After obtaining her Bachelor’s degree in Technical Medicine last year, Eline Kikkert joined the board of the Student Union (SU). Until March 2022, she was the board member responsible for the Entrepreneurship, Innovation and External Relations portfolio. As the year progressed, sustainability became an increasingly important topic for Eline. ‘I took on this challenge and now sustainability has a permanent place within the portfolio.’
Sustainability in the SU
The role of sustainability has been growing in recent years, Eline explains, and she was eager to see this reflected in the activities of the SU. ‘In the past, sustainability was always treated as a separate project by the Student Union Board. As such, it didn’t feature as a regular part of anyone’s duties. Because I had room in my portfolio, and innovation and sustainability often go hand in hand, it was a role I was happy to take on over the past year.’
For this new project, Eline’s first step was to map out the current situation. ‘I looked into what kind of initiatives already exist at the University of Twente and how students can play a role in them. As the SU, we already had a place in the Shaping Expert Group on Sustainability and in addition to this, I was allowed to join the steering group of the Sustainability, Energy & Environment programme. The SU has also entered into an official partnership with the Green Hub.’ In her personal life too, Eline is increasingly concerned with sustainability. ‘That creates a positive interaction: my own personal interest in sustainability feeds into what I’ve done in this area at the SU, and vice versa.’
Making student views heard
Eline’s goal was for students to become more involved in the University of Twente’s sustainability initiatives. ‘I think it’s essential for students to be aware of how they can make a difference. In addition, I give voice to student views at policy level so that they can be taken into account when decisions are made. Students are such a big part of the university, yet I have noticed that in many respects they don’t really know what’s going on.’ In her position, Eline therefore sought to connect the various parties within the University of Twente. This turned out to be more of a challenge than she had bargained for. ‘It’s hard not to feel frustrated when you see so many people operating on their own little island. Many initiatives are happening in parallel to each other, which means they are not visible to everyone. I think that’s such a pity.’
Eline also believes that students can be given more responsibility. ‘I have discovered that students are eager to make a difference, both to the university and society as a whole. This is also where my real motivation lies: in showing that there is still so much potential to be realised. That’s why I try to spread the message that students can add considerable value to sustainability projects.’
Ambitions for the future
Eline’s year on the SU board year has now come to a close. But her achievement in making sustainability a permanent part of her portfolio means that her successor, Joris Harbers, has taken these duties over from her. ‘Last year I put my time and effort into mapping out sustainability at the University of Twente and ensuring that student views are heard at all levels of the organisation. The next step is to turn this into a strategy. In 2022, the SU also aims to facilitate students and associations on sustainability issues. I want the urgency of these issues to be clear to everyone.’
But Eline also has plenty of ideas for the university as a whole. ‘I think it would be a good idea to have a working group dedicated entirely to sustainability. As things stand, the people working in this area often do so alongside their main duties, so it is never given the highest priority. This is unfortunate, because I can see that the motivation is there. But we tend to fall short because there’s not enough capacity.’ Eline firmly believes that establishing a sustainability working group can make a big difference. But every student and member of staff also has their own contribution to make. ‘Insight and transparency are vital, because people first need to understand what can be achieved. We also need to set a good example for others to eventually follow. My ideal scenario would be for everyone at the University of Twente to work together towards a common goal, where everyone is involved and objectives are met by working efficiently.’
