Rector Magnificus Cisca Wijmenga opens Faculty of Arts' Collaboratories

"A well-known expression reads: 'If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.' Work together with each other, with other disciplines and learn from each other. That is the beginning of innovation." With these words, Rector Magnificus Prof. Cisca Wijmenga opened the Collaboratories in the Harmonie Building on 7 April. Research groups can reserve the rooms via our website.

The Collaboratories offer research groups the possibility to present and discuss results and outcomes, and to organize brainstorm sessions. In addition, they offer room for welcoming societal partners. They offer researchers a stimulating and facilitating environment for research collaboration and cross-fertilisation interaction. In addition, they offer room for welcoming societal partners, so that they can create and consolidate collaboration and connections within our building.

"Cooperation is in my DNA," said Wijmenga, who spent the entire Thursday at the Faculty of Arts. In the morning, she visited the GIA building at the Poststraat. After the opening of the Collaboratories - "You have chosen a nice name" - researchers from the Groningen Centre for Health Humanities, the Centre for Media and Journalism Studies, and the Centre for Digital Humanties presented various research projects to the Rector and various staff members of the Faculty of Arts.

With the Collaboratories, the faculty is taking a step forward towards the new building. Dean Thony Visser: "We will also create spaces there to facilitate our researchers in collaborating." Wijmenga: "I hope that these Collaboratories will generate a lot of interesting ideas. And perhaps I can come and open the Collaboratories again in the new building."