations in the past, and we will be a part of the innovations of the future. We are aware that technologies change society, and that science’s contribution changes with it. We make sure that our people have the time to grow and deliver quality work. We share our talent and resources on campus, in the region, and with the wider world around us. In the choices we make, large and small, the wellbeing of people is our guiding principle.

We are a university of technology: our university is a public institution that serves society. We are accountable to society for the ways in which we use our academic freedom. We are responsible for ensuring that the power of science and technology is harnessed to achieve the best possible impact in a changing world. We cherish our rich tradition of combining technical and social sciences in our five profiling themes: Improving healthcare by personalized technologies; Creating intelligent manufacturing systems; Shaping our world with smart materials; Engineering our digital society; and Engineering for a resilient world.

We empower: we enable society to achieve the goals it sets itself by wise use of science and technology. We contribute to a balanced understanding of scientific and technological developments, and of their impact on the community and the environment.

We provide sustainable solutions: we aim for thriving and resilient communities, with an eye for innovation opportunities, with authoritative expertise, and with a keen sensitivity to society’s needs. Resisting the temptations of blind techno-mania as well as romantic nostalgia, we provide sound, scientific guidance towards environmental, social and economic sustainability.