The rector of Nyenrode Business University has resigned because of a conflict with the college’s new president Henjo Hielkema, the Financieele Dagblad reports on Friday quoting inside sources.

However, a spokeswoman for Nyenrode told DutchNews.nl that Bert de Groot, who has been in the job since 2006, has resigned for personal reasons.
And Hielkema also told the paper there was no difference of opinion. ‘Mr De Groot had a lot of different tasks and has decided to stand down for personal reasons. He is to focus again on research and education,’ the paper quoted him as saying.
Nyenrode, which was the Netherlands’ first private university, has lost over €1m so far this year. The complex is located in the grounds of a castle near Utrecht and attracts mainly MBA students.
The paper says the publically-funded college group Hogeschool InHolland is also considering pulling out of Nyenrode. InHolland owns 50% of the university but is concerned that it may be losing public money on a private venture, the paper says.