Technical service provider EQUANS is the very first participant in the UM Partner Programme. Through this programme, the University Fund Limburg/SWOL brings the business sector and the university closer together. A conversation with André Polgar, Commercial Director at EQUANS, about this unique new form of partnership.
Actually, EQUANS (formerly ENGIE Services) had felt like a partner of Maastricht University for years. After all, the two organisations had worked together on numerous occasions. “We didn’t have to think twice when the University Fund Limburg/SWOL approached us to participate in the UM Partner Programme,” says André Polgar. “Now, we are not only an ‘official’ partner of the university, but it is also the beginning of a closer, mutually beneficial collaboration.”
In the UM Partner Programme, companies make a financial donation to research and education on societal issues in the Limburg region. In return, they gain access to the expertise, talent, and network of Maastricht University. A tailored service package is created in consultation, which may include a workshop by a professor, access to an exclusive networking event, and a knowledge project on location, carried out by young academic talent. Polgar: “It was precisely that win-win situation that appealed to us.”
He praises his employer, among other things, for its flexible and open internal culture, where employees are encouraged to further develop themselves. “We are a learning organisation and are constantly taking new steps. Worldwide, 74,000 employees work daily to provide our customers with the most innovative and sustainable technical solutions. Our goal is to help customers with the three major transitions of today: the energy transition, the industrial transition, and the digital transition.”
“As our name suggests, EQUANS (EQUation and ANSwers) provides answers to the complex challenges our customers face. They can rely on our expertise in technical services. This allows us to relieve our customers to the fullest. From consulting, design, installation, implementation, maintenance, and management to financing.”
“We support our customers in various sectors and offer solutions for utilities, industry, and infrastructure. For example, we help hospitals create a healthy, safe, and high-tech environment, enabling them to provide the best care for their patients. There is again a commonality with Maastricht University here. We also provide long-term maintenance and management for large high-tech and industrial companies, ensuring their processes can always continue. Additionally, we work with innovative charging infrastructures to continuously develop sustainable mobility.”
“At EQUANS, we value innovation and sustainability just as much as UM does. We also both feel responsible for the next generation. We can inspire each other greatly. That’s why, within our UM Partner Programme, we focus primarily on knowledge sharing and cross-pollination. We can learn a lot from the scientific knowledge of UM in the fields of sustainability, innovation, and education. On the other hand, the university can experience the practical side of business with us. With all the new insights, we can ultimately accelerate and improve our processes for both parties.”
The first activity within the UM Partner Programme, a workshop, was unfortunately postponed due to the coronavirus crisis. Plans are now in place to organise a substantive session at the beginning of 2022. Meanwhile, Polgar and his team have not been idle. “Our technical maintenance for existing clients continues as usual. Now that the pandemic seems to be settling down a bit, we’re seeing more and more new and existing clients eager to get started with projects that had been delayed due to COVID. “We are eager to further support our clients and explore new opportunities in the energy transition, industrial transition, and digital transition. The university may also be able to help us in these areas. We see the future—and of course, our collaboration—as bright!”
André Polgar (1966) is the Commercial Director at EQUANS, the market leader in technical services, with 5,500 employees across 29 locations in the Netherlands. With innovative technical, digital, and sustainable solutions, EQUANS supports clients in the utilities, industry, and public sectors. Previously, André worked at companies including Bilfinger (now Apleona), AAFM, and Zuyderland.
