Nynke van Dijk joins the AUAS Executive Board

Nynke van Dijk will focus on a strong, cohesive and affordable range of education and research, prioritising strengthening the quality and student-centredness of the teaching organisation. She will do this in a challenging context, in which financial constraints and the need for innovation go hand in hand. Like her fellow board members, Nynke will be first point of contact for two faculties.

In 2020, Nynke started as a dean at AUAS. She has played a key role in merging the two faculties she is responsible for into the Faculty of Health, Sport and Physical Activity (FHSPA). She has an eye for the coherence and development of education, applied research and further training, retraining and refresher training. She has also made a key contribution to the strategic development of AUAS, including in the areas of internationalisation, research and setting up a centre for Teaching & Learning. She works at national and regional levels to strengthen cooperation between universities of applied sciences and the professional field in the areas of health care, sport and nutrition. Trained as a physician and educationalist, Nynke is professor of Medical Education and Training at Amsterdam UMC. 

Nynke van Dijk: ‘I am proud and honoured to have the privilege of fulfilling this wonderful role. This position is a wonderful fit with my knowledge and experience at the interface of teaching, research and leadership. We are facing great challenges as a university of applied sciences, and I have every confidence that, together with our dedicated colleagues, all our talented students and engaged representative advisory bodies, we can make significant progress.’ 

The chair of the Supervisory Board, Gala Veldhoen, is pleased to appoint Nynke van Dijk as a member of the Executive Board. ‘She has extensive experience in both teaching and (applied) research and is always attentive to students and staff. Her talent for carefully and effectively managing change processes, combined with her substantive knowledge, reflective ability and enthusiasm, makes her well suited to this role. We are also proud to appoint such a capable candidate from our own organisation.’ 

Jopie Nooren, chair of the Executive Board, expresses her confidence: ‘My colleague Henk Geveke and I are looking forward to working with Nynke. We know her as a committed, reliable and collaborative colleague with a strong substantive drive. We are convinced that Nynke will make a valuable contribution to our strategic education and research policy in connection with professional practice and societal challenges. Given the tasks facing our university of applied sciences, her substantive knowledge and experience are a welcome addition. Together, we will confidently take the next steps in the further development of our university of applied sciences.’ 

Until 1 March, Jopie Nooren and Henk Geveke will cover Geleyn Meijer’s areas of responsibility. Henk Geveke has been appointed vice-chair from 1 January 2026. The Executive Board, partly based on the advice of the Faculty’s Representative Advisory Council and the faculty management team, is considering the vacancy created by Nynke’s departure from her position as dean of FHSPA.