Opening Academic Year 2026/27
On Monday 31 August 2026, we will celebrate the Opening of the Academic Year 2026/27 at Theater aan het Vrijthof. This festive occasion marks a special moment at the heart of our anniversary year.
The Opening of the Academic Year brings together tradition and future ambitions. This year’s keynote will be delivered by UNESCO Chair in Futures Literacy Loes Damhof. In keeping with tradition, the Hustinx Science Award and the UM Student Award will be awarded to members of our community whose commitment and ideas contribute to science, education and societal impact.
Invited guests can register via the personal invitation.
The event can also be followed via the livestream on this page on 31 August starting at 15.15.
If you experience problems with this livestream, please click here.
This year's theme is 'UM100: Building the next 50 years together'
During the Dies Natalis in January, we reflected on where it all began. Fifty years after the founding of Maastricht University, the Opening of the Academic Year looks ahead to the future.
With the theme UM100: Building the next 50 years together, we turn our attention to what lies ahead. Where do we want Maastricht University to be when it celebrates its 100th anniversary? What role do we want to play over the next fifty years for our students, the region and society? And how can we continue to build that future together?
For fifty years, Maastricht University’s strength has been its ability to connect education, research and societal engagement. Building on this strong foundation, we look forward to new generations of students, new forms of collaboration and new societal challenges, with our community and partners as the driving force.
Keynote speaker Loes Damhof
Loes Damhof is Chairholder of the UNESCO Chair Futures Literacy at Hanze University of Applied Sciences in Groningen, TEDx-speaker, Future Fellow at Hawkwood College, founder of Emergence Academy and PhD candidate.
Loes is an award winning educator and internationally acclaimed for her work in the development of Futures Literacy Labs and events around the globe that empower people to overcome the poverty of imagination.
She consults and trains international organisations like OXFAM, UN, OneResilientEarth, ClimateKIC and museums on how to integrate futures thinking into their practices and strategy. For her doctoral research she explores the connections between futures, nature and communities.
Explore more UM50 stories, events and news
Maastricht University’s anniversary year continues. Throughout the new academic year, we will share stories, memorable moments and inspiring initiatives celebrating 50 years of UM.
Want to discover everything related to UM50? Visit the dedicated anniversary website for all events, stories and the latest news.