Way of working at UT

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EN

High Tech - Human Touch

At the University of Twente, we have an ambitious mission in which we, as a technical university, put people first. We believe in this and set clear priorities in education, research and innovation based on the question: How can we contribute to the development of a fair, sustainable and digital society between now and 2030?

To have a maximum impact on society, we need to become an entrepreneurial, inclusive and open ecosystem with a distinctive style of working. To help you understand our joint strategy, agreements and working methods, we have collected the following information for you to get acquainted with our way of working at UT.

  • Our important topics

    Making an impact on society, that is our mission. Our scientists, teachers and students also feel responsible for this and develop solutions to be prepared for an unpredictable and highly changeable future. That is why, in the coming years, the University of Twente will focus on five scientific themes; Improving healthcare by personalised technologies, Creating intelligent manufacturing systems, Shaping our world with smart materials, Engineering our digital society, Engineering for a resilient world.

    Within the UT, we also have a number of topics which we consider to be particularly important in our business operations. Either because they are strategic topics, such as inclusion or sustainability, or because they are relevant to our way of working and (digital) security.

  • A good work-life balance is important

    We attach great importance to a way of working that is healthy and sustainable for now and in the future. It is important that you pay attention to your personal work-life balance, but also that your way of working contributes to the mental and physical well-being of others.

    On the page utwente.nl/employee-wellbeing you will find an overview of various initiatives to promote physical and mental health. If you are in a special situation that requires attention, please discuss it with your manager.

  • Assessments of workplaces (ARBO)

    The UT also wants to make a positive contribution to the health and well-being of its employees. This is why, for example, the university offers free use of sports facilities, a variety of courses, consultations with a physiotherapist and dietician, and occupational health and safety assessments of workplaces.
    Occupational health and safety assessments of workplaces (ARBO). Almost all UT staff often work with a computer. One of the risks of this is the development of arm, neck or shoulder complaints (RSI) due to a workplace that is set up incorrectly. Such complaints can
    be prevented relatively easily. 

    More information and instructions for the best set-up of your workplace can be found at the Service Portal page 'Home office workplace'. In case of doubts about the set-up of your workplace you can always contact the health and safety coordinator of your faculty or department.

  • English is our working language

    At UT, we work together with a lot of people from different countries that don't always have the same native language. To ensure that we can understand each other and everyone is included in a conversation, we have agreed to speak English to each other as soon as an international colleague or student is present. We also write our formal documents in English so that everyone can understand them.

    To make it easier for you to write clear and reader-friendly English, a style guide is available. You can find more information in our language policy.

    • Language requirement for certain functions

      For the following positions, a language requirement is established concerning the English proficiency.

      • Lecturer;
      • Assistant Professor;
      • Associate Professor;
      • Professor.

      Within 6 months after the start of the employment contract an assessment must take place to determine the language level. The employee automatically receives an invitation for participation. If the employee is eligible for an exemption based on the Exemption Requirements, this will be established in consultation with the HR manager. For more information about the language policy or the assessment, please contact the HR department or the UT Language Center (UTLC) www.utwente.nl/en/ces/language-centre/

  • Health and Safety

    De The University of Twente wants to offer a healthy, safe and stimulating working environment, where employees can work safely. The department of Health and Safety of Human Resources provides information on good working conditions at a central level. It also takes care of matters with regard to safety, radiation, genetically modified organisms and absence due to illness. A number of faculties and departments have health and safety coordinators. They are your first point of contact for questions pertaining to safety, health and safety.

    Go to contactpage of HR to see who is the health and safety coordinator at your faculty or department.

    The UT also believes it is important to make a positive contribution to the health and well-being of its employees. This is why we offer free company sports activities, various courses, physiotherapy /dietician consultations and ARBO workplace examinations.

  • Our campus is smoke-free

    The entire campus, excluding the residential area, is smoke-free since 30 March 2020.

    For more information go to: utwente.nl/smokefree

  • Some contracts have to be put out via a European call for bids

    In the field of Purchasing and Contract Management, the UT has a number of purchasing procedures and rules to which we must adhere. We are also, according to the Dutch Procurement Act, a so-called contracting service. In practice, this means that contracts above a certain threshold must be put out to tender at European level. This is subject to other mandatory conditions and a separate tendering procedure.

  • Th!nk With Pride

    As a platform at the UT for queer (LGBTQIA+) people and community, we promote queer visibility, diversity and inclusion in the university, from education, research and social life to UT’s policies and organizational structure.

  • We have a code of conduct and house rules

    Within UT, we have agreed on codes of conduct to ensure that we have a collegial way of working together. We consider it essential that we address each other in a respectful manner when we observe inappropriate behaviour. An overview of the codes of conduct can be found in the personnel handbook. Standards, policies and initiatives in the area of scientific, social and business integrity can be found on the House of Integrity page.

    The confidential advisor advises and supports individual staff members who are confronted with unacceptablebehaviour like intimidation, (sexual) harassment, aggression, violence, discrimination, bullying or stalking.

    To guarantee everyone's health and safety on campus, there are some house rules

  • We work as much as possible from our UT house style

    It is bound to happen that you have to make a report, a presentation or simply you want to add the University of Twente logo somewhere. There are various templates and downloads available for this, from word documents to e-mail signatures, so that you can communicate recognisably on behalf of UT. Look for all house style applications on our visual & corporate identity page.

  • We work from campus and home

    Since the start of the corona pandemic, many of us have started working from home. Now that, even when remote working is no longer required, we will combine working on campus and working from home (hybrid working). On utwente.nl/homeoffice you can assess whether you have a healthy and sustainable home workplace setup and easily order any necessary facilities.

    For more information about hybrid working, go to utwente.nl/hybridworking.

  • You can arrange a lot yourself

    We always try to combine the advantages of digitalisation with our People First mission and to simplify processes and systems so that you can arrange things yourself at the time and place of your choice. For example, requesting leave, filling in your Optional Model for Employment Conditions and other HR matters via MY HR. Ordering hardware, for example, can be done via selfservice.utwente.nl and other orders can be placed via proactis.utwente.nl.

    Ask your manager which other applications are relevant for you to use.

  • You can share and receive information

    Besides information you receive from your manager, the Service portal is an important source of information within our university. In your profile settings, you can indicate what type of information you would like to read and, more importantly, you can easily submit your own news so that you can share things with others within UT.

RELATED LINKS

Contact

Please contact HR Services for any further questions. Tel 053 489 8011.

For ideas, comments or changes to this page, please email webteam-hr@utwente.nl

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