9 October 2023

Bachelor’s Open Day: experiencing the campus vibe

Saturday’s Bachelor's Open Day was a success, with more than 3000 prospective students flocking to our six faculties. The event also attracted a significant online audience. Equally impressive: the good vibes and the high rating our programme presentations received, averaging at 8.9.

We were fortunate with the weather, as it remained mostly sunny and dry. The overall atmosphere was relaxed and positive, with visitors showing genuine interest, according to Emilia Góralska, one of the student assistants hosting the event.

“The Open Day went really well! From our standpoint, our students did a great job and were always available to help anyone in need, while the prospective students, although naturally a little shy at times, seemed eager to learn more about the PBL system and the different programmes the university has to offer.”

Bachelor’s Open Day - 7 October 2023

Overall rating: 8.9
On-campus attendance: 3026
Show-up rate: 66%
_{Photo: Isabella Martins Ribeiro}

Information sessions

PBL, or Problem-Based Learning, is the learning method adopted at Maastricht University and the subject of one of the informative sessions offered at the Bachelor’s Open Day. Other presentations were about programmes, admission procedures or the vibrant student life awaiting the newcomers in Maastricht.

The visitors had ample opportunities to soak in the campus atmosphere and engage in discussions with our dedicated staff and current students. Many presentations included engaging Q&A sessions, and at the information markets and fairs, aspiring students could connect with staff and student ambassadors alike. The new Brain Science programme, a joint initiative involving three faculties, turned out to be very popular.

On-campus experience

Open days at Maastricht University offer an unparalleled opportunity to explore your academic options. You can immerse yourself in the unique atmosphere of our faculties, gain insights into specific programs, and get a taste of what student life in Maastricht is all about. Or, in Emilia’s words:

“Showing up at events like the Bachelor's Open Day allows prospective students to properly experience what studying and living here would look like, something that cannot really be done through a computer screen.”

Interaction is key

It’s the interaction with current students that makes attending this event so important, particularly for people who haven’t made up their minds yet, Emilia adds.

“Coming here allows prospective students and parents to not only get their questions answered in real-time but to also speak with Maastricht University students who can share their own experiences and thoughts from a more internal and relatable perspective. So, if you're not sure where to study - or what - these types of events are the place to be! At the end of the day, we are all here to make sure that all students pick a programme/choose a university that suits them best.”

For those unable to attend in person, many presentations were available online or in hybrid formats, combining in-person and online elements relayed on our online Open Day platform. Additionally, we hosted special activities on social media, including a live campus tour and a live information fair, both on Instagram.

Emilia Góralska
Student Assistant at SBE and current MSc Human Decision Science student with a Business Engineering bachelor's degree

A photo gallery

Bachelor's Open Day, 7 October 2023

The Bachelor's Open Day at Maastricht University is held twice a year to help prospective students make a well-considered study choice.

Visitors can learn more about the programmes at our six faculties, visit our campus and get a taste of the atmosphere at Maastricht University and life in our student city Maastricht.

This photo series gives you an impression of the activities on this fun and active day!

Click on the icon to watch the whole series

Photos by Harry Heuts

Visitor responses

Emilia was not alone in her positive impressions of Saturday's Bachelor's Open Day. In fact, the overall feedback was quite favourable, with the consensus being that it was an "interesting" and "enjoyable" day.

As many as 499 attendees took the time to fill out the feedback form. Some were so impressed that they left lyrical comments. For instance, the session about the Maastricht Science Programme garnered the following response: “Very enthusiastic about coming here, you really experience the passion that the professors have about this uni and their field of expertise and about supporting and facilitating the students!”

Or from an Arts and Culture presentation: ‘Amazing professor, all my questions were answered and with a bit of wit and humour throughout the presentation. I hope to be in his classroom in the future :)’

Other presentations, such as the Introduction to PBL, produced a mixed response. Whereas one prospective student thought that ‘Everything was clear as day, the presentation was rather visual which helped understanding the topic. The girls did an amazing job explaining the important aspects of pbl’, another complained that ‘it all went on for too long.’

All in all, most visitors were satisfied and thankful that their visit had been worthwhile and informative. Or, as one visitor put it concisely in Italian street slang: ‘Grazie bro’.