Spring School Campus Fryslân
Join our Spring School and experience Campus Fryslân (CF) from the inside! This intensive programme offers you a taste of what studying at CF is like. You will meet our lecturers, experience our distinctive approach to teaching and learning, and immerse yourself in our unique academic culture.
About the Spring School
The Spring School is an inspiring and hands-on introduction to our two master’s programmes: MSc Speech Technology and MSc Sustainable Futures, and is designed to serve as a pre-master’s programme. Together with a diverse group of motivated participants, you will strengthen your research skills and explore specialised subjects related to speech technology or sustainability challenges, building a strong foundation for master’s level studies.
The Spring School offers the space to explore and dive into topics that spark your curiosity, whether driven by personal interest or future study plans.
Upon successful completion of the Spring School, you will be granted direct access to either master’s programme, provided the required conditions are met. It is a fast, affordable, and enjoyable alternative to a traditional pre-master’s programme, offering an intensive and flexible pathway to prepare for master’s level study while already feeling at home at Campus Fryslân.
Dates, times and location
Dates: 7 - 10 April 2026
Times: 15:00 - 20:00 (Amsterdam time)
Location: Faculty Campus Fryslân, Wirdumerdijk 34, Leeuwarden
Online options available, reach out to us via email cf-st@rug.nl
Fees
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In-person participation: €250
Includes all lectures, workshop sessions, lunches and dinners, and social activities to help you enjoy the campus community. -
Online participation: €150
Includes all lectures and workshop sessions delivered online (partly synchronous, partly asynchronous)
Requirements
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You have completed or are about to complete your HBO or WO bachelor’s degree, but do not meet the diploma entry requirements for MSc Speech Technology or MSc Sustainable Futures
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You have completed or are about to complete your bachelor’s degree outside the Netherlands, but do not meet the diploma entry requirements for MSc Speech Technology or MSc Sustainable Futures
For the MSc Speech Technology programme, if you have no programming experience, we recommend completing the Coursera Python for Everybody course, which is free and self-paced, before starting in the Spring School.
Workload & certificate
The Spring School represents a workload equivalent to 7 European Credits (ECTs), corresponding to 196 hours of study. This includes a combination of in-person or online sessions and independent self-study.
Please note that the Spring School does not award official ECTS credits. Upon successful completion of the final assignment, you will receive a certificate of participation indicating the academic level and workload. You may consult your home university to determine whether these study hours can be recognised for credit, as this is subject to your institution’s policies.
For applicants to the MSc Speech Technology or MSc Sustainable Futures, the certificate of participation grants direct access to the programme, provided the required conditions are met.
We strongly recommend attending the Spring School in person to fully experience the campus environment and academic culture at Campus Fryslân. However, for international students who are unable to attend on-site, an online version of the programme is also available. The online programme follows the same curriculum as the in-person format and combines synchronous and asynchronous sessions.
Application information
Ready to apply? Great, here’s the next step (deadline 15 March 2026)
Programme
Day 1 – Welcome & getting started
Kick off your Spring School experience by getting to know Campus Fryslân, your fellow participants, and the structure of the programme. Start developing key academic research skills and dive into the core topics of both master’s programmes.
All: Academic Research 1
MSc Speech Technology
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Lecture: Introduction to Speech Technology
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Lab: DIY critical engagement with Alexa and ChatGPT
MSc Sustainable Futures
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Imagining Sustainable Futures
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Thinking ahead: futures thinking and foresight
Day 2 – Building the foundations
Focus on fundamental concepts and skills, combining academic research training with hands-on, engaging activities.
All: Academic Research 2
MSc Speech Technology
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Lecture: Speech recognition 101
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Lab: Speech recognition in the wild
MSc Sustainable Futures
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Sustainability of What? A critical historical reflection on sustainability studies
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Glocal Explorers: Hands-On Qualitative Research
Day 3 – Scientific mindset & methods
Explore what it means to think and work like a researcher, with attention to ethics, experimentation, and critical reflection.
All: Academic Research 3 & 4
MSc Speech Technology
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Lecture: Speech synthesis 101
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Lab: Clone your own voice
MSc Sustainable Futures
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Governance and secure societies
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Introduction to arts-based methodologies
Day 4 – Integration & looking ahead
Bring everything together, showcase your work, reflect on your learning, and discover the next steps at CF.
All: Academic Research 5
Showcase and celebrate: joint reflection session
Wrap-up and steps ahead
More information
Accommodation
For short-term accommodation in Leeuwarden, we recommend that you look into one of these options:
Hostel
Student accommodation
We advise you to check if there are short-term accommodation arrangements with these organisations:
And in several pages and groups, like:
A few things to keep in mind:
Always use official websites or companies with a physical address you can verify.
Do not pay/transfer anything before you have a written contract, and always ask for a receipt of payment.
Be aware of scammers. If the place/price looks too good to be true for the location/type of housing, or the pictures are unidentifiable, you might be dealing with a non-genuine listing.
Avoid identity theft: never send a copy of your passport to strangers.
Coordinators
Dr. Matt Coler & Dr. Sepideh Yousefzadeh
Questions?
Reach out to us, we're happy to help! Send an email to cf-st@rug.nl