Gerard Meijer quits his job as chairman of the executive board on 1 January. He will go back to his old job as director of the Fritz Haber-Institut der Max-Planck-Gesellschaft in Berlin. 'My heart lies with research.'

Gerard Meijer goes back to Berlin. This summer, he was asked to again become the director of the Fritz Haber-Institut der Max-Planck-Gesellschaft. ‘It did not take long for me to decide’, the physicist says.

Since September 2012, he is chairman of the executive board of Radbout University. A job he accepted because he thought it was a great honour to govern the university he used to attend as a student. He simple could not decline, he told Vox at the time.

But he never really forgot Berlin. He still supervised thirteen PhD students there. ‘I missed research’, he says now. ‘That is where my heart lies.’

Future
No, he did not expect to only stay in Nijmegen for four years. Just like he never expected the Fritz Haber-Institut der Max-Planck-Gesellschaft to ask him back in 2016. Exactly because he was gaining so much experience from being chairman, the institute wants him back in his research nest. Meijer: ‘The institute has five directors. When I get back, I am still the youngest. Three out of the other four are retiring in the next four years. It will be my job to prepare the institute for the future.’

Meijer calls it remarkable that a director can go back to science. The Friz Haber-Institut is a very prestigious research institute for physic chemistry, that has brought forth several Nobel prize winners. ‘I am very grateful for this chance and the faith they have in me.’

Researchers
Did he reach the goals he had in Nijmegen? For the most part he did, he says. High on his list was the term ‘branding’. The name Radboud University had to become more known, he said when he took office. Under his leadership, the sports centre became Radboud Sports Centre, the Soeterbeeck programme became Radboud Reflects, and the Radboud Excellence Initiative emerged. Especially the last one fills him with pride. ‘The programme has been running for three years now. We have invited a lot of good researchers to Nijmegen.’

Internationalisation was also a point of attention. Meijer: ‘This year, we have more international students than ever. We also made a lot of effort for exchange programmes.’ On top of that, he says he is satisfied about his role in the debate around Open Access. He negotiated on behalf of the Association of Universities in the Netherlands with Elsevier and the result of this led to the European decision that starting 2020, Open Access is the norm every where in Europe.

Responsibility
Probably, there were things he did wrong in his time as chairman, says Meijer. ‘There were fun things and things that were less fun.’ Did the Honours Academy affair and the early departure of Rector Theo Engelen play a role in his decision?

‘No. Those things come with the job. What has touched me the most, is the death of two Radboud students in the first year of my time as chairman. They died in an accident just after Orientation 2012. That is when I felt how tough this job can be and how much responsibility you have within this community.’

Gerard Meijer does not feel obligated to stay in Nijmegen longer – his contract was for six years. ‘I feel like I can leave after four years.’

In Berlin, the city that he praises for its liveliness, three universities, the international character and the amount of culture it offers, the Meijer family still owns an apartment. Going back is not too complicated. His three kids are adults and study in The Netherlands. He does regret that he will not have his parents close anymore. He told Vox in 2012 that he thought it was nice to be able to visit them regularly – they live in the Achterhoek – because they are getting older. ‘But they understand’, he says.

The chairman says he does not regret his time in Nijmegen. ‘I would never have forgiven myself if I did not do this. Eventually, maybe, it was all meant to be this way.’

Gerard Meijer stays in office until the end of December.