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University Dinner
Benefit evening
On 7 June, the Utrecht University Fund is organising the University Dinner. This is a festive gala dinner, the aim of which is to raise as much money as possible for student bursaries. For more information, see this page.
Sharing Days
Alumnifestival
The Sharing Days take place annually in June in Utrecht. This festival-style event, which is specifically for alumni, provides a packed programme of activities in the field of science, research, sport and culture. Spread across locations on the Science Park and in Utrecht’s vibrant city centre, the Alumni Office facilitates workshops, tours, masterclasses and other festivities. The event will take place from 5 to 8 June 2024. Will you join us? Read more information on this page!
Learning to discuss in a safe environment
Grip on polarisation
Under the project ‘Grip op polarisatie’ (Combating polarisation), Civinc, together with Utrecht University, developed the chat app https://www.waaromkiesjij.nl/. This allowed 300,000 voters to engage in conversation with each other before the 2021 elections. Because research indicates that even brief conversations can lead to greater mutual affinity and understanding. Civinc is now researching a new educational tool for higher education. This is intended to help students practise sharing their views on controversial or sensitive social issues in a safe environment, through anonymous one-to-one chats. Because although, generally speaking, lecturers are very keen to discuss difficult topics, facilitating dialogue appears to be a complex task.
Tinder for healthy pups
Many dogs suffer from welfare problems caused by hereditary conditions. These conditions can be prevented through a responsible, sustainable breeding policy. This prompted the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine to launch Fit2Breed. A kind of ‘Tinder for healthily bred dogs’ which helps breeders prevent hereditary diseases. Based on DNA and health data, the programme advises on whether two animals are a healthy match. Currently, the programme only works for the Kooikerhondje dog breed. The aim, in the future, is to develop modules for all breeds of dog. You can donate on https://gezondgefokt.vriendendiergeneeskunde.nl/.
"A fanfare sounded in the distance"
Did you know that there are more than 200 street poets in Utrecht? Just another string in our beautiful city's bow. Street poetry is the product of a conversation between poets, the city poets guild, the municipality and local residents. Four enthusiastic students of Dutch know everything there is to know about the poems. Not only where they can be found but also the stories behind the poets, why a particular poem is in a particular place and what street poetry is actually all about. Walk or cycle with one of the guides. The tours take about 2.5 hours and cost €15 per person (free of charge with a U-pass). More info can be found on https://straatpoezie.nl/wandelingen/.
