Organisation - February 7, 2013

VHL going solo on communication

End of merger becomes a reality.
No more Resource for VHL.

Its own spokesperson, logo and presentations. And no more Resource. The hiving off of Van Hall Larenstein Applied Sciences University from Wageningen UR is starting to take shape. At the end of 2012, the applied sciences university got its own supervisory board and executive board. Negotiations are now going on about further steps to undo the merger. As of the beginning of 2013, VHL staff and students no longer receive Resource. VHL has plans for its own magazine, preferably to start as soon as possible. Nor will there be any more input from VHL for the alumni magazine Wageningen World. Furthermore, the applied sciences university will now do its own public relations and the Wageningen UR logo will no longer be on presentations and new brochures.
Goodbye and thank you
'Some ties are easy to break,' says head of Communications Marc Lamers. 'Others take a little longer.' For example, people at Communications are still figuring out how VHL's access to the intranet can be cancelled. 'These are technical platforms and adjusting them takes a bit more than a push of a button.'
In other areas the ending of the merger is more complicated. Talks are going on, for instance, about ICT and other support services. As to how these negotiations are going, the university is keeping its mouth firmly shut. The only thing Lamers will say is that they are conducted in a very friendly spirit. 'It is not a question of pulling the plug out, and "goodbye and thank you".  We are looking together for the most sensible way of organizing it.'