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drs. F.J. de Vries (Fred)

Strategic liaison European Higher Education

About Me

Since September 2023, Fred works on strategic intelligence in Europe, representing the UT on European Higher Education for the European Commission and other representing organisations active in Brussels. 

Before this, he has been leading the International Affairs cluster, working with internal and external stakeholders on internationalising the university’s education, research, and valorisation. He is with the team working out a broad vision on internationalisation, embracing current valuable practices in the framework of the Shaping2030 strategy.

He graduated at the UT in 1987 at the brand-new Faculty of Education (Toegepaste Onderwijskunde), walking his professional path at the Open University of the Netherlands, designing, researching and shaping innovations in Higher Education, with a focus on adult learners, Technology Enhanced Learning, open and online education. Eventually, he moved from building curricula to R&D in European networks and policy and strategy for the rector and its network of distance-learning universities in Europe. 

Besides this, he is active as a change agent on designing and implementing innovative education systems in different countries for UN organisations (UNHCR, UNESCO) and international NGOs.  This includes growing online module-based higher education in the Arab world with internationally oriented universities in a network to reach out to marginalised youth and refugees in Africa and the Middle East.

Contact Details

Visiting Address

University of Twente
Strategy and Policy
Spiegel (building no. 02)
Drienerlolaan 5
7522NB  Enschede
The Netherlands

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Mailing Address

University of Twente
Strategy and Policy
Spiegel
P.O. Box 217
7500 AE Enschede
The Netherlands

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