Last week, many colleagues from various departments within the Faculty of Science and Technology have been threatened with dismissal, meaning that they will most likely leave our university. We are profoundly affected by these events which, while being the result of a long reorganization process, feel sudden and separate us from mentors, friends, and role models. For many of us, these colleagues embody scientific excellence, passion for teaching, and even more important, the camaraderie that is so deeply rooted within the identity of our university. They are academics who have been instrumental in the shaping of the profile of the S&T faculty and the UT. They are teachers who have trained countless physicists, engineers, and technical physicians now operating throughout the world. They are friends who have been an integral part of our community and networks and leave behind big shoes to fill. This last week has shaken grounds that we thought solid, and the consequences of this landslide are still unfolding.
At this moment, thus, nothing feels more essential than to express our heartfelt support to these individuals who have themselves supported so many of us over the years. The PhD and EngD Network (PhD & EngD Network UTwente), the Postdoc Network (PostDoc Network U. Twente), and the Young Academy (Young Academy Twente) at the University of Twente will further support in any way we can. We encourage those affected to contact us if they want to talk or if we can do something to help them.
Above all, we hope that the University of Twente will continue to be a place of support and solidarity for academics.
