Summary annual report 2008

During the course of 2008, it became clear that Fontys was facing a considerable multiple challenge because – partly due to the introduction of a large-scale educational renewal programme in 2004 – across the board at Fontys, the quality of education and organisation had suffered.

During the second six months of the year, maximum priority was specifically given to raising the quality of our teaching programmes in terms of both content and organisation. The intended improvement in quality should be demonstrated over the next few years by a rise in satisfaction and pride amongst our students, our staff and our environment, in respect of the performance of Fontys.

Even in 2008, achieving these objectives has placed severe demands on all parties, not only in taking responsibility but also in making the best possible use of the limited financial resources available for our education programmes. In a number of areas improvements are already visible, including a considerable rise in new student numbers starting on 1 October 2008.

The efforts involved in following this new course will continue unabated into 2009.

Mission and vision

To provide high-quality, practical-based bachelor education is the core of the mission of Fontys University of Applied Sciences. The strategy Idealism in learning communities, a quality strategy – adopted in 2007, in which the central focus is the striving for continuous quality improvement – remains fully in place. This mission is reflected in:

• Inspirational and intensive education and research in which professional practice is the central pillar.
• Maximum challenge and talent development for each student.
• Activation of the innovative and investigative capacity of students and employees.
• International orientation as a component of each curriculum.
• A smoothly-running organisation in which the students are the central point of focus and in which at least 80% of students score their teaching and studies as ‘good’.
• Courses of study that achieve at least a ‘good’ score in 80% of accredited elements.
• Courses of study that are well-received in the professional field.
• Proud employees who strive for quality in their work: motivated professionals for motivated students.
• A school that challenges, fascinates and creates loyalty. 

High points

Education

• Start of a unique course of studies in Pedagogical Management Child Day Care
• Variant course Communication International Event, Music & Entertainment Studies successfully launched.
• Total student intake rose by 11.2%.
• The project Recognising Acquired Competences was positively reviewed.

Research

• Research programming achieved major progress.
• A quality assurance system for associate professors and research was developed.
• A third group of fifteen young doctoral thesis students were accepted. The total number of doctoral thesis students thereby rose to 67.
• The first young doctoral thesis student completed his doctoral thesis.
• The Eindhoven School of Education organised the Education Research Days.
• Subsidies for RAAK projects were awarded worth a total amount of €2.5 million.

The business market

• The Extense education prize 2008 was awarded to Fontys Actief.
• The first Fontys-wide course catalogue was presented.
• BAZN, the administration academy and InterConcept developed an approach for recruiting personnel for municipal authorities.
• The deployment of technical training programmes within the collaboration between Fontys Pedagogical Technical School and DAF Nederland rose by 7 fte.
• The Nidap customer satisfaction figure for quality of teaching material and  trainers averaged 7.5.

Internationalisation

• The recruitment of foreign students was tackled Fontys-wide for the first time.
• The number of students completing a foreign minor rose.
• With a number of new foreign partner universities, Fontys-wide collaboration projects were agreed.
• Fontys Go Global Grant was successfully introduced.

ICT and educational facilities

• The use of ICT facilities for education rose to a spectacular extent.
• Wireless access to the networks was made available in more than 20% of all rooms.
• ICT services obtained a security quality certificate.

Personnel

• Introduction of a new method of absenteeism supervision whereby all absenteeism activities are organised under our own auspices. The Reintegration and Absenteeism Office was established. All managers within Fontys received absenteeism management training.
• The Fontys Young Professionals network was launched.

Accommodation

• The renovation and modernisation of the building on the Frans Franssenstraat in ’s-Hertogenbosch was completed.
• The renovated Maaskant building in Tilburg was opened.

Governance

On 1 June 2008, Marcel Wintels took up the position as chairman of the Executive Board for a period of four years. At the end of this period he may be reappointed for a further four years.

Upon his appointment, Marcel Wintels was set the task of forming a new, smaller Executive Board in the light of the imminent (early) retirement of the three Board members who have held their position for a considerable period of time. With this in mind, in close consultation with the Board of Governors, the initial preparatory steps were taken in 2008. It was also decided to take charge of the implementation of the newly-set course as quickly as possible in 2009, with the new Board.

The CMR was involved in the recruitment and the selection of the new chairman of the Executive Board, and issued a positive recommendation in respect of the appointment of the proposed candidate. With the appointment of Marcel Wintels, the central focus has now been placed on strengthening the educational organisation for example by simplifying the minor system and increasing satisfaction amongst students and employees. This focus, which represents a cultural sea change, was not only a major theme for the CMR in 2008, but will continue to occupy a key position in 2009.

Financial result

The falling intake levels and increasing dropout rates over the past few years have resulted in a loss of market share of approx. 10%.

The financial effects of this shrinkage will above all make their presence felt starting in 2009 (as a result of the T-2 delay). Against that background, in 2009, cutbacks and reallocations were initiated which have led to far-reaching efficiency measures and reprioritisation of support processes and other activities.

The year 2008 closed with a major negative operating shortfall, mainly as a result of payments to provisions for reorganisation costs and a number of incidental disappointments. These interventions should result in a more healthy financial basis for the future.

Figures  

Number of registrations

Prospects

Education

• Quality improvement in bachelor courses due to greater individual responsibility of schools.
• Further continuous monitoring of student satisfaction.
• Improved monitoring of study progress in bachelors based on study progress indicator.

Research

• In 2009, the first version of a research programme will be published for the whole of Fontys.
• On 22 April 2009, the Fontys Research Conference is due to be held.
• The new quality assurance system for associate professors and research will be put into use.
• Because of the budgetary restrictions confronting Fontys in 2009, the number of associate professors and doctoral thesis placements will not be extended.

The business market

• For 2009, we expect stabilisation in the scale of service provision to the business market.
• The focus will be placed on increasing the market share of trainers in companies with more than 100 employees.

Internationalisation

• In 2009, the focus will be placed on increasing the number of Fontys students acquiring international learning experience via a semester of study or traineeship abroad.
• To increase the number of studies abroad, the new Fontys-wide partners will be deployed.
• To increase the number of traineeships abroad, the functioning of the Fontys Go Global Grant will be extended.

ICT and educational facilities

• A decision will be taken during the course of 2009 on the future use of Peoplesoft-S.
• There will be further harmonisation and standardisation of ICT solutions between schools and the Fontys Support Unit.
• A new, flexible virtual learning and working environment for students, lecturers and researchers will be designed.
• The influence of school management, lecturers and users on ICT developments will be extended.
• The elite sport policy will be further developed.

Personnel

• The satisfaction monitor will be supplemented with a more extensive employee satisfaction survey.
• The objective is to increase employee satisfaction within two years to 7.5.
• Evaluation of the system of competence management.
• Alteration of the job mix based on the Teacher Action Plan.
• Because of the budgetary restrictions facing Fontys in 2009, a staff reduction of 200 jobs will be implemented, partly via natural wastage.

Accommodation

• The renovation of the Wylderbeek building 3 in Venlo will be completed.
• Optimisation of accommodation in Eindhoven and Tilburg, including plan development for the redevelopment of the total Rachelsmolen site.
• Plan development for the location and equipping of a Fontys campus at the TU/e site.
• Implementation of the Sport School in Eindhoven will be prepared.
• Plan development for accommodation in the Spoorzone in Tilburg.

Financing

• The cutbacks and reallocations initiated in 2008 should lead to a more healthy financial basis for the future.
• Because staff costs represent more than 75% of total costs, a deliberate focus will be placed on more flexible staff patterns.