Text: Paul van den Broek.
Photography: Dick van Aalst
If you asked seven bystanders to name one of the signature traits of José Sanders (who was born in Hengelo in 1965), all seven of them would mention the word ‘driven’. All seven of them would also describe her as ‘cheerful’ and ‘dedicated’ – and a few might also add ‘super intelligent’. This last term was used by Hans Hoeken, a fellow Professor of Arts from Utrecht University, who met José when he became her classmate at the start of their Dutch studies in Nijmegen in 1983. In those days, it was common for the students’ exam results to be posted under their name on the bulletin board, which got Hans wondering who this girl was who was called José who ‘kept getting A-pluses in all of the analytical courses’. During their studies, they also became flatmates – at the student flat on Van Nispenstraat – and friends, and in due course, they even became colleagues at the Faculty of Arts. “She’s incredibly smart,” says Hoeken.
The sixtieth rector, but the first woman
During the centenary celebration at De Vereeniging on 17 October, José Sanders will trade in her deanship at the Faculty of Arts for the university’s highest administration, when she succeeds Han van Krieken to become Radboud’s sixtieth Rector Magnificus. Who is this woman who is set to take on the responsibility for education and research (and even more than that) for the next four years, and possibly even longer? Will she shake things up in the boardroom, and which direction does she plan to take? To put it simply: What are her plans? In agreement with José, we selected seven people who know her well from a number of different perspectives and asked them to take part in an interview; this was done on the proviso that she would be able to read what they had said before this profile was published. And this was not so that she could put a positive spin on things. “No one is waiting for a tribute,” said Sanders herself, prior to the writing of this profile. “Above all, I’d like you to ask everyone about my imperfections and limitations.” This has been duly noted, and rest assured: she’s got plenty of them.
You could fill page after page if you wanted to describe José, but you could also just recount one anecdote that would really make her blush. One such anecdote was provided by Peter van der Heiden, who is a parliamentary historian at the university and was a former housemate of José’s at the aforementioned Van Nispenstraat. “The memory that comes to mind is the burst of energy that fills the room when José walks in.” And this is subsequently followed by his fondest memory, from a year and a half ago, when Peter was wasting away in a policy post at the Faculty of Arts. José knows Peter as a gracious thinker, as a columnist, and as a man who likes to think outside the box. Within three weeks, she had initiated Peter’s transfer to a lecturing position. Van der Heiden recalled José’s words when he walked into her office to thank her for the prompt action that she had taken. “You don’t belong behind a desk, you should be at the front of a classroom full of students. That’s the best thing for all of us.” Her strength is that she looks and listens very carefully to what people want to do, where their talent lies, and what makes them happy. And she acts accordingly.”
Her acute listening ability has also been mentioned by others, including Kobie van Krieken, who obtained her PhD in 2016 under the supervision of Hoeken and Sanders: “It’s easy to get the wrong impression of her,” she says, in reference to the extremely talkative Sanders. “In the beginning, it took me a while to adjust to her. She can be very present, is extremely articulate, sharp and quick, and can sometimes be too persuasive. Even though she may become a waterfall of words, what she says is always well thought out. And even though she talks a lot, she’s also a good listener. And she’s willing to be persuaded if someone can provide a better point of view.”
Business administrator Jaap Liebregt got to know Sanders through a number of executive positions, including those on the church council of St. John’s Cathedral in Den Bosch. He also recommends that people look beyond the first impression of her (“She has a very powerful presence”). The second impression of her reveals how good she is at listening, to both others and to herself. “She’s good at reflecting on her own actions, and works on the belief that you shouldn’t always take yourself seriously. She expects the same from others. She gets disappointed in people who are always singing their own praises, and who take themselves too seriously.”
José’s friend Esther van Manen, who is a mental health nursing specialist, met her 40 years ago during the orientation, after they had both escaped from a party that they weren’t enjoying. “We both ended up in the same pub, and that’s where our friendship began.” This friendship is partly based on a shared experience of coping with life’s struggles in their younger years. “José knows what it means, and how it feels, when the other person doesn’t understand you. That’s why she keeps a close eye on the people around her; she can actually see what people need.”
Straightforwardness
How can Sanders’ actions be characterised, and which force of nature is headed our way? Heleen Murre-van den Berg, who is Dean of the Faculty of Philosophy, Theology and Religious Studies, crossed paths with José a year and a half ago in her capacity as fellow dean, “and in doing so, we rapidly developed a great rapport as kindred deans”. “In a situation where others might tell you to ‘drop the matter’, José will go the extra mile,” says Murre-van den Berg. “She’s not easily daunted, and she believes in what she wants to achieve.” Peter van der Heiden also encountered this sense of determination when he acted as a guide on a trip to the United States. He was struggling with a student who was faced with the difficult problem of wanting to go on the trip while also facing the prospect that it might not be possible due to their circumstances. He asked Sanders what he should do. “Three hours after our conversation, she sent me an email with a list of solutions. She rapidly delivered, and I’d never experienced that before.” Van der Heiden also knows that when she became dean, she immediately dealt with a number of drawn-out cases. “She’s very decisive and she knows how to solve problems, even though the tough solution that may be right for one person could actually become a problem for another. You can evoke opposition at that level.” Hans Hoeken also refers to Sanders’ energetic and outspoken nature, and her unbiased proclamations. “She’ll always say what she thinks, she’s not prone to restraint. When it comes to José, what you see is what you get.” Her friend Esther van Manen also knows that she doesn't like beating around the bush. “She’s straightforward, attaches great importance to staying focused, and to open communication without all the fuss.”
Bas Kortmann is one of Sanders’ predecessors (he was Rector Magnificus between 2007 and 2014) and met her when he was on the Academic Integrity Committee, where she demonstrated immense ability in finding middle ground in what were often precarious matters. Kortmann pays tribute to her as an energetic colleague. But not only in a positive sense: “She feels a sense of unrest. When she’s dealing with something, she always wants to do it to the best of her ability.”
Her Bossche counterpart Jaap Liebregt primarily sees a ‘woman with ambition’. “There are few people who go from being professor to dean to rector in such a short time during their career. When she goes after something, she really gives it her all.” And her CV is certainly testament to this sentiment: Sanders became a professor in 2017, a dean in 2022, and the rectorship this year is the latest challenge in her career.
Surprising appointment
Everyone was surprised when they heard that Sanders was set to join the university’s top administration on 17 October, especially because she had only taken up the deanship one and a half years ago. “I didn’t realise that she was being considered for the position at this point in time,” says fellow dean Heleen Murre-van den Berg. “Surprised, but delighted,” is the unanimous sentiment, which is also shared by Peter van der Heiden: “She wasn’t on my list of candidates, because she’d only been dean for such a short time.” He sums up by saying that the faculty’s loss is the university’s gain. “When you’ve got someone who has so much experience and is so dedicated to what they do, you’d rather have them as high up in the organisation as possible.”
Kobie van Krieken was also surprised. “That’s also because she always said ‘What would people want with someone like me? They don’t need me by their side’. Her self-image is actually more negative than the image that others have of her. She often says about herself: ‘There I go again!’” Van Krieken recalls Sanders’ own words in the run-up to her rectorship: “José said about herself: ‘It’s crazy, I won’t be able to do that’. The first part is true, but the last part isn’t. But I’m not surprised that she’s brave enough to do it: she’ll cope quite well in her new role.” Her friend Esther van Manen also has confidence in her. “She can do this. I believe that she already showed that she was a good director during her time as dean.” Bas Kortmann, who knows best of all out of all seven interviewees what the rectorship entails, is especially happy for the university. “The hallmark of good university governance is the focus on people, at least that’s what I believe and José undoubtedly believes. You’re not in charge, you don’t focus on authority; you have to be able to connect.” Especially in an ‘isolated entity’ like a university, says Kortmann. “Her faculty was also made up of a number of isolated entities, and when she was there, she showed that she’s good at building bridges.”
Catholic culture
From where does this force of nature and binding force draw her energy? Esther van Manen emphasises that José “didn’t take any shortcuts to obtain this new position”. She points out that the new rector has encountered limitations and challenges over the past few years. “She had to regain her composure on more than one occasion, but she always managed to seize new opportunities. This consequently taught her to focus on the things that really matter to her.” Fellow Utrecht professor Hans Hoeken mentions the word ‘service’. “She’s not doing this for herself, she’s doing it for the university, with her main motivation being: I will do what needs to be done. Her attitude as a director is: ‘I have a contribution to make here, and if others give me the chance, that’s what I’ll do.’”
Jaap Liebregt cites José’s religious faith as a source of motivation, which is quite relevant, considering the break with the Roman Catholic Church that occurred in 2020. After several disagreements, the bishops revoked the university’s Catholic predicate, which prompted a university-wide search for a new interpretation of the university’s Catholic identity. “José will continue to focus on the connection with the Catholic faith, because of her own experience and conviction.” Liebregt emphasises that rather than being strict, these are grounded in Catholic social doctrine, with a focus on solidarity and community spirit.
It’s for this reason that former rector Bas Kortmann refers to José as being the right person for the rector’s position at this point in time. “We’re still a Catholic university; that’s our roots and they can’t be denied. Her background has given her a keen eye for a university’s role within the Catholic culture. José is a classic exponent of this.” Heleen Murre-van den Berg also refers to José’s religious faith as a source of motivation. “This manifests itself in the connection with rituals, and how their richness and profound significance can help us to cope with life.” According to Murre-van den Berg, her connection to the Catholic culture will provide a boost for a university that is currently searching for a new direction. “Now that the bishops are no longer holding the reins, we can quite openly start looking at a new connection, not so much with the institution, but with Catholic civil society. José is perfectly capable of fleshing this out, for the new mutual inspiration for both faith and the university.” Hans Hoeken mentions José’s narrative skills. “I think that José is someone who can convey a new story in such a way that it will make people feel that this is a university with which they’d like to be affiliated.”
The power of a good story
Most rectors leave their field of expertise the moment they’re asked to join the board, but that need not be the case for José Sanders. Her Narrative Communication Chair may also add substance to her role as rector, says Kobie van Krieken. Van Krieken believes that the motivation for the rectorship lies in their shared field of expertise, the operation of narrative structures. You could say that the decision to become rector is a vocation, but Van Krieken prefers to speak of a central narrative that’s become a reality. This essence is articulated in a milestone in the discipline of narratology, Hero's Journey by Joseph Campbell. To put it briefly, the protagonist of this story is urged to leave his familiar world to go in search of the unknown, and after a series of trials, he returns home with a reward. “This call to adventure is what José is now experiencing, and it will hopefully result in a thriving university.”
Hans Hoeken, who has a whole series of publications together with Sanders to his name, refers to their much-quoted 2012 publication. “Under the direction of Anneke de Graaf, we worked together with Hans Beentjes on an analysis of the power of narrative, or to be exact: how offering people perspectives can help them to arrive at convictions that they didn’t initially have. This teaches us to look at things from a different perspective than we’re used to, and to see the world through the eyes of another. José not only appreciates how this works, she understands it profoundly. This means that she’ll be well received as a rector in these times of polarisation, especially in light of what the environment now demands of universities.”
Making connections
In which direction is Sanders planning to take the university? Where will we stand in a few years’ time when she passes the baton to the following rector? All seven of our interviewees believe that something is about to happen. She’s not taking up this position so that she can hold onto the baton, maintain a reputation, attend black-tie dinners, or mind the shop. So, what are her plans? According to Heleen Murre-van den Berg, Sanders plans to create scope for joint educational projects that will transcend the individual faculties. “The faculties will have to give up some of their autonomy for the benefit of joint projects. We’ve been through a time when each study programme underwent a quality transformation, but now it’s time for something new. This includes things like Healthcare Humanities or digital security. These span various disciplines, which will be really essential for José in the next few years.”
Kobie van Krieken is also expecting to see more focus on connections. “José is a person who makes connections, between knowledge and social issues, between universities, and she also makes connections with other backgrounds.” One of Van Krieken’s hopes is that José will work towards a more flexible organisation. “One in which people in certain positions become a little more playful rather than fulfilling the role that’s been imposed on them. People can feel a lot happier when they change jobs. This could even reduce the workload, and lead to less stress.”
Former rector Bas Kortmann believes that José's connective power will facilitate the task of guiding the university through the challenging times that lie ahead for the academic community. “This is certainly going to affect us, and it will sharpen the differences. It’s at times like these that you need to have someone who’ll keep working and keep coming up with new ideas, and who’ll offer support for the difficult decisions that will subsequently need to be made.”
Peter van der Heiden foresees a new approach to research quality, which is basically still being affected by output measurements. “José will focus increasingly on her people. Their ability and inclination don’t necessarily equate to what makes them happy. Focusing on what suits the staff members will automatically ensure quality.” Since Sanders hasn’t been a dean or full-time administrator for very long, he believes that her line of reasoning will tend to be based on the viewpoint of the academics rather than the managers. “Luckily the jargon that they use is not part of her language.” José will also go on to ensure that the university becomes an institution that ‘can’t be ignored’. Van der Heiden: “José’s name is synonymous with ambition. Not in the sense of striving for the top, but in the sense of living up to your ideals. José will be able to give the university a new lease of life.”
Jaap Liebregt anticipates that José will increase ‘the human aspect’ of things. “Her management style is practical, and she’ll be less straightforward than what we’re used to when it comes to ascertaining what people should do, and what you really expect of them.” Bas Kortmann also draws attention to the focus on the human element. “You also need to have fun when you work together. Even when there’s the occasional major difficulty, José will still try to keep it fun. Thanks to her origins, she understands the Twents down-to-earth nature and Brabantine sociability.”
Esther van Manen is convinced that José will abide by a number of obvious principles and take full advantage of her new role to ‘give the university a boost and future-proof it’. She does point out that this won’t happen automatically. “If she wants to achieve results, she won’t shy away from difficult issues, no matter how complicated they are. That takes a lot of courage, and she’s the right woman for the job: José will be a fearless rector.”
On call day and night
No matter how strong her character is, the Hero's Journey that awaits her will be a challenging one. How should she respond to this challenge? All seven of our interviewees understand the pitfalls, and were happy to give José some advice.
Peter van der Heiden: “She’s ready and able to do it all, but the trick is that you need to stay composed. Don’t get ahead of yourself. And exercise some patience; that’s not her strongest trait.”
Kobie van Krieken: “I hope that José manages to stay true to herself, that she doesn’t ignore her own principles, and that she doesn’t exchange them for what another person seems to deem necessary. ‘Is this who I want to be, are these decisions that I support?’ Keeping these questions in mind could prove to be quite tricky.”
Heleen Murre-van den Berg: “Keep calm, don’t allow yourself to be intimidated. Take this opportunity to do something momentous.” Jaap Liebregt also emphasizes the need to stay calm: “Don’t be hasty, because otherwise you won’t be able to maintain the connection.”
Esther van Manen: “Anyone who’s going to be as busy as her will need to ensure that they have a good work/life balance. I hope that José won’t allow her life to control her. In any case, my advice to her is to make sure that you have enough time to think about things.”
Bas Kortmann: “When it comes to positions like this, you ask yourself ‘What have I gotten myself into?!’ It’s more than a job title; you’re on call day and night and even on weekends. Because connections are so important to José, she should consequently make sure that she doesn’t fall into the trap of overlooking the idiosyncrasies. It’s difficult to manage a university, it’s neither one thing or another, sometimes it’s both. Pay attention to the discrepancies.”
Hans Hoeken: “She has goals in mind, but she’s also impatient, and that’s quite a combination to have in an organisation that’s very difficult to turn around. There are so many interests that it’s almost impossible to change anything. I’d like to quote the metaphor that’s often heard in university administrative circles: ‘Changing a university is like moving a graveyard’. José should actually just be grateful if she manages to move a few gravestones during her time as rector.”
The interviews for this profile were conducted in early September, prior to the premature resignation of rector Han van Krieken, which was due to reports that related to social safety on campus. It is for this reason that this topic was not specifically addressed in this profile.