Successful Welcoming Ceremony for new international students

On 26 August and 27 August a special Welcoming Ceremony was held for all new international students and PhD students of the University of Groningen. About 1200 new students from more than 100 different countries were officially welcomed with speeches, a lunch, an information market, workshops and drinks. Speakers at the ceremony this year included Dr Frank de Vries, Deputy Mayor of Groningen, Prof. Frans Zwarts, Rector Magnificus of the University of Groningen, and Prof. Gregory Ashworth, an ‘expert’ when it comes to getting to know the Netherlands. On day two there was a follow-up programme for students from outside the EU/EER on more practical matters, where students received assistance in dealing with administrative matters. In early 2008, the University of Groningen Welcoming Ceremony was voted the best in the Netherlands by a national survey of foreign students.

Increasing internationalization

The number of international students and staff at the University of Groningen is increasing every year. This is a development that the University is encouraging in every way it can: by improving the facilities, extending the number of programmes taught in English and by strengthening our international position. The number of ‘regular’ international students (studying for a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree) has risen yearly by ten percent in recent years, to over 1400 in 2008. In addition to these students, there are about 800 students in Groningen for a shorter stay, for instance as exchange students. Finally, there were 626 foreign PhD students conducting research at the University of Groningen in 2008.