TU Eindhoven's Landmark 'Everyone Professor' Initiative Promotes Equality
Eindhoven, Thursday, 27 February 2025.
Starting November 1, 2025, TU Eindhoven will empower assistant and associate professors with professorial titles and doctorate supervision rights, challenging traditional academic hierarchies. This historic step underscores academia’s shift towards inclusivity.
Revolutionary Academic Reform
The initiative, originating from Professor Kees Storm’s 2018 inaugural lecture, represents a significant shift in academic hierarchy. Storm, currently dean of Applied Physics and Science Education, has expressed pride in the university’s progressive stance, noting the Executive Board’s support for this transformative change [1]. The reform will grant assistant professors (UDs) and associate professors (UHDs) the right to wear academic gowns during ceremonies and, crucially, to act as principal supervisors for PhD students [1].
International Alignment and Professional Recognition
This reform addresses real challenges faced by international academics at TU/e. For instance, Diletta Giuntini, who joined as an assistant professor in 2020, encountered an ‘unpleasant surprise’ when she discovered she couldn’t continue as principal supervisor for her existing PhD students after moving to TU/e [1]. The initiative aligns with practices in regions like Flanders, where similar policies are already in place, as noted by current rector Silvia Lenaerts [1].
Implementation Timeline and University Growth
The University Council endorsed the ‘Everyone Professor’ policy in late September 2024, with implementation set for November 1, 2025 [1]. This reform comes during a period of significant growth for TU/e, which currently manages a budget of €500 million annually and serves a community of approximately 20,000 people [3]. The timing coincides with other major developments, including ASML’s commitment to invest €80 million over the next decade [3][5].
Future Impact and Leadership Transition
The initiative launches during a period of leadership transition at TU/e, with current President Robert-Jan Smits departing on March 27, 2025 [5]. The implementation of ‘Everyone Professor’ will form part of the university’s broader strategic vision, which includes ongoing efforts to attract top talent and improve governance structures [3]. This reform represents a concrete step toward creating a more equitable and inclusive academic environment at one of the Netherlands’ leading technical universities [1].