About Erasmus MC

• Our mission statement
  We are committed to achieving a healthy population and pursuing excellence in healthcare through research and teaching.
• Our vision
  Erasmus MC is recognised as a leading innovator in healthcare.

• Responsible
• Connecting
• Enterprising

• more information about the current annual report and annual accounts
• annual reports and annual accounts of Erasmus MC can also be viewed via Jaarverantwoording in de zorg (Dutch only) and Archief DigiMV (Dutch only)

1840: Rotterdam’s city architect, Willem Nicolaas Rose, is commissioned to build the city’s first hospital. The Coolsingel Hospital takes 11 years to complete. Its first director is a local physician called Bastiaan Molewater.

1863: Led by Dr Hendrik Willem De Monchy, seven respected local citizens decide to set up a children’s hospital. The building is located above a furniture store in Hoogstraat, the street now better known as the ‘Koopgoot’ or ‘the shopping gutter’.

1869: Queen Sophia donates 100 guilders and a sewing machine to the children’s hospital. The hospital is named after her in return.

1914: The Rotterdam Radiotherapy Institute is founded. A radiologist from Gouda called Daniel den Hoed is appointed as the institute’s director in 1940. Under his leadership, the institute evolves into an outstanding clinic that will later bear his name.

1940: The Coolsingel Hospital takes four hits during the German bombardment of Rotterdam. The building catches fire almost immediately and most of it is destroyed. Thanks to the presence of a number of facilities elsewhere, a new hospital can be built.

1950: The predecessor of the medical faculty, the Foundation for Higher Clinical Education, is founded. The foundation trains medical graduates from all over the Netherlands.

1961: The Dijkzigt Hospital, on the Land van Hoboken site, opens on 18 September. The hospital is named after the Van Hoboken family residence, a grand house which now houses the Natural History Museum.

1966: The Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences is founded by Professor Andries Querido on 7 October. 

1971: The Dijkzigt Hospital merges with the Sophia Children's Hospital to become the Rotterdam University Hospital. 

1973: Erasmus University Rotterdam is founded on 1 February. The medical faculty trains physicians and medical researchers, offers postgraduate courses and is involved in training programmes for medical specialists.

1982: Erasmus University Rotterdam launches a master’s degree in healthcare policy and management, under the aegis of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. The degree course is later renamed as Health Sciences, Healthcare Policy & Management.

1993: The oldest children’s hospital in the country moves to the Hoboken district of Rotterdam, where the Dijkzigt Hospital and the Faculty of Medicine are already located. A footbridge connects the two hospitals with the medical faculty.

1995: The Daniel den Hoed Clinic joins the Rotterdam University Hospital, which now consists of three partners.

1998: The dean of the Faculty of Medicine and the Executive Boards of Erasmus University Rotterdam and Rotterdam University Hospital meet on 7 October to discuss the formation of the Erasmus University Medical Centre. 

2002: The Erasmus MC is formally founded on 1 June. 

2016: The 50th anniversary of university hospital care in Rotterdam.

2018: King Willem-Alexander officially opens the new Erasmus MC building on 6 September.

Visit our special website (Dutch only) to discover our history and see what we have become today.

Governance is all about sound management, effective supervision and full accountability.

The UMC Governance Code, i.e. the governance code for university medical centres, was adopted on 1 January 2008. Although it is based on the governance code for the whole of the Dutch healthcare industry, it differs from the latter in a number of aspects. These changes were made in order to align it more closely with the specific characteristics of a university medical centre, including higher education, academic research, training and the related care services.

Both the industry-wide governance code and the UMC Governance Code are based on the principle of ‘comply or explain’. In other words, university medical centres must describe in their annual reports (see section 1.3 on page 5 of the UMC Governance Code) any instances in which they have not acted in accordance with the governance code and, if so, how and why.

Further information? 

You can download both the UMC Governance Code and the industry-wide governance code from www.nfu.nl (Dutch only).

The Executive Board is made up of Stefan Sleijfer (chair and dean), Joke Boonstra (deputy chair), Paul Boomkamp (member) and Dirk Schraven (member).

• Stefan Sleijfer
• Paul Boomkamp
• Joke Boonstra
• Dirk Schraven

What does the Supervisory Board do?

The Supervisory Board oversees the Executive Board, which in turn is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Erasmus MC. The Executive Board is accountable to the Supervisory Board for its actions.

These are some of the things that the Supervisory Board is required to approve:

• the budget;
• the annual accounts;
• the annual report;
• major investments;
• management regulations.

The Supervisory Board also monitors compliance with legislation and advises the Executive Board on managerial issues. The Supervisory Board acts in accordance with the governance code for the Dutch healthcare industry. (Dutch only).

How are the members of the Supervisory Board appointed?

The chair and the members of the Supervisory Board are appointed for a four-year term of office. This period may be extended once only for another four years.

The members of the Supervisory Board are appointed by the Minister of Education, Culture, and Science acting on the recommendation of the Supervisory Board and in consultation with the Minister of Health, Welfare, and Sport.

Who are the members of the Supervisory Board?

• Mr P.G. (Gijs) de Vries, chair 

• Mevrouw dr. E.A. (Erica) Bakkum 

• Prof.dr. M. (Mijntje) Lückerath- Rovers

• R. (Roelof) Konterman
• Drs. RA MGA J. (Jules) Verhagen

Contacting us

You can reach the Supervisory Board by phone at (010) 703 3930 or by email at secretariaat.rvt@erasmusmc.nl

Erasmus MC

The organisational chart shows how the Erasmus MC is structured. Click here to download the full version of our organisational chart. 

Erasmus MC holding company

The share capital of our subsidiaries is owned by a parent company called Erasmus MC Holding B.V. View the chart showing the structure of the Erasmus MC group.

Gender equality is a core value of Erasmus MC. Erasmus MC is committed to promoting equality and preventing discrimination in all its operations. In our community we treat all of our members with respect. We do not condone inappropriate treatment, discrimination or harassment of its staff or students. We offer all our members a safe open environment with equal opportunities for all, irrespective of their gender, cultural background or religion. Equality contributes to the quality of everyday life for the diverse and multilingual Erasmus MC community.

Our strategy is in line with domestic and EU regulations and delivers on the gender equality Sustainable Development goals (SDG) by the United Nations. SDG 10 (reduced inequality) and SDG 5 (gender equality) are particularly relevant to our efforts to promote equality, diversity and inclusiveness. A special task force has been established dedicated to coordinate the realisation of the SDG at Erasmus MC.

Erasmus MC promotes the equal recruitment and selection of women and men to various positions. We provide equal pay for equal work, as well as the insurance of equal opportunities for career advancement at all levels. For more information, please visit the Working at Erasmus MC section of our website. Staff can find more detailed information on opportunities and procedures on our Intranet.

Teaching and research

Erasmus MC promotes diversity and inclusiveness in our medical teaching activities by creating a learning environment with respect for each individual’s unique background, contributions and opinions. To this end, we organise meetings and courses for and with students, teachers and researchers. Furthermore researchers are encouraged to include sex-and-gender aspects into their research questions where applicable. Moreover Erasmus MC works together with local and national stakeholders in creating a research environment that is as diverse as possible.

In order to advance the gender equality at Erasmus MC, a special Female Career Development Programme has been set up by HR commissioned by the Executive Board to assist female staff members, Moreover HR department support female academics in the VENA network (the female network at Erasmus MC for academics).

The Executive Board of Erasmus MC appointed a Chief Diversity Officer, prof. Hanneke Takkenberg. To stimulate diversity efforts and to coordinate and monitor the diversity efforts that are undertaken. Prof. Takkenberg communicates directly with the Executive Board, and is also part of the Talent & Innovation Committee(TIC)

A safe environment

Erasmus MC has drafted instructions for the prevention of inappropriate treatment and harassment. We do not tolerate abuses in any form, neither physically nor psychologically.

In the event that staff or students might have encountered undesirable conduct, including bullying, aggression, violence, intimidation, sexual harassment and discrimination, they may lodge a complaint, discuss the problem or conflict to one of the officers listed below:
ombudsman, confidential counsellors, a mediator and complaints committee.
Students may also benefit of the facilities offered by Erasmus University Rotterdam. 

Erasmus MC has been setting out a five-year strategic plan since 2003. Each edition of this strategy  clearly sets out our ambitions in terms of providing patient care, teaching, training, and conducting research. In each of these core tasks we focus on the social impact and valorization of our ideas. In doing so, we take account of developments in our own organization as well as developments in the world around us.

Read the strategy document of Strategy28 here.

Strategy28, our strategy for the period 2024 - 2028, focuses on the social challenges for healthcare. Think of the growing demand for care and rising costs. Think of the challenge of retaining our people and attracting new colleagues. And the impact of healthcare on our climate and vice versa. On the other hand, there are the unprecedented possibilities of technology and AI to relieve the pressure on healthcare and reduce workloads.

As Erasmus MC, we are working to keep healthcare accessible and affordable for everyone. To make healthcare more sustainable, for example by wasting less and avoiding unnecessary burden on patients. And to find a balance between the increasing demand for care on the one hand and fewer employees and money on the other. Technological developments and digitalization of care play a major role in this.

In three ambitions we seek a better balance between the rising demand for care and our limited capacity. Ambitions in the core areas of care, research and education.

Reinforcing tertiary, digitale and appropriate patient care

When it comes to our patient care, in the coming years we will focus even more on patients with complex care needs or rare conditions. Patients who really need our specific expertise. Together with the patient, we will work on the most appropriate care and outcomes.

Solving social issues through scientific research

With our scientific research, we find answers that have a positive impact on society. Importantly, we translate these scientific outcomes into concrete solutions. For example, solutions that ensure that people suffer fewer complications, stay healthy longer, that waiting lists become shorter and that the workload for healthcare professionals is reduced.

Investing in learning for the healthcare of the future

The foundation for future-proof health care lies in education and training. In academic education, social engagement and dealing with technology are important. These elements are clearly reflected in the new Erasmusarts 2030 curriculum. For practical training, we focus on knowledge and skills that can be applied immediately. And for all employees, Erasmus MC is a workplace with opportunities for development and advancement.

We can only realize these grand ambitions together. In a way that suits Erasmus MC: enterprising, connecting and responsible. Together we create an inspiring, safe and inclusive working environment where everyone enjoys working. With Strategy 28 we make the difference in our daily work for patients, students and society.

Read the Strategy28 document here.