Alumnus of the Year

Khalaf Alkhalaf has been elected Alumnus of the Year 2025 by the University of Groningen. He has received the award for his commitment to providing good care and guidance to refugees in the Netherlands and the inspiring way in which he shares his experiences and knowledge with refugees, students, and professionals, including COA staff and police officers. ‘Khalaf inspires other refugees with his perseverance, resilience, intellectual achievements, and dedication to others,’ according to the jury’s report. ‘He shows that it is possible to succeed in your studies and work in the Netherlands despite a difficult start in life, making him an important role model.’

Dutch Council for Refugees

Khalaf (1988) is a team leader at the Dutch Council for Refugees (VluchtelingenWerk Nederland). He fled Syria ten years ago after being kidnapped by IS. It meant that he was no longer able to continue working there as a nurse in a children’s hospital for Doctors Without Borders. In the Netherlands, he quickly learned Dutch and English, and went on to obtain a Bachelor’s degree in Middle Eastern Studies (2021) and a Master’s degree in International Relations (2022) at the UG.

As a team leader, he is now an important point of contact for new refugees. He helps them find their way and also offers a listening ear, hope, and inspiration, and encourages them to take control of their own lives. ‘Don’t sit around doing nothing, take control of your own life, and even if you're not allowed to do much as an asylum seeker, keep making plans, learn Dutch, exercise, eat healthy,’ he tells them. He also gives guest lectures, for example to medical sociology students, about the impact of asylum centres on refugees’ mental health.

Important role model

The jury recognizes Alkhalaf as an important role model. He inspires other refugees with his perseverance, resilience, intellectual achievements, and dedication to others. According to the jury, he shows that it is possible to succeed in your studies and work in the Netherlands despite a difficult start in life, making him an important role model. At the same time, Khalaf’s story shows how important it is that we in the Netherlands and the rest of Europe offer refugees a supportive, humane reception, with the opportunity to continue developing themselves.

During the opening of the academic year on 1 September 2025, Khalaf will be one of the speakers. The autumn edition of Broerstraat 5 will include an in-depth interview with him. The April 2023 edition of Broerstraat 5 (www.rug.nl/broerstraat5) already featured an interview with Khalaf (in Dutch).

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Read the full jury report here>>

Previous Alumni of the Year are:

(As of 2022, the nomination and the awarding of the prize will take place in the same year)

About the Alumnus of the Year award

To qualify for the title of Alumnus of the Year, a candidate must meet the following criteria. We are looking for people who:

• Have made an exceptional contribution to society, research, culture or sports,
• Are an inspiration to others
• Are a promise for the future (the Alumnus of the Year award is a midcareer prize).

The prize for the Alumnus of the Year is a specially designed sculpture of visual artist Wia van Dijk. The 'Athena Noctua' is a pure and powerful bronze statue that stands for wisdom, curiosity, and pride. Each year the sculpture is personalized by changing the color of the eyes to match the personality of the winner.

• Wia van Dijk