Short

Dutch for all children

Tekening van cartoonkinderen die een gekleurde stift vasthouden

In their first year in the country, young newcomers — refugees, asylum seekers and labour migrants — learn Dutch at language-training schools and in language-training classes. However, their command of Dutch is not at the same level as their native Dutch-speaking peers. Last year, Utrecht University researchers Manuela Pinto and Shalom Zuckerman completed a project, Nederlands voor Alle Kinderen (‘Dutch for all children’), in which they established a scientific basis for the proper assessment of these children’s vocabulary.

Nederlands voor Alle Kinderen was made possible in part by the Utrecht University Fund (Funding the Future campaign) and by the K.F. Hein Fund. Watch the video in which these two Utrecht University researchers talk about how they measure language proficiency.

Can hormones make and break relationships?

grote theaterzaal waar een lezing wordt gegeven

What constitutes good migration policy? How do lobbyists influence decision-making in The Hague? Will quantum technology change the world? Can hormones make and break relationships?

 

Studium Generale has a fantastic programme full of good questions and honest answers.Take a look at the range of free lectures and workshops on science and society. Subscribe to the newsletter today to ensure you never miss anything again.

New director

Foto anemiek vermeulen

Annemiek Vermeulen has been appointed as the new Director of the Utrecht University Fund Foundation and also the Head of Utrecht University’s Alumni Office as of 1 September 2024. Vermeulen made the switch to the world of university funds early this year after nearly 20 years as the mayor of various municipalities.

Girls Club WIN

The Mathematics, Computer Science, Information Sciences and Physics degree programmes need more girls! To encourage them to enrol for a science degree, Utrecht University has created the Girls Club WIN programme. It is the result of a collaboration between U-Talent and the departments of Information and Computing Sciences, Physics and Mathematics. Girls from Years 2 and 3 of pre-university education (VWO) come to the university and meet (female) students, scientists and alumni. Each meeting features a guest speaker, the Girl of the Day, who gives an interactive presentation about her career.

Would you like to share something about your work and inspire young girls? Send an e-mail to u-talent@uu.nl.

Researchers visit primary schools

Onderzoeker in de klas met twee kinderen

Utrecht University, the Wilhelmina Children’s Hospital and University Medical Center Utrecht have many smart employees — including researchers. Every year, 60 of these researchers, who are often young, visit primary schools in and around Utrecht to give guest lectures. They meet students from groups 7 and 8 and tell them all about the work they do. What do researchers do in hospitals and universities? What do young researchers dream about? The children discover that you can be smart in many different ways.

illustratie van Lotte Dijkstra. Een persoon aan een collegebank zegt: wat ben ik toch een bevoorrecht persoon, dit is sarcastisch bedoeld
Cartoon by Lotte Dijkstra

Have you moved? Let us know your new address

It’s now very easy to pass on a change of address to the Alumni Office. Simply scan the QR code, enter your e-mail address and then update your details. And that’s it: you’ll stay connected to your alma mater.