Opening Academic Year 2018/19
On Monday 3 September 2018 UM celebrated the opening of the academic year. This year UM reflected on the responsibility of universities for sustainable development in the broadest sense. The keynote speeches were delivered by Dr. Frans Timmermans, First Vice-President of the European Commission, Kate Robertson, Co-Founder of One Young World, Prof. Dag Rune Olsen, Rector of the University of Bergen, and Dr. Joost van den Akker, Regional Minister of Economic Affairs and Knowledge Infrastructure.
During the official ceremony in the afternoon, the UM Student Award and the Edmond Hustinx prize were awarded. In the morning symposium behavioural change was the central theme.
Sustainable Development Goals competition
In the morning programme, students from our Green Office organised a symposium about behavioural change. How can we—if at all possible—encourage people to make the right decisions in their daily lives? As part of a competition, students and staff presented ideas for projects that would contribute to the realisation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Watch the full video report to find out all about the morning programme.
Photo impression
Formal opening by prof. dr. Martin Paul, president of Maastricht University
Photos by Harry Heuts
A word of welcome and introduction by moderator dr. Paul Smeets.
Dr. Lukas Figge, lecturer in Strategy and Entrepreneurship, explained why SDGs matter to UM.
Han Aarts, MA, director of the UM Centre for International Cooperation in Academic Development (Mundo), explained why SDG 17 matters and what UM has to contribute.
Dr. Serdar Türkeli, researcher at UNU-MERIT, talked about the SITE4Society project.
The audience could use their smartphones to vote on the finalists of the SDG competition.
Deliberation of the jury, composed of prof. dr. Pim Martens, Silvia Tosatto (UM Green Office), dr. Elsje Fourie, prof. dr. Anja Krumeich and prof. dr. Jaap Bos.
Prof. dr. Gerjo Kok and prof. dr. Stef Kremers during the debate.
The audience received sustainable notebooks made from recycled paper, by Enactus Maastricht and Athos Maastricht.
The UM Executive Board and the finalists of the SDG competition.
Prof. dr. Martin Paul with award-winning student Daan de Bresser and dr. Pim Martens.
Prof. dr. Martin Paul and the finalists of the SDG competition.
The cortege on its way to the MECC.
Right behind the beadle: Rector Magnificus prof. dr. Rianne Letschert and prof. dr. Martin Paul.
The opening of the afternoon ceremony by prof. dr. Martin Paul.
The opening of the afternoon ceremony by prof. dr. Martin Paul.
Dr. Paul Smeets and keynote speakers Kate Robertson and prof. Dag Rune Olsen in the audience.
Keynote speaker dr. Frans Timmermans, first Vice-President of the European Commission.
Dr. Frans Timmermans held an inspiring speech about our ability to sustain our values.
Vanesa Diaz Gil and the Famara Quartet played their version of 'Ode an die Freude', the traditional closing song of the OAY ceremony.
Kate Robertson, co-founder of One Young World, discussed the responsibilities of institutions with regards to their social impact and sustainability.
Kate called the current generation of students to take action.
Prof. Olsen, rector of the University of Bergen in Norway.
Prof. Olsen presented the much-lauded sustainability strategy he and his university are pursuing.
Dr. Joost van den Akker, Limburg’s Regional Minister of Economic Affairs and Knowledge Infrastructure, shared his thoughts on the regional impact of universities and the importance of collaboration with the public and private sector.
The audience could answer questions from the sustainability quiz on their smartphones.
The visitors received a vegan cookie prior to the start of the ceremony.
Sylvia Tosatto, UM Green Office, on Green Impact
Panel discussion among the keynote speakers.
Prof. dr. Rianne Letschert and Student Award winner Julie Ann Garcia Goodfellow.
Prof. dr. Rianne Letschert and dr. Andrea Broderick, winner of the Edmund Hustinx prize for science.
The official opening of the academic year 2018/19: 'Ode to Joy'
Keynote speaker Dr. Frans Timmermans
Dr. Frans Timmermans, first Vice-President of the European Commission, reflects on our ability to sustain our values.
Keynote speaker Kate Robertson
Kate Robertson, co-founder of One Young World, discusses the responsibilities of institutions with regards to their social impact and sustainability.
Keynote speaker prof. Dag Rune Olsen
Prof. Olsen, rector of the University of Bergen in Norway, presents the much-lauded sustainability strategy he and his university are pursuing.
Keynote speaker Dr. Joost van den Akker
Dr. Joost van den Akker, Limburg’s Regional Minister of Economic Affairs and Knowledge Infrastructure, shares his thoughts on the regional impact of universities and the importance of collaboration with the public and private sector.
Edmond Hustinx prize for science
This prize is awarded to a promising young scholar at Maastricht University and is meant to support the scholar's academic development. This year, the 15,000-euro award went to a colleague from the Faculty of Law: Dr. Andrea Broderick. In the video she explains her research and how she will use the prize money.
UM Student Award 2018
This year, we had six nominations for the UM Student Award, a prize awarded to students because of their outstanding social or cultural achievements. The prize was awarded to Julie Ann Garcia Goodfellow. As a young girl growing up in the slums of the Philippines, Julie managed to work her way to the Netherlands to study and is now chairperson of the very foundation that made this possible for her: the Goodfellow Foundation. She is sponsoring six female students getting a university education in the Philippines. Julie believes that educating and supporting young women from the slums CAN make a difference.
Ode to Joy and more
On the right you can watch Vanesa Diaz Gil and the Famara Quartet, with their version of Ode to Joy. Or you can watch the following video's:
arrival of the cortege
SDG's and sustainability
what do you do about sustainability?
what does UM do and what should they do?
the six Student Award nominations
the full morning symposium report
the UM sustainability quiz
Green Impact