Bequests to university funds: making science and talent development possible

Would you like to know more about leaving a bequest to the Ubbo Emmius Fonds or discuss your wishes in a personal conversation? Please contact Elise Kamphuis, Relationship Manager at the UEF, at e.kamphuis@rug.nl or +31 (0)6 11808809, or visit the UEF website.

The Ubbo Emmius Fonds has ANBI status (Public Benefit Organisation) and is therefore exempt from inheritance tax. This means that a bequest to the fund can be used in full to support scientific research and talent development.

What do we want to pass on to future generations? And how can we continue to make a meaningful contribution beyond our lifetime? For some, leaving a bequest to a university fund is a way to support education, research and opportunities for future generations.

The national campaign on bequests to university funds, which will be launched during the Opening of the Academic Year, builds on these personal motivations. The campaign highlights the opportunity to support scientific research, education and talent development — both during your lifetime and through a gift in your will. The Ubbo Emmius Fonds (UEF), the University of Groningen’s fund, is taking part in this national campaign.

Personal connection

The decision to leave a bequest to a university fund often stems from a personal connection with a university that has played an important role in someone’s life. For University of Groningen alumna Aly Dijkstra-Kruit, education, equal opportunities and scientific research have played an important role throughout her life:

‘After my death, the Ubbo Emmius Fonds may decide where the money can make the greatest difference. As long as it supports high-quality research: technical, medical or social. Independent research without predetermined outcomes.’

Science as an heir, opportunities as a legacy

When considering leaving a bequest to science, the opportunities you have been given in life can also play a role. This is true for Klaas Knot, former President of De Nederlandsche Bank. As a first-generation student, he had the opportunity to study in Groningen and later to build financial security. This has put him in a position to give something back. As Knot explains: ‘Universities do more than educate; they contribute to social stability and social emancipation.’ Geert Sanders, former Director of the Ubbo Emmius Fonds, hopes that his bequest will help the next generation make a difference.

What someone chooses to pass on through a bequest is deeply personal. ‘Leaving a bequest touches on something fundamental: what we value and what we want to pass on. Trust is essential,’ says Rob van Ouwerkerk, Director of the UEF. The fund is therefore keen to talk to alumni and others about what matters to them and what they would like to pass on to future generations.

What can a bequest make possible?

As a university fund, the Ubbo Emmius Fonds brings together personal commitment and scientific ambition. Thanks to its donors, the UEF is able to make a wide range of projects possible. These range from research into childhood cancer, asthma and liver damage at the Beatrix Children’s Hospital to CogniGron, the institute working on extremely energy-efficient computing technology.

Other examples include international research into migratory birds and the M20 scholarship programme for PhD candidates, which supports a new generation of researchers working across disciplines to address complex challenges such as climate change, social cohesion and AI.

The UEF focuses particularly on long-term research, interdisciplinary collaboration and the development of new scientific talent, as such initiatives often have limited access to conventional research funding.

Would you like to know more?