| Maastricht University

Inaugural lecture Jan Willem van Prooijen

Researchers

What drives people to embrace radical conspiracy theories, sometimes with far-reaching consequences for society?

As part of their Comenius-funded project on using positive psychology strategies to deal with climate anxiety, FPN lecturers Marjolein Hanssen and Nicole Geschwind are developing a “Positive Eco-Psychology” workshop that will be structurally embedded in the FPN Psychology Bachelor’s program. This May, for the first time, the workshop was offered to all 450 first-year Bachelor students.

Shaping a greener UM together: focus group discussions held in June shed light on beliefs, expectations, and ideas about sustainability at UM:

In June, SUM2030 hosted engaging focus group discussions with UM students and staff to gather their valuable insights and ideas on how to make UM more sustainable in the coming years. These thoughtful sessions allowed participants to share their perspectives and attitudes toward sustainability on campus, while also identifying potential barriers and enablers. They proposed practical steps to advance our sustainability goals across education, research, and operations, expressing their eagerness to contribute in diverse ways. The feedback collected will be carefully analyzed to shape the comprehensive Sustainability Survey, scheduled for launch in September/October 2025, which will further enrich our understanding and support mid-term or end-term evaluations.

Towards a resilient Limburg

On June 17 another Transition Platform event took place. It was devoted to sharing insights from the shock scenario analysis conducted as part of the Shocks & fossil free society project.

This project is shaped by an interfaculty team from Maastricht University, reinforced by the transition platform coordinator from the side of the City of Maastricht. This project is made possible by “seed money” from Sustainable UM 2030. The session was hosted by project leader Nicole Rijkens (Maastricht Sustainability Institute), Job Zomerplaag (Studio Europa/UNU-Merit) and Jacob Moody (Maastricht Sustainability Institute).

During this event, stakeholders and experts from the region reflected on the shock analysis and the scenarios developed. Participants at the event included organizations such as municipalities, safety regions, a drinking water company, citizen initiatives, energy-related organizations and colleagues from the university itself.

First, we broadly explored which shocks (high impact low probability) could affect the energy transition in Limburg and how. This was followed by a more in-depth examination of how certain shocks can affect the energy transition in Limburg.

The evaluation of the session showed that as a region we need to be more prepared for shocks and work harder to raise awareness and strengthen the resilience of our energy system and society as a whole. In any case, the session tastes like more!

Need more information?

Please contact Nicole Rijkens (n.rijkens@maastrichtuniversity.nl).

What do you get when 18 colleges and universities join forces under the name #HogerOnderwijsBloeit (Higher Education Blooms) for nature? Exactly: an explosion of knowledge about and involvement in nature!

To mark International Biodiversity Day (May 22), institutions across the Netherlands, including Maastricht University, embarked on a shared challenge: register 2,500 species on campuses within 30 days. Thanks to students, staff, and enthusiastic nature lovers, this target was not just reached, it was smashed.

Through this BioBlitz, participants used the ObsIdentify app and waarneming.nl to document wild species on and around campus. This citizen science initiative brought much-needed attention to local biodiversity, because what does or doesn't live around us reveals the health of our ecosystems.

👉 Want to see what lives at UM locations? Explore the results here: BioBlitz Hoger Onderwijs Bloeit 2025 – Waarneming.nl

3 exciting events were organised, where more than 50 participants took on one goal: to celebrate biodiversity and identify as many species as possible.

Biodiversity 101

The events kicked off at Tapijn Garden with an engagin short talk on biodiversity. Equipped with the ObsIdentify app, participants joined a nature exploration, spotting everything from plants and insects to fungi. This hands-on approach helped beginners gain confidence in exploring the natural world around them.

Bee Hot Spot Maintenance

At Randwyck’s bee hotspot near Oxfordlaan 55, volunteers helped maintain a thriving habitat for native pollinators, by pulling weeds. Led by Peter Alblas of CNME, the group planted and pruned to support over 60 species of bees, vital players in our ecosystem. To catch a glimpse of the event's atmosphere, be sure to watch the video.

Moth Trapping Night

As night fell, a moth trap was set up next to Tapijn Garden to explore campus biodiversity after dark. Postponed due to rain but worth the wait, the event revealed a rich variety of insect species, as participants also utilised varies white sheets to collect and observe different species from trees and bushes.