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How can millions of people who are a fan of a nature area contribute to its management? And how can we better shape this, within the Netherlands and together with partners in nearly 800 nature areas in 140 countries? That is the subject of the new UNESCO Chair in Sustainable Landscape Governance, Education and Citizen Science; the first UNESCO Chair at the University of Groningen.

The Netherlands is taking a major step toward energy-efficient computing with a €9 million grant from the NWO Knowledge and Innovation Covenant (KIC) Long-Term Programme, awarded to the ”10X-Factor(y): Towards a Dutch ecosystem for neuromorphic technologies“ project. The project is managed by UG researchers affiliated with CogniGron, a research hub that develops highly energy efficient supercomputers. In total, the project will manage a total budget of 30 million euros, coming mainly from companies and private funders.

Four UG/UMCG projects receive NWO funding to reduce the environmental impact of scientific research and drive more sustainable practices.

Millions of products are still being destroyed every year: customer returns, unsold stock, and items that are cheaper to replace than to repair. Europe is eager to counter such wasteful practices but cannot do so without adequate laws and regulations. Charlotte Pavillon discusses the legal complexities surrounding the circular economy.

Luuk de Boer has been awarded an NWO Veni grant within the NWO Talent Programme. With this grant, he will conduct research into a striking and internationally growing phenomenon: sovereign citizens who reject existing legal systems and develop their own alternative rules and ‘laws’.

In a laboratory in the Linnaeusborg, an American kestrel can be seen ‘hanging’ motionless in front of a wind tunnel from which air is being blown. He appears to be coping effortlessly with the actively generated turbulence he faces. He is nicely coloured, elegant, and relatively small for a bird of prey. Next to him in the flying area are biotechnician (and bird trainer) Josien Janssen and Professor in Biomimetics David Lentink. Lentink’s ambition is to use knowledge about birds’ flight behaviour to improve the flight performance of aeroplanes and drones.

Groningen has had a lively hip-hop scene for many years, but nowadays it stretches as far as the academic world. Steven Gilbers is researching the linguistic aspects of rap. He helped to compile an exhibition about hip-hop in the Groninger Museum, and arranged for an international hip-hop conference to be held in the city.

Professor Jakob de Haan has been appointed as Knight of the Order of the Netherlands Lion. He received the Royal Decoration from Mayor Marco L.J. Out of the municipality of Assen.

On Friday 24 April 2026, Jakob de Haan, Professor of Political Economy at the Faculty of Economics and Business, was awarded a royal decoration. He was appointed Knight in the Order of the Netherlands Lion, taking receipt of the accompanying insignia from the Mayor of the municipality of Assen.