Alumni newsletter - October 2023
Do you remember how you felt when you went to university? Curious about who you would meet? Nervous? Or already somewhat prepared because other family members went before you? Maybe it feels like a long time ago or you remember it like yesterday: either way you probably remember that it was an exciting moment!
If you are the first from a family to go to university, as a so-called first-generation student, it is usually even more difficult to find your way. Charisma Hehakaya also experienced this when she was a student. That is why we draw attention to the First-Generation Fund in this newsletter. You can also read why Utrecht ľ¹Ï¸£ÀûÓ°ÊÓ is not among the best universities in the world and how TikTok can serve as a learning platform.
Enjoy reading!
Vera Seriese
Young Alumni Officer
UU: The best university of the Netherlands?
For the first time ever, our university is not in the THE rankings. The Times Higher Education (THE) evaluates universities worldwide on academic performance and reputation. Why isn't Utrecht in it? UU chose not to submit data, and therefore was not included in the ranking. Because rankings put a lot of emphasis on scoring and competition, while we want to focus on collaboration and open science.
"Since this year Utrecht is the only one dealing with rankings as befits an academic institution, the question 'what is the best university in the country' is easy to answer this year."
~ Casper Albers, ľ¹Ï¸£ÀûÓ°ÊÓ of Groningen, in the Oct. 4 Volkskrant.
The First-Generation Fund
If you are the first in your family to go to university, you usually find it harder to find your way. Charisma Hehakaya also experienced this when she studied as a so-called first-generation student. Charisma has since received her doctorate from UU and would like to provide knowledge, experience and financial support to these students.
Therefore, she has founded the First-Generation Fund. Contributing to this fund allows us to provide grants, mentorship and share stories. Because every student should feel at home and safe within the Utrecht academic community.
'Een Schip Vol Woorden'
As of September, the Taalmuseum's exhibition Een schip vol woorden (A ship full of words) is on display at the university libraries in Utrecht. Languages conceal little. And where words end up tells us a lot. This exhibition shows colonial history through the lens of Sranantongo, the most widely spoken language in Suriname.
The exhibition can be seen at the ľ¹Ï¸£ÀûÓ°ÊÓ Library City Centre until November 2023. And from November 2023 to January 2024 at the Utrecht Science Park ľ¹Ï¸£ÀûÓ°ÊÓ Library.
Hologram-based model allows for new sneak peek into pre-Big Bang events
A new physics model could help gain more insight into the events surrounding the birth of the universe. Combining principles of holography and string theory, an international group of researchers developed a model that could potentially elucidate how the universe expanded and gained enough heat in the final phase before the Big Bang.
Social learning communities on YouTube, Twitch and TikTok
In addition to traditional education in schools, young people are now discovering alternative ways to shape their learning online. Recent research by Zowi Vermeire, a doctoral student at Utrecht ľ¹Ï¸£ÀûÓ°ÊÓ, illustrates this trend. Young people report that platforms such as TikTok and YouTube offer them the opportunity to learn more about important social issues, such as climate change and LGBTQI+ inclusion, issues of great importance to them.
Vermeire's research sheds light on the fact that young people are not merely passive and addicted users of social media. On the contrary, it shows how they actively engage with these platforms, taking ownership of their processes and using them to pursue their own educational goals.
‘When we walked onto the motorway in our togas, there was a lengthy applause’Â
Are professors allowed to wear their togas to protest fossil fuel subsidies? Does activism damage the credibility and trust of climate scientists? If the professor behaves according to the principles and values the toga represents, Rector Henk Kummeling is not against it. Prof. Dr. Erik van Sebille (oceanographer and climate scientist): "My interpretation is that society funds academics to be 'warners', the proverbial canaries in a coal mine."
Calendar
| October 23 | Lecture The road to climate justice (Studium Generale) |
| November 6 | |
| November 8 | |
| November 9 |
Privacy
If you have obtained your bachelor's, master's or PhD, you will be registered as an alumnus of our university. Will you help us keep your details up to date? Then you will receive the alumni magazine Illuster (twice a year), invitations to events and we can keep you informed of news from Utrecht ľ¹Ï¸£ÀûÓ°ÊÓ via this email newsletter (up to six editions per year). Using the link 'Preferences' in the footer of the email containing the Dutch newsletter, you can indicate which emails you do or do not want to receive and you can also let us know whether you prefer to read Illuster online or if you like to receive a hardcopy. You can of course always unsubscribe. If you want to change something in how you are registered in our database, you can always send us an e-mail: alumni@uu.nl. We are happy to help. In the privacy statement you can read more about how we handle your data.