Opening Academic Year 2026 - 2027

The Opening Academic Year 2026 - 2027 took place on Monday 31 August 2026 in the Martinichurch. The theme of the ceremony was ’The University at the heart of Society’.

Programme

The programme included, besides speeches by Rector Jacquelien Scherpen and chairman of the Board Jouke de Vries:

• Speech by Rianne Letschert, Minister of Education, Culture, and Science;

• Dialogue between Peter Wennink and Robert Inklaar, moderated by Brenda Mathijssen; 

• Awarding of the Alumnus of the Year Award to Ninah Tiemersma;

• Short speech by GUF-100 winner Isabella Martinez;

• Musical interludes by pop choir Bladgoud and organist Auke de Boer.