UMagazine

UMagazine offers an insight into the key developments and achievements in education and research at Maastricht University. The magazine appears twice a year.

The February 2026 edition includes impressions from UM's 50th Dies Natalis, attended by, among others, King Willem-Alexander and André Rieu.

In our portrait, Anna Harris, professor of Anthropology and Medicine, brings together crafts, anthropology and medicine to investigate how hospitals can reduce waste and foster creativity in care. Bart Zwegers tells the story of Maastricht University in 50 objects. Martijn Boussé, Linda Verlinden, and Linda Rieswijk discuss responsible AI use in schools and how UM can contribute by involving parents.

Professor Frenk Peeters and his PhD student Dyllis van Dijk explain why waiting times are a serious problem in treating depression. Anna Wilbik, Rudolf Müller, and Rim Stroeks explain how UM helps SMEs in the region harness digitization via DigiMach.

"Europe must assert itself," says Yf Reykers, discussing how we can adapt to serious geopolitical changes. In the soul kitchen, Akorshi Sengupta shares insights from his culinary education across India. Alumni Janine Collet, (medicine cohort of 1977) and Femke Deguelle, a GP currently specialising, discuss changes in geriatric medicine. Roger Cox, one of the honorary doctorate recipients at the Dies Natalis, talks about what motivates him and his groundbreaking work in climate jurisprudence.

Read about all this and more in the February issue of UMagazine!

UMagazine stories

How to prevent a total collapse of the healthcare system

It sounds ominous, but the numbers don’t lie: within 10 years the Dutch healthcare system could face collapse, with no guarantee that people will receive the care they need. Yet despite these forecasts, Professor Angelique de Rijk and assistant professor Petra Erkens remain optimistic.

EDLAB: innovator and bridge builder

Less than three years ago, artificial intelligence took on a tangible form with the arrival of ChatGPT. The impact will be enormous, especially on education. Now, EDLAB is launching a major research project on the use of AI in Maastricht University’s system of Problem-Based Learning (PBL).

“I’m a sjeng squared”

In primary school, his nickname was whirlwind —and that same energy comes across during the interview. “I’ve never been diagnosed, but I do think I have ADHD,” says the cheerful physics professor Marcel Merk. “And I’m gripped by the question: why is there something rather than nothing?“

From ‘mama’ to ‘farewell’

What do we say at the start of our lives—and at the end? In his book Bye Bye I Love You , linguist Michael Erard from the Faculty of Law explores the story behind our first and last words.

“Food is for sharing”

“As a little girl, I loved food. After mealtimes I was allowed to go outside and play. But before long, my mother would find me at the neighbours’, being fed all over again.” Pamela Habibović , born in Tuzla and raised in Srebrenica, talks about the importance of food in Bosnian culture. “