First edition of Top HR Leadership Programme successfully completed

The University of Groningen Business School (UGBS) and the In the LEAD centre of expertise at the University of Groningen are looking back on a successful first edition of the Top HR Leadership programme. On 21 May, eight top HR professionals with different backgrounds were granted their certificates.

A strong contribution at a strategic level

The HR directors and senior HR managers of the Koninklijke De Vries Scheepsbouw, Rabobank, the Municipality of Groningen, NIBC Bank, the Municipality of Assen, Wehkamp, Bareau and the Martini Hospital Groningen joined the executive programme. Over the last few months, the group of HR professionals were able to develop themselves in their strategic partner role, with the goals of delivering an even stronger contribution at a strategic level and increasing the effectiveness of leadership in their organizations.

Effective leadership

Alongside obtaining an awareness of recent trends and developments at various levels that are crucial for effective leadership in organizations, the participants also gained insight into how HR can play a role in increasing the effectiveness of leadership. They then applied this knowledge and insight to concrete, practical examples and were given the possibility to translate the insights that they had gained into the context of their own organizations.

Challenges in the HR field

The world around us is changing and all of these developments have a big impact on the strategy and performance of organizations. For this reason, the programme paid broad attention to the current trends that organizations face. Participant Sjoerd van der Zee: “What the programme offers, if you look at the challenges in the field of HR, is a very interesting look at changes that are happening in the outside world, changes that therefore affect organizations, and what this will mean for the HR role within organizations. It is drawn up very systematically on the basis of the stories of the speakers, and that brings very interesting insights to us as participants.”

The right combination of science and practice

Together, the participating academics, including Floor Rink (University of Groningen), Bas van Bavel (University of Utrecht) and Robert Went (Scientific Council for Government Policy), as well as industry professionals, including Hein Knaapen (CHRO at ING), Yardena Shitrit (CHRO at Municipality of Amsterdam) and Hein Schumacher (CEO of FrieslandCampina), delivered a unique contribution to the Top HR Leadership Programme. This combination of top speakers from both academia and the work floor was experienced positively by the participants. Participant Madelein van Acker: “In particular, the alternation between professors and industry professionals made this programme so dynamic. I would recommend everyone to take this programme at some point during their career, as you gain good insights that relate to your own organization.”

Very satisfied

Programme directors Harry Garretsen and Janka Stoker are very satisfied with how the first edition went: “The first edition succeeded in linking the very latest scientific findings to current practical examples about the added value of HR for leadership in organizations, thanks to both the participants and the speakers.”

More information

The next edition of the Top HR Leadership Programme will begin in March 2020.

For more information and if you have questions about the programme, please contact the In the LEAD project manager:

Sandy Fidder
050 36 34684
s.fidder@rug.nl

For more information and if you have questions about the UGBS, please contact:

Nikolaj Bijleveld
050 36 33117
n.h.bijleveld@rug.nl

Programme website: www.rug.nl/ugbs-leiderschap