The Faculty Club of... Bettina Nelemans

In this section, our members tell something about themselves and why they are members of the Faculty Club. Bettina Nelemans is director of the Utrecht Summer School and chair of the International Neighbour Group.

De Faculty Club van Bettina Nelemans

Why I became a member? Because I enjoy being there, I want to be kept informed of what is going on, but also because I want to use my membership to show that I think it is important that the Faculty Club exists. Especially in these times of working from home, I really appreciate the unplanned meetings in the Faculty Club. I have been a member of the Faculty Club since February 2015, but I have been coming there since the opening. This is now over 20 years ago.

What do you do in your daily life?

I run the Utrecht Summer School (USS), a partnership between Utrecht University, Utrecht University of Applied Sciences and Utrecht School of the Arts. The USS is the largest academic summer school in Europe. We offer a wide range of courses and conferences in July and August, and attract both students and professionals. Together with all the programmes and institutes, we make the summer a Powerhouse of learning, debate and discovery. Every year, we attract several thousand people to Utrecht from all over the world. In the summer of 2020 and 2021 the courses are mainly offered online because of Covid.

I am also chairman of the International Neighbour Group, which organises all kinds of great activities with volunteers for foreign PhDs, postdocs and other UU and UMCU staff.

Especially in these times of working from home, I really appreciate the unplanned meetings in the Living Room.

What is your most fun memory of the Faculty Club?

Over the years I have attended many lectures, lunches, drinks and farewell parties. I have fond memories of the presentation of the Illuster magazine in the autumn of 2019, which was about Future Food. It was a lot of fun, with interesting talks on all sorts of aspects of our food. And there was good food, of course. This is where science and social gathering came together very aptly.

What are you looking forward to the most?

Ah, I have now put the Wild Evening in my diary, on 24 November. I am very curious what is in store for me.

Do you have any suggestions for activities for the Faculty Club?

I would love to see foreign UU and UMCU staff members at the Faculty Club more often. Especially for them, this hospitable and historical place under the Dom can be of added value. Last year I started setting up a lecture series for the internationals of the International Neighbour Group. Unfortunately, it had to be cancelled due to the pandemic. But I hope to be able to revive it soon.