Wilco Hazeleger appointed new Rector of Utrecht University
The Supervisory Board of Utrecht University (UU) has appointed prof. dr. ir. Wilco Hazeleger as the new Rector Magnificus of UU per March 27th, 2025. He will succeed prof. dr. Henk Kummeling. Hazeleger is professor of Climate System Science and currently dean of the Faculty of Geosciences.
“In recent years, we have come to know Wilco as an inspiring, accessible and committed leader,” says Karin Laglas, chair of the Supervisory Board of UU. “He is an experienced and collegial administrator with a big heart for the broad UU community in all its diversity. As dean, he has focused on interdisciplinary collaboration, open science and stimulating diversity and inclusiveness, for example in the composition of faculty committees and in professorial appointments. He is well informed about national and international developments in education, research and impact and has a large network within UU and beyond. He operates transparently, is focused on collaboration and will strike a good balance between continuation and innovation. We are pleased that Wilco is willing to take on this honorable and important role.”
Strong foundation, broad outlook
“I am very happy with this appointment”, says Hazeleger. “UU is a wonderful and broad university. As a climate scientist, I know how important it is to connect society with scientific research and education. UU is based on strong strategic themes in sustainability, open society, youth and health. We do research and educate students with a strong foundation and with a broad outlook. I look forward to shaping the connections with society even further together with the other members of the Executive Board and with the broad university community.”
About Wilco Hazeleger
Prof. dr. ir Wilco Hazeleger (1971) studied meteorology at Wageningen University and Reading University and obtained his PhD in physical oceanography at UU. He then worked for several years at Columbia University in New York and at the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI), where he became head of the Global Climate Division in 2006. In 2014, he became director of the Netherlands eScience Center, a national center of excellence promoting multidisciplinary and data-intensive scientific research. Since July 2019, he has been dean of UU's Faculty of Geosciences. His background and broad interests make him a role model in the interdisciplinary approach to social issues, for example in the areas of sustainability, climate change, and digitalization and AI.
Appointment procedure
The Supervisory Board took the decision to appoint Hazeleger after a careful procedure. The profile for the new Rector was developed in consultation with the deans and the University Council, and the broad-based application committee included two members of the University Council. Hazeleger will be appointed for four years with the possibility of reappointment.
Transfer of rectorship during Dies Natalis celebration
The transfer of rectorship will take place on March 26th, 2025, during the university's 389th Dies Natalis celebration in the Dom Church. Henk Kummeling will then step down as Rector Magnificus. The Supervisory Board is very grateful to him for his ceaseless open outlook and open attitude, and the enormous contributions he has made to UU and in the development of education and research. For example with his driving role in open science and in the further development of the Utrecht educational model.
In addition to the Rector Magnificus, the Executive Board consists of President Prof. Dr. Anton Pijpers, Vice President Dr. Margot van der Starre and Student Assessor Niels Vreeswijk.