Pamela Habibovic (1977) has been a professor at UM since 2014. She was one of the founders of the UM Institute for Technology-Inspired Regenerative Medicine MERLN, which focuses on technologies that contribute to the repair and regeneration of tissues and organs. Habibovic has been scientific director at MERLN since 2019. She previously worked at the University of Twente, where she obtained her PhD, and at McGill University in Montreal, Harvard Medical School in Boston and other institutions. Until recently, she was president of the European Society for Biomaterials, one of the world’s largest associations in this field. 

“The appointment of Pamela Habibovic means UM will have a top scientist as its rector,” says Annelies van der Pauw, chair of the Supervisory Board. “Over the last few years Pamela has shown that she thinks and works in an interdisciplinary manner within the university, and builds bridges between the university and partners in the region and beyond. Her scientific background and congenial leadership style provide an excellent basis for her appointment to the Executive Board.”

The existing members, UM president Rianne Letschert and vice president Nick Bos, look forward to welcoming their new colleague on the Executive Board. Habibovic too is keen to embrace this new challenge. “UM is a dynamic university with all sorts of opportunities. That was clear to me as soon as I signed on as co-founder of MERLN. I want UM staff to have that same experience in the coming years; to feel they have the space to improve research and education and are not afraid to step outside their comfort zones. I also want to help strengthen UM’s many partnerships: internationally and regionally, with governments, healthcare institutions and companies. This will increase the impact of our research and education even further.”

Professor Habibovic will take up the rectorship on 1 February 2022. The official handover will be held on 28 January during the university’s Dies celebration. Until then, Rianne Letschert will continue to serve as rector as well as UM president.

The groundwork for the appointment was laid by a broad appointment advisory committee including representatives of the Supervisory Board, the Executive Board, the Board of Deans and (the Confidential Committee of) the University Council.