Jelle Bouma and Thijs Broekhuizen named University of Groningen Business School directors

Dr. Jelle Bouma and Dr. Thijs Broekhuizen will be director and scientific director respectively of the University of Groningen Business School (UGBS) from 1 January 2020. They succeed Prof. Dr. Peter Verhoef, who became dean of the Faculty of Economics and Business in June. "We are proud of the business school as it has grown in recent years, and see many opportunities to further expand our high-quality and challenging programmes," Bouma and Broekhuizen said. Verhoef added: "The faculty has a lot of confidence in the new duo and is pleased that they are taking on this task."

The University of Groningen Business School is part of the Faculty of Economics and Business and provides executive masters/MBAs, executive programmes and in-company solutions for professionals on various themes, such as marketing, energy transition, care and welfare, data analytics, leadership, assurance, governance, accountancy and controlling.

Managing Director

Jelle Bouma will be the managing director and face of UGBS. He will also remain associated with the marketing department and director of the UG's Customer Insights Center. Together with the CIC, UGBS offers executive programmes in the field of data analytics and customer experience management. "Our business school is of interest to all professionals, because with this executive education they can continue their lifelong learning as they grow,” Bouma said. “Personally, I am looking forward to taking the organisation to an even higher level. Of course we do this in cooperation with professionals, with the goal of top-class executive education that fits in with and anticipates practice."

Scientific Director

As scientific director, Dr. Thijs Broekhuizen will be responsible for the quality of the programmes. He is a senior lecturer at the Faculty of Economics and Business, an expert in the field of innovation and digitisation. He is also part of the Groningen Digital Business Centre, in which the university and northern online entrepreneurs work together to strengthen the northern digital sector. Together with the GDBC, the UGBS offers a master class in the field of digital transformation.

"It is a challenge and an honour for me to be able to make a contribution to the UGBS. From conversations with UG alumni, I know that there is a strong need for them to continue to develop during their career with suitable further education, in-depth courses, or by attending inspiring seminars. I hope that I can provide a high quality realization of the life-long learning concept of our faculty," Broekhuizen said.

Education for professionals

According to Bouma en Broekhuizen, UGBS is ideally suited for business professionals looking for concrete solutions to complex business and economic challenges such as sustainability, digitisation, care and welfare, leadership and energy transition. "Leading scientists translate cutting edge research in various areas of knowledge into practical recommendations," said Bouma. "In addition, the business school provides an ideal platform for participants to network and professionalise by sparring with other business professionals and scientists.“

Broekhuizen added: "The interaction between practice and science is essential here. Feedback from practice helps scientists to draw up relevant research agendas, and ensures that UGBS can offer up-to-date education programmes that closely match the needs of participants."

A wide range of top quality courses

Bouma: "In this way, we offer many MBA courses in different flavours for participants with different backgrounds, including the executive master of accountancy, finance and control, mergers and acquisitions, food and retail and more. In addition, we offer short-term courses on digital transformation, data analysis, energy transition, healthcare, governance, leadership, customer experience, and so on. Incidentally, the latter has been rated no less than nine out of ten by the participants themselves! We would like this top quality education to further the benefit of society."

More information

• Thijs Broekhuizen

• Jelle Bouma

• UGBS website