Latest blog articles

Dear reader, welcome to the New Year 2021: a year with hopefully many opportunities and a less bizarre reality. However, while coping with Covid-19, there is already a need to take a long-term perspective: how to reach the aim of a climate neutral European Union in the year 2050.

The Nikolova case (C-83/14), currently pending before the Court of Justice (CoJ), constitutes an interesting and unique example of a practice alleged to have discriminatory effects on a large group of persons defined by reference to their Roma ethnic origin.

As exams are starting all over again, the library and university buildings become more crowded then ever. Finding a quiet study spot is not possible unless you will participate with the early morning German runs.

While I’m writing this blog I’m still calming down from my football match tonight. We lost again (but we finally scored!) and I got very mad (emotional like one of my teammates called it), and since the game was pretty late (10 p.m.), I still need calming down before I can sleep.

So you are a prospective student and need to find your way around. You can stroll down the internet to find everything that you need before you arrive here. But why bother? Here’s a summary of some of the most basic things you need to know before you arrive.

The Netherlands; well known for its tolerant and laid back view on basically anything (except time). Being openly gay is not a problem. Euthanasia and Abortion are far from taboos anymore. But I guess especially our very tolerant drug policy is welcomed by most people from other countries.

I decided to write a post on the Dutch Student Finance as I felt the information about it was not easily accessible in one clear document. I also wanted to express some of my opinions about the student finance system itself and possible ways to improve it.

So recently the prices of bus fares have gone up by about a euro, what was 1,60 is now 2,50.  I know this does not affect Dutch students as they obviously have free transport for being students, but I think that concessions for students should cover everyone!

So, after a semester at UCM, what I can say is this: a few words of warning/experience/advice/recommendation for future UCM students, especially those coming from the UK: