Magazine and timeline for 400 years of the University of Groningen

By 2024, the University of Groningen will boast some 35,000 students, English will be the official language and the University will have satellite locations on various continents. These are the predictions of Sibrand Poppema, President of the Board of the University, expressed in the Magazine ’For Infinity’, which is being published to mark the 400th anniversary of the University of Groningen. The University is also launching a timeline on the rug400.nl website, showing highlights and noteworthy events from its 400-year history to illustrate the historical topics featured in the magazine.

The magazine will be published in both a Dutch and an English edition. It links the University’s past to its present and future, painting a colourful picture of the University with interviews, reports, columns, anecdotes and personal accounts. The magazine shows how today’s top researchers are continuing the work started by their illustrious predecessors, and gives us a peek into the future. University of Groningen resident historian Klaas van Berkel explores the identity of the University: the open management culture, the urge to experiment and the close ties between the city and the region. Princess Marilène looks back on her time as a student and a German student goes in search of the story behind Aletta Jacobs.

400 years of the University of Groningen

Three history students have compiled a historical timeline illustrating the University’s 400-year history. Starting with the opening and lively deed of foundation in 1614, it follows events right through to the celebrations for the 400th anniversary in May and June of this year. The timeline corresponds with the historical topics in the new magazine, providing extra background information with a wealth of historical reports and interviews from Unifocus, the University of Groningen online video magazine. The videos can be viewed in the magazine using Layar. Extra background material and historical items willrsit occasionally be added to the timeline.

Sales outlets

A Dutch and an English edition of the For Infinity Magazine (62 pages) will be published at a cost of € 2.50. Fifty cents from every sale will be donated to the Gift for Infinity, the ‘Let old be gold’ research project. The Magazine goes on sale on Thursday 10 April at the For Infinity exhibitions in the Der Aakerk and the University Museum (Oude Kijk in ’t Jatstraat 7A), in the Van der Velde bookshops (Akerkhof 45-47 and Guldenstraat 20), the University Shop (Oude Kijk in ’t Jatstraat 39) and via www.rug400.nl.