Jeroen Smit appointed professor of Journalism at the University of Groningen

On 1 September 2011, Jeroen Smit was appointed professor of Journalism at the Faculty of Arts of the University of Groningen.

Smit (1963) is an experienced investigative journalist who has written highly praised books about the crisis at Ahold (Het drama Ahold, 2004) and the decline of ABN AMRO (De Prooi, 2008). He studied Business Administration at the University of Groningen and in 2009 was voted the first ever Alumnus of the Year.  

Smit is a very experienced journalist. He has been an editor at Het Financieele Dagblad, economics chief editor at the Algemeen Dagblad and editor-in-chief of the weekly FEM/DeWeek, before he became a freelance journalist. In recent years he has presented several radio programmes for BNR Nieuwsradio and was a presenter for the current affairs programmes Nova and Buitenhof. In 2010 he presented the documentary series Leiders Gezocht for the NTR.

As professor, Smit will be jointly responsible for the successful Master’s programme offered by the department of Journalism to Dutch and international students, and for the popular Minor in Media and Journalistic Culture for Bachelor’s students.  ‘I’m really looking forward to contributing to training enthusiastic journalists in my old student city – journalists who can report in a responsible way on our society and uncover what’s under the surface, journalists who can connect with their public and satisfy the enormous need for information, insight and understanding’, says Smit. ‘I think it is really exciting now, in a time when the relationship between journalist and public is changing at lightning speed, to be invited to fill this role.’

More information

Prof. J. Smit, contact jeroensmit.net