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How can public space be designed in such a way that it is safe, accessible, and inviting for everyone? Geographer Gerd Weitkamp studies how people move through their living environment, but also how they experience it. In particular, he examines what this means for their health, well-being, and social participation. ‘If you make an environment safe, for example for an eight-year-old child, or accessible for older adults, then it becomes safer and more accessible for everyone.’

UG researcher Soran Mansournia (Faculty of Spatial Sciences) will be able to conduct research at Yale University for two years thanks to the Rubicon programme organized by the Dutch Research Council (NWO). The NWO Rubicon programme enables talented, young researchers to acquire international research experience to help kick-start their academic careers.

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.

De Faculteit Ruimtelijke Wetenschappen van de Rijksuniversiteit Groningen (RUG) spreekt haar waardering uit voor de Ontwerp-Nota Ruimte, waarin het Rijk na jaren van terughoudendheid opnieuw nationale regie neemt op de ruimtelijke inrichting van Nederland. Tegelijkertijd bepleiten experts van de faculteit dat de nota aan kracht en robuustheid wint wanneer onderliggende waarden expliciet worden gemaakt en keuzes scherper worden uitgewerkt. Dat blijkt uit een zienswijze die zij eind 2025 heeft ingediend.