During the formal reception, AUC’s founding ”fathers and mothers”, external faculty, partners and friends of AUC joined for a celebration and appreciation of the achievements of AUC’s Founding Dean, Prof. Dr. Marijk van der Wende.

Speeches and contributions were delivered by Prof. Dr. Frank A. van der Duyn Schouten (Chair of the AUC Board and Rector Magnificus of the VU University Amsterdam), Mr. Berry Marttin (Chair of the AUC International Advisory Board and Executive Board member, Rabobank), Prof. Dr. Robbert Dijkgraaf, co-founder of AUC, and by AUC alumni, Tereza Sukopova and Louis Klamroth.

Afterwards, all AUC staff, students and alumni ate together, entertained each other with music and performances of all kinds, and danced and partied until late night.

Marijk van der Wende will step down as Dean of AUC in the end of the calendar year. She will take a sabbatical leave at Harvard University, where she will work as a visiting scholar on a research project focusing on higher education in China in the age of globalisation.

Please find below links to recent interviews with Marijk van der Wende as well as to articles about her farewell and departure.