Vici grants for two UG researchers

More than four hundred people have already signed up for the online Gronings course launched in early March by the University of Groningen and the Center for Groninger Language and Culture. The MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) lasts four weeks and gives people the opportunity to master the basics of the Gronings language at their own pace. A fun detail: during the lessons, we follow Enno and Iefke on a road trip through the province. The lessons are presented as videos and WhatsApp conversations, which together form a romantic comedy. You can still join via www.groningsleren.nl.

From 19 March until 11 April, Landleven, the street that runs along the Kapteynborg towards the sports fields on the Zernike Campus, will be closed. A number of UG buildings will be connected to the campus heat grid. This means that the walking routes between the Duisenberg building (FEB), the Kapteynborg and the Foodcourt will be less accessible. There is an alternative wheelchair-friendly walking route via the deck next to the Duisenberg pond. Along there, the main entrance to the Kapteynborg can also be reached.

On Saturday, 29 March, there will be a partial solar eclipse: nearly a quarter of the sun's surface will be covered. In Groningen, the eclipse will start at 11:20 a.m., reaches its maximum at 12:13 p.m., and ends at 1:07 p.m. Telescopes will be set up at various locations throughout the province, where astronomers from the UG will provide explanations. Eclipse glasses will also be available at these spots. In the city, there are two locations: the Forum Groningen roof and at Café Zondag in the Noorderplantsoen. The last solar eclipse in the Netherlands was on 25 October, 2022, and it was clearly visible in the northern part of the country. If the weather is cloudy on 29 March, we will have to wait until 12 August, 2026.

The Rijksmuseum has purchased a terracotta sculpture ‘of exceptional quality’ of Clara the rhinoceros. The sculpture was created by Groningen anatomist Petrus Camper. Clara travelled across Europe in the eighteenth century and was considered an absolute superstar. She was depicted hundreds of times. In 1738, she was taken in by the VOC merchant Jan Albert Sichterman after hunters had killed her mother, and she was allowed to roam freely in his home in India. In 1740, she was sold and transported to the Netherlands. Camper drew and sculpted her as part of his research, in which he compared human and animal anatomy. 

Employee collective Organise the RUG has announced the programme for the education strike on 18 March. The day will start at 7 a.m. with actions at various locations, including Zernike and the arts, law and social sciences faculties. Then at 12.30 p.m., there will be a joint meeting with lunch at the Grote Markt. An hour later, there will be several speakers, followed by a strike market from 2 to 4 p.m. Employees do not have to ask permission to strike. However, the university board asks to take into account that exams, PhD ceremonies, and other ceremonies can continue. The detailed programme can be found here.

The UG saved 13.6 million euros last year, exceeding the target of 13 million. This was largely due to lower energy costs (a reduction of 7 million euros). Lower housing expenses from selling properties accounted for nearly 2.5 million euros, while reduced hiring of external consultants saved 2 million euros. There were also some setbacks, such as salary increases affecting accrued leave days. Additionally, travel and accommodation costs remained high. Therefore, the UG is calling for less travel and even lower energy use in 2025. This year, the university hopes to save 21 million euros.

The UG is among the top 100 universities worldwide with the best reputation. In the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Reputation Rankings for 2025, Groningen is ranked 96th. The UG is preceded by five other Dutch universities: Delft (40th), the University of Amsterdam (52nd), Wageningen (61st), Leiden (64th), and Utrecht (67th). Harvard University tops the ranking, followed by MIT and Oxford. This list differs from the regular THE ranking. The reputation ranking is based on a university’s brand rather than its actual performance. The regular ranking places Groningen 80th for 2025, with Oxford at the top.

The Advisory Committee on Introductory Periods and Incidents (ACII) observed a slight increase in the number of incidents reported by social and study associations in 2024. There were forty-six reports, compared to forty-one annually in the previous two years. Most incidents involved people feeling unwell (10), disputes and fights (8), and sexually transgressive behavior (7), according to the 2024 annual report. The number of safety plans submitted to the committee remained roughly the same. As in the previous year, study associations at Hanze University of Applied Sciences and sports associations lagged behind. However, more codes of conduct were signed, with eighty-five association boards committing to handling their members and prospective members responsibly.

Former rector magnificus and dermatologist Eric Bleumink has died aged 89. He was UG's rector magnificus from 1984 to 1988, and then chairman of the board of directors until 2000. During that time, he dedicated himself to the university's social commitment. In 1988, Bleumink established the Academische Opleidingen Groningen foundation, affiliated to the UG, which provides leadership training. After his retirement, the Eric Bleumink Fund was established, which provides master's scholarships to talented students from developing countries.  Bleumink was also knighted in the Order of the Dutch Lion and received honorary medals from the city of Groningen and the university.

The Olympic wall in the ACLO Sports Centre on the Zernike campus, a gallery of top athletes who participated in the Olympics and studied or are studying in Groningen, is being updated with three UG students who represented the Netherlands last year in Paris. The additions are Yara ten Holte (handball), Ruth Vorsselman (canoeing), and Ilse Kolkman (rowing). Additionally, Caroline Groot (paralympic cycling) will receive an update to her existing image, recognising her Olympic gold medal win last year. The official unveiling will take place on Friday, 28 February, at 3 p.m.

The University of Groningen (UG) will stop sharing messages on social media platform X (formerly Twitter). 'We have found that X is no longer a suitable means of communication for us due to reduced effectiveness,’ the university writes in a short statement. The statement also cited 'the changing dynamics of the platform and the spread of misinformation' as additional reasons for the decision. Although the RUG's account on X will remain active, it will no longer be used. Instead, the university plans to focus its efforts on the social media platform Bluesky. Other Dutch universities (the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Utrecht University, the University of Twente, and the University of Amsterdam) made similar moves.

The former dentistry student who is in custody for stalking and threatening UG and UMCG staff will most likely undergo evaluation at the Pieter Baan Centre (PBC) in March. Until then, Marwa M. will remain in pre-trial detention, the Groningen court ruled on Thursday during the fifth pro forma hearing. M. is currently detained at the Zwolle Penitentiary awaiting psychiatric evaluation at the PBC. Her lawyer once again argued for a suspension of pre-trial detention, but the judge denied the request. The next pro forma hearing is scheduled for April 8. By then, M. may have completed the evaluation at the PBC, and a date for the detailed hearing can then be set.

On Thursday, the University of Groningen (UG) will unveil seven new portraits of professors. Former UG rector and professor of human genetics Cisca Wijmenga will have her portrait displayed in the Senate Chamber in recognition of her significant contributions to her field. Similarly, astronomer and Spinoza Prize winner Amina Helmi will also have her portrait placed in the Senate Chamber for the same reason. Additionally, five (retired) professors have donated portraits to the university at the urging of friends, family, or colleagues. The portraits of philosopher of science Theo Kuipers, mathematician Harry Trentelman, chemist Gerrit Challa, paediatrician Pieter Sauer, and surgeon Tjark Ebels will be added to the faculty rooms of Philosophy, Science and Engineering, and Medical Sciences.

The UG is asking for the public's assistance in measuring light pollution and its impact on darkness. Light pollution in various areas of the Netherlands makes it difficult to observe true darkness, which negatively affects certain animal species. To map out the levels of darkness, participants are being asked to count the number of visible stars in the Orion constellation on a clear night after 8 p.m. The observations will take place during two periods: from 21 January to 5 February and from 20 February to 6 March. Interested participants can sign up for the experiment on the website teldesterren.nl.

Lodi Nauta will be the new vice-president of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW). Nauta is professor of history of philosophy at the UG and studies the fault lines in the history of philosohy. Previously, Nauta was dean of the Faculty of Philosophy. He is currently a member of the NWO's scientific advisory board. Nauta has been a member of the KNAW since 2011 and was jury chairman of its Philosophy and Theology Chamber and chairman of a committee. Nauta will be appointed as vice-president on April 1.

The University of Groningen (UG) ranks third among the best broad universities in the Keuzegids Universiteiten 2025 with a score of 59 points. Utrecht leads the rankings once again with 65 points, followed by Nijmegen in second place with 61.5 points. After the RUG, Leiden, VU, and UvA follow in close succession, with small differences in scores. The UG's Global Responsibility and Leadership program at Campus Fryslân in Leeuwarden remains the best bachelor's program in the Netherlands, scoring 99 points. Additionally, six other bachelor's programs at the UG received the designation of top program. In the category of other universities, Wageningen University & Research and the Open University scored high, both achieving 68.5 points. The Erasmus University Rotterdam ranks last in this category. Utrecht also leads in the number of top programs (16). Top programs are those that receive a score of 75 points or higher from students.

Professor of organic chemistry Adri Minnaard will receive 8.8 million euro to improve the effectiveness of vaccines against diseases such as tuberculosis, pneumonia and rotavirus. Minnaard receives the funding from the US National Institutes of Health along with international partners from Switzerland and New Zealand. With the grant, Minnaard will design molecules that act as ‘boosters’ for vaccines. With these molecules, the vaccines will hopefully trigger a strong immune response from the body, making them more effective. The project has a five year time span.