New TU Eindhoven President Faces Budget Reversal and Campus Tensions
Eindhoven, Thursday, 5 February 2026.
Koen Janssen officially becomes president of Eindhoven University of Technology on March 27, inheriting both opportunities and challenges. While celebrating the Dutch coalition’s reversal of €1.5 billion education cuts—calling it “music to our ears”—Janssen must simultaneously navigate community tensions requiring dialogue sessions about global conflicts affecting campus life. His leadership transition comes as TU/e strengthens its critical role in the Netherlands’ semiconductor and innovation ecosystem.
Leadership Transition Timeline
Janssen’s path to the presidency began in September 2024 when he submitted his application for the role at Eindhoven University of Technology [1]. The 60-year-old chemistry graduate from KU Leuven brings over three decades of experience from DSM, where he served as global vice president of Innovation and Sustainability at DSM Biomedical in the United States [1]. Most recently, he held the position of managing director at the TNO Brightlands Materials Center in Geleen since 2022 [1]. His appointment marks a significant career milestone, as Janssen himself acknowledged: “Being given the role of president at TU/e is a career highlight for me” [1]. The transition will occur in two phases—Janssen starts his role on March 1, 2025, and officially takes over from current president Robert-Jan Smits on March 27 [1].
Coalition Government Reverses Education Cuts
The timing of Janssen’s leadership coincides with a major policy reversal that benefits Dutch higher education institutions. On January 23, 2026, the minority coalition government of D66, CDA, and VVD announced plans to reverse planned cuts to education, allocating €1.5 billion for education and research [3]. This funding covers multiple areas including MBO, education quality improvements, teacher shortage solutions, Education Inspectorate operations, and crucially for universities, research and science investments along with student purchasing power enhancements [3]. Janssen responded enthusiastically to the announcement on January 29, 2026, stating: “This coalition agreement is extremely good news for higher education and science, for the Netherlands as a whole, and for TU/e as well” [3]. He particularly highlighted the government’s attention to “innovation ecosystems, the Brainport region, knowledge valorization, and international talent” while noting progress toward the 3 percent standard for Research & Development [3].
Campus Community Challenges
Despite the positive financial developments, Janssen inherits a campus grappling with tensions related to global conflicts and their local impact. TU/e has scheduled a dialogue session titled “Community in difficult times” for February 9, 2026, from 18:30 to 21:00 in the central hall of Atlas [2]. The session, limited to 50 participants, aims to provide a forum where students and staff can share how difficult times affect them, particularly due to geopolitical tensions or conflicts in their home countries [2]. Lara Hofstra, co-organizer and student diversity officer, explained: “This is an invitation to anyone who wants to share how difficult times affect them” [2]. The initiative follows Janssen’s announcement of the dialogue session during a Peace Flag raising at the TU/e campus in December 2025 [2].
Strategic Focus on Regional Innovation
Janssen’s leadership philosophy centers on building lasting relationships and maximizing human potential within TU/e’s unique ecosystem. He emphasizes that “everything revolves around people” and states that his priority is determining “what students and researchers need to excel” [1]. His approach extends beyond the campus boundaries, as he recognizes TU/e’s special position due to “its close ties and cooperation with the Brainport region” [1]. The university’s strength in semiconductors and its role in providing “excellent engineers and knowledge” to regional companies align with the coalition government’s focus on innovation ecosystems [1][3]. To manage his responsibilities effectively, Janssen plans an unconventional work arrangement—commuting from his home in Bilzen, Belgium, to Eindhoven four days per week, while working from Belgium on Wednesdays to care for his grandchildren [1]. His commitment to substance over status is evident in his declaration: “I’m not here for the title or prestige; it’s about the substance and what I can contribute to the organization” [1].