The Central Works Council (COR) has given a positive recommendation regarding the appointment. The Central Student Council (CSR) also supports the nomination. De Ruijter succeeds Peter-Paul Verbeek, who will become president of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Sciences (KNAW) after the summer.

‘The Supervisory Board is very pleased with Anniek as our new rector. She is an enterprising and energetic leader with an interesting mix of experience in the fields of administration, education and research, both within and outside the UvA,’ says Supervisory Board chair Jolande Sap. ‘She is a respected professor, led educational reform within the Faculty of Law, and was even active in the participation bodies there as a student. This characterises her active involvement with the university community, which she combines with strong societal commitment: as a jurist, she advocates for health law and women's rights. Both in terms of experience and on a personal level, Anniek is an excellent addition to the Executive Board. Her appointment leaves us with a solid and diverse Board that is well-equipped to lead the UvA in the coming years.’

‘Richard Goldstein and I look forward to working with Anniek,’ says Executive Board chair Vinod Subramaniam. ‘Her impressive achievements within the UvA – the Amsterdam Law Practice, the Amsterdam Law Hub and Law for Health and Life – show how enthusiastic and innovative she is, as well as her eye for impactful education and research, and, particularly, her understanding of the social role of a university. She knows the DNA of the UvA inside and out and therefore complements our team perfectly.'