During IPN’s annual strategic dinner on April 15, 2025, Maarten van Steen received the first ever IPN Distinguished Service Award. This Award recognises a person that has provided outstanding service to the IPN community.
Maarten van Steen, currently Scientific Director of the Digital Society Institute and full Professor of Computer Science at the University of Twente, chaired IPN from 2015-2020. During this period he showed exceptional, visionary leadership and acted as a pivotal force behind the transformation of IPN from its traditional structure into the highly successful organisation it is today.
Transformative approach
When Maarten started as chair at IPN, the organisation was facing a steady decline in status and impact. Up to 2015, the IPN Board had primarily comprised representatives from computer science research schools and some large-scale electrical engineering research programs funded by the former STW. However, with the waning influence of these research schools and the limited sustainability of temporary research programs, the need for a transformative approach became evident. Maarten not only recognised this but also acted decisively.
Under his leadership, the IPN Board was restructured to include representatives from the computer science departments of all Dutch universities, creating a more robust and inclusive foundation. He further strengthened the organisation by incorporating representatives from associated computer science organisations, ensuring a more comprehensive and strategic dialogue across the Dutch computer science landscape.
This new governance structure enabled IPN to address the complex, strategic discussions that were critical in maturing the Dutch computer science sector. A hallmark achievement was the development of the first-ever computer science sector plan. Thanks to the trust and collaboration fostered within the new Board structure, joint discussions resulted in a widely applauded sector plan that ultimately led to significant national investments in new computer science faculty positions.
Beyond IPN
Beyond his transformative work at IPN, Maarten has consistently contributed to shaping national initiatives, including the COMMIT program and the Netherlands AI Coalition. In his current role as Scientific Director of the Digital Society Institute at the University of Twente, he continues to champion the pivotal role of computer science in addressing interdisciplinary challenges facing modern society
Maarten’s impact on the computer science community in the Netherlands is unparalleled. His strategic foresight, collaborative spirit, and unwavering dedication have not only strengthened IPN, but have also elevated the entire field of computer science in the Netherlands. Therefore, Maarten van Steen is the more than worthy first recipient of the IPN Distinguished Service Award.