TU Excellence Fund: 5 years of investing in impact

To be prepared for all societal challenges of today and tomorrow, TU Delft’s innovative power is strongly required. Our unique technological knowledge and know-how are useful to big topics such as health care, energy transition, digital society, climate, mobility, and urbanization. To fulfil this role responsibly and successfully, we invest in an excellent ecosystem of education, research, and innovation.

Eight scientists in the spotlight

Such a successful ecosystem starts with scientific excellence. The government does not provide freely spendable resources to use competing benefits to international top scientists to Delfts. That can only be done with private resources. When I raised my worries about this amongst governors 5 years ago, a few Delft pioneers took the initiative to found the TU Excellence Fund. While it had not been common in the Netherlands for alumni to donate to their alma mater, these pioneers managed it! Now, thanks to their financial support from the Excellence Fund, we have been able to attract 8 top scientists. They are in the spotlight in this Impact Report 2024. Along with their personal story, you can read about their impact on the ecosystem of education, research, and innovation. About their innovative and often interdisciplinary approach. About their passion to raise the next generation of engineers and to help them on their way. And about their impact on the societal solutions for tomorrow.

The importance of alumni

This Impact Report also shows which developments the TU Excellence Fund has been through as impactful community. With their network, input and contribution, these and other alumni support the development of TU Delft. Such alumni communities are becoming more and more important every day. Today, a new wind is blowing in terms of education and science. Science and research financing are under pressure, while societal challenges are crying out for well-educated engineers. Our alumni community can send a strong signal about the importance of technology and science, and play an important role in keeping high standards when it comes to high-quality knowledge and innovation in the Netherlands.

Looking forward

TU Delft is a world-leading institute and we want to stay that way! We need to keep working hard for that. In this, TU Delft feels strongly supported by our alumni and especially by the founders of the Excellence Fund. I also think there is potential for growth and hope that an increasing number of alumni want to be involved. This way, we and more than 110,000 Delft engineers everywhere on earth, can be there for each other, learn from each other, and most of all, create impact for the Dutch economy and tomorrow’s world.

For now, we thank you for your contributions so far, for your involvement and input. And we wish you much reading and viewing pleasure with this Impact Report 2024.

Prof. dr. ir. Tim van der Hagen

Rector Magnificus TU Delft