Supervisory Board

Supervisory body

As an internal supervisory body, the Board of Trustees oversees Executive Board policy and the daily routine at the university. The governance structure of the Hague University of Applied Sciences is grounded in the belief that good governance is characterised by clarity, integrity and responsibility for strategy, results and risks. There is a clear-cut separation between the supervision, administration and management tasks, responsibilities and authorities. This contributes to effective and efficient collaboration between management and the supervisory body.

Supervisory framework

In 2014, the Board of Trustees formulated a supervisory framework for its task as an internal supervisory body. In doing so, it sought alignment with the management philosophy of the Executive Board, designed in parallel with the new institutional plan. The Board deems alignment of the supervision with the method of management of great importance for ensuring balance in the interplay between management and supervision.

This alignment is not only visible in the design of the supervisory framework by means of ‘the chestnuts’; for an explanation of this, see page 3 of the institutional plan. Above all, the intention of the supervisory framework that is closely tied to the choice of management model is to create a balance between the softer management instruments, such as interaction and connection, inspiration and values, and the harder instruments, such as monitoring and measuring, boundaries and rules. From its own position and responsibilities, the Board of Trustees wants to shape its role as an internal supervisory body within this model and to align its work and activities with this.

Profile

The Board of Trustees has created a profile for its composition and required expertise. Legal provisions, the articles of association and the Branchecode Governance (governance protocol for institutes of higher education) are incorporated into the Board of Trustees Regulations (in Dutch).

Composition

As of the 1st of August 2021, the Board of Trustees is composed as follows:

• M.M. Van Zuijlen, Chair, Chair of the Remuneration Committee;
• S. Lutchman, Member of the Remuneration Committee;
• J.R. ter Horst, Member of the Education & Research Committee;
• K.F.B. Baele, Member of the Education & Research Committee;
• R.H.J.M. Gradus, Chair of the Audit Committee;
• J.F.M. van Rooijen, Member of the Audit Committee.

Meetings

The Board of Trustees holds six meetings per year. The agenda items are based on an agenda that is drawn up each year. The board meetings are not open to the general public. The board of trustees meets with the General Council twice per year.

Committees

The Board has an Audit Committee, comprising Mr Gradus (Chair) and Mr van Rooijen. The Audit Committee meets to prepare the regular Board meetings. In addition to the annual accounts, the committee also focuses on the internal risk management system and the functioning of the Planning & Control cycle.

The Board has a Remuneration Committee, comprising Ms van Zuijlen (Chair) and Ms Lutchman. This committee meets when necessary and is entrusted with evaluating the Executive Board members, the self-evaluation of the Board of Trustees and payment of the members of the Executive Board and Board of Trustees. In the event of vacancies, a recruitment and selection committee is formed on an ad-hoc basis.

The Board has an Education & Research Committee, comprising Mr Ter Horst and Ms Baele. The Education & Research Committee meets four times a year. The committee supports and advises the Board regarding its supervisory function in terms of the education & research offered at the university of applied sciences.

Remuneration The Executive Board

The remuneration policy for the members of the Executive Board follows the guidelines of the Pay Standards Act (WNT) and the sectoral payment code for higher professional education that is based on it. It has the following features:

• Payment to board members consists solely of a fixed amount; no variable remuneration components are awarded.
• Board members are appointed for a period of four years in principle.
• Reappointment is possible for four-year periods and is performance-based; an evaluation is conducted by the Board for each reappointment.
• No personal loans or guarantees are provided to board members.
• The remunerations paid to the members of the Executive Board are published each year via the website of the Netherlands Association of Universities of Applied Sciences and in the annual accounts, accessible via the website of the university of applied sciences.

Remuneration Board of Trustees

For the remuneration policy of its members, the Board of Trustees follows legal and regulatory frameworks in full. The remuneration policy is related to the responsibility of and the amount of time dedicated by the members and takes account of the position of the university of applied sciences as the smallest of the five major universities of applied sciences in the Randstad conurbation. Different pay scales apply to the chairperson and the other committee members. As of 1 April 2021, the salaries for these positions were €20,900, €15,675 respectively.

It is up to the individual members of the board to accept, refuse or reallocate the remuneration offered. Members of the Board of Trustees can declare travel expenses incurred, as well as any expenses for expertise advancement.

The remunerations paid to the members of the Board of Trustees are published each year via the Netherlands Association of Universities of Applied Sciences and in the annual accounts, accessible via the website of the university of applied sciences.

Resignation schedule