Kick-off activities

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Kick-off Schedule

Introduction to the degree programme

Information Market

Escape Room
Introduction to the Dutch workshop

Introduction Camp

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During the Kick-off Activities you will be introduced to the faculty, the degree programme, the study association(s), and most of all, to your fellow students.
You can find these activities in the table below and in the UG Schedule if you search for your programme. We strongly encourage you to attend these.

Kick-off Schedule

You can find your timetable on rooster.rug.nl, please find the timetables via the links:

Physics

Applied Physics

Please note that the welcoming event on Friday the 29th of August from 9 to 11 is not visible on the timetable.

Introduction to the degree programme

We start the academic year together on the welcoming day on Friday August 29. During this day you will get to meet the programme director, academic advisor, your mentor and your fellow students.

Your timetable for Friday August 29 is:

Double degree Mathematics and Physics

Programme
If you follow the double degree programme in Physics and Mathematics, you do some more courses in a term than other students. Please find your programme here on Ocasys. To meet the Binding Study Advice requirements, you need to pass at least 45 EC of one of the programme. We advise you to give priority to one of the programmes, so that you make sure to pass the BSA threshold for that programme.

Mentor
Both programmes have a mentor system, with more or less the same mentor programme. You can indicate your choice via a form that will be shared via email.

Introduction meetings
Please feel welcome to join the online introduction meeting for double degree students. During this meeting the academic advisors of both programmes will share useful information on studying two programmes and answer many frequently asked questions. Do you have any questions? Please ask them at the end of this meeting. Please find the details of this meeting below.

Please also join the introduction meetings for Physics on Friday August 29 and for Mathematics on Monday September 1, during these days you will meet many fellow students and your mentor.

Kick-Off Activities Study Associations

Information Market

The Information Market will be held on Tuesday, 2 September 2025 in the main hallway of the Energy Academy. It offers an opportunity for you to get all the information that you may need to start your journey here at the FSE outside the standard information regarding your programme.

The organisations listed below will all be present at the market. There will also be poffertjes and a barista available outside the venue throughout the day!

@ease

Confidential Advisor

Honours College

International Welcome Centre North (IWCN)

Mobility & Internship Center

Student Administration FSE

Student Service Centre

Language Centre

Teaching Qualification - MSc Science, Education and Communication

Escape Room

We need your help solving a big problem! Prof. Ben Feringa, a professor at our faculty, won a Nobel Prize for his work on the development of molecular machines. But the Prize is missing! Can your mentor group find it in time? 

The game will take approximately one hour, including instructions and playing time. It has been developed as a teambuilding activity for your mentor group. Your mentor will tell you when you will participate in the game.

The door will not be locked, and the environment will be that of a regular education setting in terms of lighting and sound. The puzzles are varied and require the use of different senses. Some require you to stand and move around, for others you can stay seated if you like. You can choose which puzzles you participate in. If you need to take a break during the game, that’s possible.

If you have concerns about participating in the FSE Escape Game, you can contact your academic advisor or let your mentor know.

Introduction to the Dutch workshop

Curious about the Dutch? Unlock the secrets of Dutch culture during our workshop going Dutch; a crash course in culture & customs on 9 September 2025 from 17:00-19:00 @ BB 5161.0165. We will dive deep into the world of Dutch rituals, values and communication styles. We will also deal with essential habits unique to the Netherlands while exploring the drawbacks of stereotypes. Don't miss this chance to explore and connect with Dutch culture like never before!

Introduction Camp

A great way to get to know your fellow students as soon as possible, is the Introduction camp, organized by the study association of your degree programme.

Dear prospective first-year student

This is your Pienter Committee speaking. Welcome to the Faculty of Science and Engineering and the wonderful city of Groningen! You have made an excellent choice in joining us. To aid in meeting fellow first-year students and welcome you to your study community, we are organising an introductory camp - Pienterkamp for prospective (Applied) Physics, (Applied) Mathematics, and Astronomy students.

The camp is taking place from August 29th to August 31st at de Loryann, Bakkeveen, to where we will cycle together on Friday the 29th, directly after the (Applied) Physics and Astronomy Introduction Day organised by the University (the Mathematics one is at a different time in the week). This will be a journey of approximately 40 kilometers (don’t be scared, we’ll take it slow), so make sure you bring some snacks and lots of water on the journey with you! Do not worry about the rest of your luggage, for it will be transported to the location of the camp by us via a van, though there is no need to pack heavily. After settling at the Loryann, you will experience the lovely first evening planned for you, including dinner and a special, physical version of the Slither.io game.

Saturday will be even more fun because you will be introduced to our holy Pienterkamp tradition, Vlaby, of which we dare not speak until the weekend of the camp! Aside from that, we’ll play some sports and finish the day with a pub quiz, karaoke, and lots of fun.

Sunday will be calmer as you will have the option of hanging out at the camp location or going swimming. After lunch we will, to everybody’s sorrow, depart from de Loryann on our bikes and cycle back to Zernike campus.

Sign up here! Further information such as what to pack and what to expect can be found on our website and Instagram. Finally, should you have any questions, feel free to contact us via mail@pienterkamp.nl. We look forward to seeing you on the 29th!

Your Pienter Committee