Spring 2013

University of Groningen most sustainable university in the Netherlands

The University of Groningen has reached an impressive 53rd place of the worldwide UI Greenmetric Ranking of World Universities 2012, higher than any other university in the Netherlands. The University of Groningen achieved the best score of the five Dutch universities that participated in the ranking programme this year. Read more...

University of Groningen graduates highly valued by labour market

A degree certificate from the University of Groningen is of great value to graduates looking for a job with one of the major enterprises. That has been revealed by the 2012 Global Employability Survey published on 24 October by the New York Times and the International Herald Tribune. Read more...

Shanghai, China: Alumni & Friends Reception

University of Groningen alumni in China gathered in March for the premier University of Groningen Alumni Reception in Shanghai. About 41 alumni used this opportunity to get into contact with fellow alumni and stay in contact with the University of Groningen. Read more...

European Flagship with a Groningen helmsman

Flagship programmes are intended to bring together research groups and industrial partners from all over the European Union. The Graphene Future and Emerging Technologies (FET) Flagship project will get a EUR 54 million budget for the first 30 months. Some 76 research groups, including groups from industry, will participate in this initial phase. One of these is the spintronics research group led by Bart van Wees. Read more...

Prime Minister Rutte visits Groningen:

‘Here, the city, the UMCG, the Hanze University and the University all strengthen each other’

Groningen is well on the way to becoming the knowledge and innovation city of the Netherlands, Prime Minister Rutte concluded yesterday after a working visit to the University of Groningen and the Hanze University of Applied Sciences Groningen. He was impressed by the success of cooperation at the interface between the knowledge institutions and the business world. The Prime Minister also praised the fruitful way the municipality of Groningen, the University and the Hanze University pull together. Read more...

Pre-University Academy continues to grow

Rector of the Pre-University Academy, Peter Barthel: ‘Talent is everywhere’

The Pre-University Academy of the University of Groningen has been awarded € 640,000 by the University. The Academy provides education that challenges pre-university (VWO) school pupils to examine extra learning material in greater depth and thus make the transfer from VWO to university easier. The new funds will enable the Pre-University Academy to continue its activities in the coming years. Read more...

People behind the scenes: Annemieke van der Kolk

Annemieke is the copy editor of a part of the new University of Groningen website, has been intimately involved in the development of the new website and has been writer and editor for the worldwide newsletter for a long time. An interview with Annemieke van der Kolk. Read more...

University of Groningen the first to launch its own crowd funding site: Supporting the Arctic Tern

The Arctic Tern is a phenomenal bird. Every year it flies 70,000 kilometers from the North Pole to the South Pole and back. Maarten Loonen, a scientist at the Arctic Centre of the University of Groningen, will bring his expertise to study the schedules of the Arctic tern and hopes to gain insight into the impact of climate change on these migratory birds. His project is in need of € 40,000 for geolocators on the birds. Read more....

Visit www.rugsteuntstern.nl and help support this initiative!

Public lectures: Studium Generale

Studium Generale Groningen organizes innovative and multidisciplinary activities in the domains of science, culture and society. Even if you're not able to attend these activities, you can browse through their archives and listen to the recordings of past lectures.

Psychiatrist Willem Nolen receives royal honour

Psychiatrist Prof. Willem Nolen is retiring after a career spanning forty years. On Thursday 14 February 2013, at the end of an international symposium on mood disorders organized to mark his retirement, he was appointed Officer in the Order of Orange-Nassau. Peter Rehwinkel, Mayor of Groningen, bestowed the decoration. Read more...

Experimental proof of major influence of micron-sized dust particles on the universe

A French-Dutch team of astronomers, including Stéphanie Cazaux of the Kapteyn Astronomical Institute of the University of Groningen, has managed to prove with laboratory experiments that molecules on micron-sized dust particles in space can be converted directly into a gaseous state. This result can have important implications for theories on the chemical composition of the universe and the way stars are created. The findings have been published online in Nature Scientific Reports. Read more...

Unifocus, our online magazine

This week's edition:

• The University of Groningen and Canadian oil. President of the University Sibrand Poppema explains how the University's microsensor technology should help exploiting oil fields in Canada.
• King of the meadowland. Ysbrand Galama talks about his research on godwits that can aid in the preservation of these meadow birds.
• The Russian soul. Hans van Koningsbrugge, professor of Russian history and politics, uses a painting to describe the Russian soul.

Open call for Alumnus of the Year

Do you know of someone who is a perfect candidate for the title ‘Alumnus of the Year’? Please put forward their name to Ms. Tienke Koning of the Department of Alumni Relations and Fundraising of the RUG.

Upcoming Alumni Events

For upcoming International Alumni Events visit the links below and meet up with fellow alumni!

• Alumni Reception Zurich, Germany, 15 May 2013

Did you know?

• University of Groningen alumnus Alle Dourhot, who till recently lived in New York, is to become the new Master of ceremony for the King.
• This year another twenty new Rosalind Franklin Fellows will be appointed, to be followed by another group in 2014. The prestigious Rosalind Franklin Fellowship programme aims to promote the advancement of talented researchers at the highest levels of the University of Groningen.

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