Tom van Veen (1953, PhD, associate professor in General Economics) was, together with professor Wil Albeda – former minister of Social Affairs – one of the founding fathers of the Maastricht Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, which welcomed its first hundred students in 1984. He loves to travel and in his role as vice dean of International Relations of the faculty and chairman of the UM's China team, he travels the world. He has a weakness for Australia, the country where he has spent a number of sabbaticals, together with his wife and three children. He is also part-time full professor in Economics at Nyenrode Business University, School of Accountancy and Controlling.