Founded in 1980, IBW University of Applied Sciences, a Dutch Caribbean higher education institution, has announced a key leadership transition that paves the way for a new era of institutional development. Long-serving director Guillermo Samson, an economist and legal scholar who steered the school for decades, is stepping down from his executive role. Though he will leave the top leadership post, Samson will remain connected to IBW as a sitting member of its Board of Commissioners, continuing to contribute his decades of institutional knowledge to the school’s governance.
Taking the reins from Samson is Johannes Damodar Patak, an experienced professional with a diverse cross-sector background that brings a unique perspective to the role of director. Patak holds a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree and a Master of Business Administration (MBA), building his early career as a journalist working across national and international beats. After leaving journalism, he transitioned into public service, serving as a communications specialist for government bodies. He later took on a regional role as Caribbean Program Officer for global climate action organization Climate Tracker, before joining IBW as a volunteer in 2024. Over the past two years, he has already played an active role in advancing the institution’s development goals, giving him deep on-the-ground insight into IBW’s current challenges and opportunities.
Under Patak’s leadership, IBW has laid out a clear strategic roadmap focused on three core priorities: upgrading educational quality, securing formal accreditation for all of its academic programs, and repositioning the institution in a competitive higher education landscape. The new leadership has centered its agenda on student-centered learning, academic innovation, and sustained quality improvement, framing this transition as the launch of a completely new phase for the 44-year-old institution. Alongside accreditation work, the school will also update its public brand identity and expand its academic offerings to better serve students and community needs.
To mark the start of this new strategic direction, IBW will host a public Open Day on Saturday, July 18. The event will feature a special “IBW 2.0” masterclass led by Patak himself, where he will share his formal vision for the institution’s future and outline the specific development priorities that will guide the school over the coming years. The Open Day is designed to introduce current students, prospective enrollees, and community stakeholders to the changes underway at IBW.