The Fund has a General Board (GB) and an Executive Board (EB) (the EB is part of the GB). The chair is the King’s Commissioner in the province of Limburg. The board consists of representatives from the business community, alumni, and the academic and administrative staff of Maastricht University. They serve as members of the University Fund Limburg board on a voluntary basis.
The chair of the University Fund Limburg/SWOL is the King’s Commissioner in the province of Limburg. The chair of Maastricht University’s Executive Board is the vice-chair. The board also includes representatives from the business community, alumni, and Maastricht University’s academic and administrative staff. They serve as board members of the University Fund Limburg on a voluntary basis. We would like to introduce the board members to you personally.
At the end of 2022, Theo Bovens was appointed honorary member. From 2011 to 2021, Theo Bovens held the position of chairman, due to his appointment as Queen’s Commissioner and King’s Commissioner in the province of Limburg. He fulfilled this role with great enthusiasm. Previously, the University Fund Limburg appointed Dr J. Kremers (chairman, 1977-1989), Mr B.J.M. Baron van Voorst tot Voorst (chairman, 1993-2005) and Mr W. Blind RA (treasurer, 1990-2005) as honorary members.
Since 2021, Emile Roemer has held the office of King’s Commissioner in Limburg, also known as governor in the province of Limburg. Traditionally, the annual UM Dinner is held in the Government Building.
‘The governor of Limburg is “qualitate qua” chairman of the fund, which had already been in existence for 12 years before the university was officially opened in 1976. Charles van Rooy, the then King’s Commissioner, took the initiative to establish it. I am now the eighth governor to hold the gavel. In my role as chairman of the board of the University Fund Limburg, I am witnessing a special synergy between education, research and society, which enables us to build a better future together. I see the Fund as a crucial link in bringing together academic excellence and social needs. We not only achieve scientific breakthroughs, but also offer concrete solutions to the challenges facing our community.’
Prof. Rianne Letschert has been chair of the Executive Board of Maastricht University since 2021. After 20 years as a scientist, Letschert is now, in her own words, ‘administrator of the most beautiful university in the Netherlands’. In this capacity, Letschert also serves as vice-chair.
‘For me, the great value of the Fund, both for UM and beyond, lies in the fact that we focus on activities that are both groundbreaking and have a real social impact. The Fund’s projects are inspiring and innovative. This is also clearly reflected in the diverse crowdfunding campaigns on UM Crowd, which is a great tool for engaging a wider audience. The Fund offers many researchers, students and initiatives the opportunity to go that extra mile, with resources that are not always available. That important message can and must be spread even more widely. So let’s make 2026 a spectacular anniversary year! A year in which even more people and companies hear about the Fund.’
UM alumna Nicole Niessen graduated from the Faculty of Law in 1993. Years later, Niessen returned to her alma mater as a university lecturer in Constitutional and Administrative Law, after which she made the switch to the legal profession. Niessen has been a partner at Boels Zanders Advocaten since 2020. Niessen holds the position of secretary at the Fund.
‘Both for me personally and for other alumni who work at Boels Zanders Advocaten, it is important to give something back to our university. When my colleague Jan Stoop’s term on the board ended, I was given the honourable opportunity to take over the baton. The Fund makes an important contribution to strengthening the connection between UM and the region. I hope that together we will succeed in raising even more funds to realise our ambitions by demonstrating even more clearly the significance of the Fund for UM and the enormous importance of UM at regional, national and international level. It would be fantastic to see continued growth in the number of alumni who support their alma mater.’
Richard Pluymakers is Managing Partner at Ernst & Young and has been treasurer of the University Fund Limburg since 2013. With his financial expertise, he contributes to the strategic development of the Fund and the collaboration between the business community and Maastricht University.
Marc Schreinemacher is Managing Director at KRECO NV and an alumnus of the Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences at Maastricht University, where he also obtained his PhD. His academic background and years of experience as a researcher at the university strengthen his ties with both Maastricht and the region. As a board member of the University Fund Limburg, he uses his knowledge and network to further develop cooperation between UM and the business community.
Wim Hillenaar has been mayor of Maastricht since 2023. In this capacity, Hillenaar serves as a member of the General Board.
‘Maastricht cannot and will not do without its university; we are a university city. We must cherish and promote this. As mayor, I seize every opportunity to contribute to this. UM is a young university that is at the heart of society and firmly rooted in the (European) region. This is where the great value of the Fund lies, both for UM and for society as a whole. With the help of the Fund, it is possible to provide high-quality education and conduct research on challenging, relevant social issues. In addition, meaningful partnerships offer opportunities for the labour market, and scholarships open doors for young talent. These connections between the university and the world outside are invaluable.’
Ron Coenen is Commercial Director at Ignite Group Netherlands. In his role as Chairman of the Limburg Employers‘ Association (LWV), he is an active board member of the Fund.
‘As LWV chair, I strive to be the figurehead and spokesperson for a business club with approximately 1,300 members. We represent more than 265,000 jobs in Limburg, almost 50% of the Limburg labour market. We are therefore committed to promoting Limburg’s interests in The Hague and within the province itself. The connection between education and business is essential to contributing to the development of our economic climate. It is from this perspective and in this role that I participate in the board. By continuing to engage in dialogue with each other, we can create valuable new connections. During my term on the board, I hope to make this connection between education, research and the business community even more tangible for society by continuing to respond to current events and future developments and themes that are important to us all.’
Prof. Yvonne van der Meer is professor of Sustainability of Chemicals and Materials at the Faculty of Science and Engineering.
‘Partly because of my expertise in sustainability, I was asked to join the board. For me, there is also a personal motivation behind this. At the start of my academic career, I received a corporate donation from the Fund for research into sustainability. Among other things, the money enabled me to hire a PhD student. The Fund is a wonderful additional instrument that makes things possible within the university that we cannot achieve with other sources of funding. This is especially true when it comes to innovative activities. I am happy to commit myself to this. As a board member, I hope to contribute valuable contacts and tap into the right ideas as a networker and connector. I see myself primarily as an active supporter of those who represent the Fund and work with it on a daily basis.’
UM alumna Fancy van de Vorst graduated from the Faculty of Law in 1995. Van de Vorst currently works at Fontys University of Applied Sciences as a strategic advisor on regional cooperation and public affairs. She also sits on the board of World Trade Center Brainport Eindhoven and is involved in the Guiding Coalition of Brabant C, the cultural fund of the Province of Brabant. Van der Vorst joined the General Board in 2023.
‘As an alumna of Maastricht University, it is an honour to be a member of the board. I believe it is important that research into social challenges is given the space it needs. New and innovative research in the start-up phase often does not fall within the scope of regular subsidies or funding opportunities. Thanks to the Fund, it is possible to realise these projects. I want to contribute to this. What inspires me in particular are the opportunities offered to young people who do not have the opportunity to study. Thanks to scholarships from the Fund, among other things, this becomes possible for them. As an international UM alumni community, we can work together to promote the Fund’s mission and set an example to the world. I am committed to doing so during my term on the Board.’
Peter Thissen is an honorary ambassador for Limburg and former chairman of Ondernemend Venlo. Until 2016, Thissen was CEO of the family business Thissen Installatietechniek BV.
‘Former chairman Theo Bovens asked me to join the board because of my chairmanship of Ondernemend Venlo. Maastricht University, with campuses in the city centre of Venlo and on the Brightlands Campus, is seen by Ondernemend Venlo as a valuable stakeholder. The presence of UM offers entrepreneurs in Venlo unprecedented opportunities; after all, the university provides the employees of the future. In addition, entrepreneurs can help finance the Fund’s activities. Traditionally, universities have had virtually no structural contact with the business community, even though this relationship is so important for both parties. The Fund can fill this gap. As a board member, I see it as an important task to actively contribute to this.’
Image © Zebra Fotostudio
UM alumnus Thomas Schok studied Medicine at Maastricht University. Schok works as a surgeon and medical manager of the surgery department at the VieCuri Medical Centre for North Limburg.
‘As a board member, I can give something back to “my” university in a concrete way. It also gives me the opportunity to contribute to innovative projects with a clear social impact and lasting value, which might not be able to flourish without additional funding. The Fund creates space for ideas that go beyond purely scientific objectives. Projects that combine healthcare and technology really appeal to me, because they are directly in line with my desire to integrate technology into healthcare in a meaningful way. But my role as a board member also gives me a broader perspective on social challenges and solutions outside my regular field of work. During my term on the board, I hope to contribute to strengthening the collaboration between UM and social institutions, with a view to innovation and promoting employment in Limburg.’
Since 2012, Mirjam Oude Egbrink has been a professor at UM in the field of education, focusing on training professionals in the health/healthcare sector (health professions education). She is also Vice-Dean of Education within the Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences.
‘Especially in these times, it is important that the importance and value of university research and education for society as a whole is carefully communicated. Through the UM Crowd crowdfunding platform, among other things, the Fund supports various social projects. This gives relatively disadvantaged young people the opportunity to study at UM. As a first-generation student, I know how important it is to be encouraged and helped to make the most of your talents and take the step to university, especially in the current political context. Some of my PhD students and students at FHML regularly apply for grants from the Fund. The grants encourage students to play an active role both inside and outside their studies, where they learn a great deal with a view to their future role in society. For PhD students, it offers the opportunity to participate in conferences and network with other experts.’
Rob Bauer, a UM alumnus from the School of Business and Economics, has been closely associated with Maastricht University for many years. After graduating in 1989, he started as an assistant professor in 1990 and began his PhD programme in 1992. His relationship with the university and the region has remained strong ever since, as evidenced by his current role as a board member of the University Fund Limburg. Bauer’s academic focus is on sustainable finance, responsible investment and the influence of institutional investors.
Daisy Blaauw has been a board member of the University Fund Limburg since July 2020 and is committed to supporting education, research and social initiatives at Maastricht University. As an alumna of both the UM Faculty of Law and University College Maastricht, she has a strong academic background and is deeply involved in the UM community. In addition to her role at the Fund, she has extensive experience in policy advice and strategic development, including in her current role as a consultant at ORGfit.
‘It is an honour to contribute to my alma mater as a board member of the University Fund. The mission of the Fund resonates strongly with me, and I am proud to represent it in this role. Promoting scientific research and education is of great importance. With both my professional background and personal motivation, I firmly believe in strong connections between the university and society. Education and research do not exist in isolation—they are deeply linked to, and contribute to, societal developments and challenges.
By raising funds and building bridges between the university, the business community, and (social) organisations, the University Fund Limburg creates real impact: it brings ideas to life, creates opportunities for students and researchers, and contributes to a sustainable and innovative society, both in Limburg and far beyond.’
Thomas de Klein is a board member of the University Fund Limburg and a civil-law notary at Noto Notarissen, specialising in inheritance matters. With over twenty years of experience in the notarial profession, he has in-depth legal expertise.
