Foto © Sam Rentmeester . 20231019  .
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Saskia Bonger

editor in chief

Saskia (1977) has been Editor in Chief of Delta and Delft Matters, previously called Delft Integraal, since 2016. Before that, she briefly worked as a regional reporter in Friesland and a reporter for the GPD press agency before becoming a news editor at Delta. As the Editor in Chief she is responsible for the content of Delta and Delft Matters and she also regularly writes stories herself.

Campus

Just before the summer holidays, the Plan for Change on social safety was deemed inadequate by the Inspectorate of Education on the grounds that it was too vague and incomplete. The Executive Board said that it sees that assessment as an encouragement, but also felt disappointed and hurt. What is the situation now? “I have left the resentment behind”, Tim van der Hagen said.

Campus

Reducing the number of students in Delft by offering research and learning opportunities in Rotterdam. This idea should put less pressure on the city and the campus, but we are not yet there. In the meantime, what should be done about the pressure on Delft? And what will the relationship between the various locations be? Delta asked Vice-Rector Rob Mudde and Fred van Keulen, the Dean of ME.

Campus

In its report about social safety at TU Delft, the Inspectorate of Education was critical about the role of the Supervisory Board. Outgoing Minister of Education Dijkgraaf subsequently had several meetings with the Supervisory Board and set out four points of attention in a letter. In this interview, the Board’s Chair, Tijo Collot d’Escury, responds on behalf of the full Supervisory Board.

Opinion

Delta republished an investigative article about the lack of social safety at the Innovation and Impact Centre today. It was originally published on 15 April but the Editorial Office, under protest, removed it later that day. Saskia Bonger, Editor in Chief, explains the backgrounds behind the republishing in this article. Everything associated with it is highly unusual. This also goes for the explanation that, as an exception, is more personal in tone. But this is unavoidable if you yourself are part of the news.

Campus

The Innovation & Impact Centre has set up a social safety work group to help ‘restore balance’, according to the chair Jan Schiereck. The Centre’s employees were negatively affected by the way the organisation handled the departure of their director. “We want to ensure that everyone feels senang (happy) again.”

Campus

The CNV, FNV, AOb and FBZ trade unions are ‘livid about the lack of social safety at TU Delft’. They note that there are still a lot of unanswered questions about the action plan that is intended to improve the situation. They also say that they are receiving dozens of comments from concerned employees after an investigative article appeared in the Algemeen Dagblad (AD) newspaper.

Campus

Delta was awarded two prizes for the best journalistic work within higher education media on 6 June. Delta received the so-called Kring Awards for an investigative story on social unsafety at the Innovation & Impact Centre (I&IC) that caused much controversy in April and an interview with planetary researcher Daphne Stam, who left TU Delft out of discontent.

Campus

TU Delft does not comply with the Work and Care Act. It does take measures to address heavy workload and undesirable behaviour, but these are rarely based on an analysis of the problems. There is also no information on their effectiveness. In the meantime, 37% of the employees are at a higher risk of a burnout. The time in which to deal with these issues systematically is coming to an end.

Science

Professor of Mathematics Jan van Neerven is one of three TU Delft academics who have joined the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW). As he states, he teaches the only course at TU Delft whose learning objective is that students know less afterwards than they did before. What motivates Van Neerven, and how does he feel about improving social safety six weeks after his critical letter in Delta?

Campus

The Netherlands Labour Authority concludes that universities have only taken ‘minimal’ action in dealing with excessive workloads and undesirable behaviour since 2020. If they do not demonstrate improvement by 2025, the Authority will start enforcement procedures. What have the universities done and not done, and what does the Netherlands Labour Authority suggest that they do now?

Campus

A high proportion of teaching and academic personnel at universities in the Netherlands suffer from a heavy workload and undesirable behaviour. Universities have not been able to improve things over the last few years. This is the conclusion of the Netherlands Labour Authority in a damning report. Universities are given until 2025 to comply with their legal obligations for staff welfare. Should they not do so, the Labour Authority will enforce it.

Campus

The social safety plan of action that TU Delft needs to submit to the Inspectorate of Education in mid-May is almost ready. At least, the version that the Executive Board wants to submit. It concerns a ‘living document’ that has been renamed a ‘change management plan’. In the document, the Executive Board expresses repentance, recognises that looking back is needed, and names a few potential measures for the short and longer term.

Campus

The Executive Board has imposed a duty of confidentiality on the management team of the Innovation & Impact Centre (I&IC) regarding the performance of the Director appointed on 1 April 2023. It has brought about such a level of uncertainty and frustration among I&IC staff members that they feel hurt. Twelve staff members spoke to Delta about a loss of confidence in Rector Magnificus Tim van der Hagen, the Director of Human Resources, and the Ombuds functionary. How one issue illustrates the conclusions of the Inspectorate of Education: welfare of employees at TU Delft is not being mismanaged

Campus

TU Delft alumnus Boris Schellekens filed a complaint at TU Delft’s Research Integrity Committee against the Dean of his former faculty Aerospace Engineering (AE). He is hoping that TU Delft will withdraw from the Future-proof Aviation manifesto.

Opinion

Now that the Inspectorate report is published, TU Delft too quickly jumps into its traditional role of problem solver, turning its back on the past and closing its doors. If we really want a socially safe university, we should not let this happen, writes Saskia Bonger, Editor in Chief, in this opinion piece.

Campus

All TU Delft staff members can share their ideas about creating a safer working environment with the Works Council (OR). The OR has invited all staff to a meeting on Wednesday 20 March. The OR will share the ideas with the Executive Board, that is planning to submit its plan of action to the Inspectorate of Education on 19 May at the latest.

Science

Withdraw from the Future-proof Aviation for the Netherlands manifesto. This call is made by TU Delft alumnus Boris Schellekens in a petition to TU Delft, the University of Twente, and TU Eindhoven. He believes that they are ‘letting themselves be taken advantage of by the aviation lobby’. TU Delft views this differently. “This manifesto is a compromise. And we need it as nothing will happen otherwise.”

Campus

The four unions affiliated with TU Delft do not want the Executive Board to take the Education Inspectorate to court. In a statement to its members, the unions write that many TU Delft employees do not support the board’s view.

Off campus

Activists occupy Leiden University building     On the morning after the elections, climate activists occupied two classrooms at Leiden University. Some 50 students from the action group End Fossil Leiden Delft put up banners and demanded that the university cut ties with the fossil industry, reports university magazine Mare (in Dutch).   Rector Hester Bijl…

Short

Inspectorate did not know about stop on international students     The University of Amsterdam (UvA) was the first university to limit the number of internationals within a study programme. This was actually not allowed, but the Inspectorate did not intervene.    In 2022, the UvA introduced a quota for the English-language variant of the…

Off campus

Leiden fraternity member ends up in hospital     A member of Leiden student fraternity Minerva was allegedly kicked in the abdomen. The student has been hospitalised and the association has filed a report, reports (in Dutch) De Telegraaf newspaper.   The violence reportedly took place in early November and the student ended up in hospital…

Science

Twelve TU Delft staff members become Academy of Engineering fellow     The Netherlands Academy of Engineering (NAE), founded earlier this year, has appointed 62 fellows: people from the ‘top of the engineering ecosystem’. Twelve of them are connected to TU Delft. Besides rector magnificus Tim van der Hagen and dean of Applied Sciences Paulien…

Short

Middle East: X organises ‘conversations to share’     For students and staff who feel the need, X is organising two so-called Share & Care meetings: ‘open conversations about the impact the situation in the Middle East has on you’.   On its website, X writes: “The events in the Middle East deeply affect many…

Education

More participation in educational innovations     The Dutch parliament voted in favour of a motion to involve co-determination in educational innovations from the start on 24 October. Then fewer things will go wrong, is the expectation.   The reason for the motion was an issue at the Fontys University of Applied Sciences, where major…

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Many needy students do not know their rights     Many students with support needs due to, for example, illness, disability, informal care or top-level sports still do not know their rights. Some institutions have their facilities and information in order better than others. TU Delft finishes in the middle of a study (in Dutch) by…

Campus

Action against cigarette butts on campus     Members of staff association Prometheus have started an action against cigarette butts lying around. On the smoke-free campus, smoking is surprisingly common, judging by the proceeds.   (Photo: Sicco van Grieken)   Following an appeal in the Prometheus newsletter, more than 50 member signed up for the…

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Romanian ‘NGO’ scams DUO     A Romanian organisation helped students get fictitious work so that they could apply for study grants in the Netherlands. That was uncovered by Romanian journalists from PressOne.   ‘Romanian NGO scams DUO’, is written above an article about it by the Groningen UKrant. But the Romanian students themselves also…

Science
The Dutch Parliament wants to use money from the National Growth Fund to prevent an increase in fuel prices for motorists. That means a stop to further research by the National Education Lab AI. It will also mean less money for teacher retraining and lifelong development, among other things. That warning is given by outgoing
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New party waltzes into Works Council     The new party Young Researchers’ Impact (YRI) will enter the Works Council with six seats. The existing parties – FNV, Democratisch Beleid (DB) and Academisch Belang (AB) – will get six, eleven and two seats respectively. This is the provisional result of the or elections held on…

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‘Study drug not illegally imported’     One in 20 students sometimes use drugs like Ritalin without a doctor’s prescription, research (in Dutch) into their mental health and substance use by the National Institute of Public Health (RIVM), the Municipal Health Service (GGD) and the Trimbos Institute showed last year. How do they get it, the…

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Students: ‘We can’t make ends meet like this’     Student organisations are critical of the Budget Memorandum that the Dutch government published on Budgey Day, 19 September. The government has forgotten about students, the National Students’ Union (LSVb) believes. The poverty measures announced would hardly help them. The LSVb considers the energy allowance of…

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Twenty climate scientists and economists from eight Dutch universities are calling on politicians to end tax benefits for large consumers of fossil fuels. Fossil subsidies are the most extreme inconsistency in government policy ever, write leading economists and climate scientists in an opinion piece (in Dutch) in national newspaper Financieele Dagblad. “It is like turning on…

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Event dedicated to Daphne Stam     Dewis, the women’s network at TU Delft, is dedicating its annual event to planetary scientist Daphne Stam. She revealed in late August that she had left the Faculty of Aerospace Engineering because of what she referred to as the ‘macho culture’. In an interview with Delta a week…

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Support after earthquake Morocco      Many Dutch universities and universities of applied sciences are trying to assist staff and students dealing with the effects of the earthquake in Morocco. They are organising meetings and offering psychological support. TU Delft, in a short message on its website, announced that student advisors and supervisors (for staff)…

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New Supervisory Board member     The TU Delft Supervisory Board has a new member: Paul Verhagen CFO and member of the Management Board of chip producer ASM International. Verhagen studied at Tilburg University in the 1980s and worked for Philips and Fugro. As usual, he was appointed by the Minister of Education for a…

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New communications director has started     Carola de Vree-van Wagtendonk is TU Delft’s new communications director as of 1 September. She already knows TU Delft as a resident of Delft and former head of communications for the municipalities of Rotterdam (2019-2023) and Delft (1998-2005) and her position as team head of communications at research…

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Aspiring Delftsch Studenten Corps members made Delft a little greener     (Photos: Roel Dijkstra / De Papaver)   The introduction periods (KMT) at the student associations take place largely out of view of the cameras, so when prospective members volunteer in the city, it provides unique footage. The Delftsch Studenten Corps sent forty prospective members…

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Pact against sexual misconduct with Delft touch     Student associations and organisations in the Netherlands need to do more against sexual misconduct, they say. Therefore, on Thursday 25 August 25, they launched the student pact (in Dutch), a series of agreements they made together with Amnesty International.   At the launch, in addition to…

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Energy allowance for some students     Some students will receive an energy allowance from the government next academic year after all. The amount involved is 400 euros for students living away from home with a basic grant as well as a supplementary grant.   Because of the high energy costs, low-income families received an…

Short

Utrecht professor dismissed after complaints     A Utrecht professor of clinical psychology has been dismissed for transgressive behaviour. Utrecht University received 17 reports, some of which also appear to concern his time at Maastricht University and the Free University (VU) of Amsterdam.   The three independent media of those universities conducted a search for…

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Coffee Star to stay on IDE square     The Coffee Star on the square in front of the Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering (IDE), Coffee & Bikes, may stay. The new campus caterer Appèl has signed an agreement with this subcontractor to that effect. Initially, Starbucks was also in the running for this location,…

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‘Students duped by complex institutions’     Universities and universities of applied sciences are a legal jumble of legal entities, says the Inspectorate of Education in its report (in Dutch) Verwarring in Veelvoud (confusion in multitude). Even lawyers are getting lost. This is ultimately to the detriment of students and staff. The inspectorate finds that ‘current…

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Collection campaign for ‘unpaid’ teacher     A lecturer in mathematics at TU Eindhoven was fired in 1995, but he himself thinks very differently. For 332 months he has been teaching students unpaid. One of them started a fundraising campaign, which has already raised more than 7,500 euros.   Gert Regterschot’s lessons are wildly popular,…

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Climate activists blindfold Delft statues      Extinction Rebellion Delft climate activists have again blindfolded statues in their city on Sunday 11 June to draw attention to the climate crisis. Among the eight statues were Willem de Zwijger at Prinsenhof and the busts of J.C. van Marken & Agneta van Marken in Agnetapark. They were…

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Attention, apply for the basic grant yourself!     From 19 June, students will have to apply to DUO for the basic grant themselves if they are entitled to it. They will not receive it automatically. After all, it is a ‘loan’, which is only waived if students graduate within ten years. With a campaign…

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Symposium and talkshow on knowledge security     Why is knowledge security important, how should a researcher or university guarantee it and how do TU Delft’s ‘industrial research partners’ view it? That is the subject of the English-language symposium ‘Knowledge Security: Why, how and the industrial perspective on collaboration’ that will take place in the…

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Global support recognition and rewards     We need to start ‘recognising and rewarding’ scientists in a different way, say 65 research funders from around the world in a joint statement. The distribution of research funds should not just be about numbers of publications and citations, but about ‘broad and holistic ways of recognition and…

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New party enters Student Council       Dé Partij will enter the Central Student Council with one seat. This is at the expense of Oras, which drops from six to five seats. Lijst Bèta remains at four seats. This is what the central election committee reports.   Oras also lost a seat last year,…

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Men obtain PhDs cum laude twice as often     Across all disciplines, men obtain PhDs cum laude almost twice as often as women. It also appears that male candidates are more likely to do so the more men there are on the assessment committee.    This is stated in a pre-publication of a study…

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Millions for TU Delft-led radar project     The TU Delft-led PHARA consortium will receive millions of euros in funding from NWO. The researchers are developing a new type of radar that can observe the entire sky in a few seconds, to study how particles grow in clouds and rainfall and to observe large movements…

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Director leaves over ‘difference of opinion’     Communications Director Joost Ravoo is leaving TU Delft after more than four years. Reason is a ‘difference of opinion about the execution of the job with the Executive Board’.   This is stated in an e-mail sent to Deans and Directors at the end of April. What…

Short

Yet another student wins court case over energy allowance     A student from Utrecht has won a court case and should still receive the 1,300 euro energy allowance that was available last year for low-income households. The municipality wrongly excluded students as a group – on the advice, by the way, of the cabinet…

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Activists blindfold Hugo de Groot       “The city of Delft, home to one of the world’s most honoured scientific institutes, should do everything in its power to hold our leaders to account.” This is what Extinction Rebellion Delft writes in a press release accompanying its action on Sunday 16 April: blindfolding the statues…

Education

Higher education minister: more courses in Dutch     Dutch as a language of education, science and science communication is relevant throughout higher education, thinks (in Dutch) higher education minister Dijkgraaf. He agrees with the Dutch Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA), which asked parliamentary questions about this, ‘that Dutch (or if necessary multilingual) education should be…

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Survey into the position of scholarship PhDs     The Dutch PhD Network (PNN) wants to find out more about the working conditions and financial position of international scholarship PhD candidates. Are they treated like other PhD candidates or not?   “It cannot be explained”, says PNN president Anneke Kastelein. Too often, distressing stories emerge…

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Rubicon grant for EEMCS researcher     Research funders NWO and ZonMw are giving 16 newly promoted scientists a Rubicon grant to gain experience at a foreign knowledge institution. They are nine men and seven women. Almost all of them will go abroad for two years. For example, they are doing research on how to…

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Universities reflect on ban on apps     Universities of the Netherlands (UNL) are considering whether apps ‘from countries with offensive cyber programmes against the Netherlands’ should be banned from their employees’ work phones. This was the response of a TU Delft spokesperson to questions from Delta. “This is being discussed within the UNL so…

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No advanced grants to TU Delft     No advanced grants from the European Research Council ERC for experienced TU Delft researchers this year. In 2022 and 2021, two grants of up to €2.5 million went to Delft.   At the same time, half as many grants are going to the Netherlands this year as…

Science

Gearing up for open science     With 184 million euros, the new governing body ‘Open Science NL’ will accelerate the rise of open science until 2031. That is what the Ministry of Education agreed on with universities, universities of applied sciences and other organisations such as NWO and KNAW on 29 March. They did…

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TU Delft professor did not report sponsorship     TU Delft ‘hydrogen professor’ Ad van Wijk did not report at the time that he was sponsored for two days a week between 2016 and 2021 by Netbeheer Nederland, the interest group of network operators in the Netherlands. TU Delft did not report this either. This…

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TU Delft professor did not report sponsorship     TU Delft ‘hydrogen professor’ Ad van Wijk did not report at the time that he was sponsored for two days a week between 2016 and 2021 by Netbeheer Nederland, the interest group of network operators in the Netherlands. TU Delft did not report this either. This…

Short

Utrecht professor removed over complaints     Utrecht University wants to sack a professor over transgressive behaviour. At the Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences, a director stepped down after investigations into social safety.   A Utrecht professor at the Faculty of Social Sciences has been suspended after 17 reports of transgressive behaviour. Because of the…

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Scientist Rebellion helped block A12 in The Hague     81 Scientists from Scientist Rebellion, together with Extiction Rebellion, occupied the A12 in The Hague on Saturday 11 March in action against the annual billion-dollar subsidies to the fossil industry. Dressed in white lab coats, the scientists were among the climate activists who stayed on…

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‘Meat shaming’ could reduce meat sales     Stick a picture of a chicken in a far too small cage or another gruesome image of animals in the bio-industry on a meat package and people will be less likely to buy it. This is shown by research into ‘meat shaming’ by TU Delft researcher Rick…

Education

IDE drops cap on student numbers As of academic year 2024-2025, Industrial Design Engineering (IDE) will scrap the numerus fixus (cap on student numbers) for its bachelor’s programme after 13 years. The Faculty announced this on 9 March. The fixus of a maximum of 330 first-year students served as an ‘unwanted emergency brake’, says dean…

Education

18 ‘excellent’ masters programmes in the Netherlands     Out of more than 1,200 master studies at universities of applied sciences and universities in the Netherlands, 18 are ‘excellent’ in the eyes of students, reports a choice guide. They scored maximum on all components: content, teachers, assessment, atmosphere and preparation for career. This list of…

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Autonomy of universities assessed     Dutch universities score mixed on the European University Association EUA’s university autonomy scorecard. For example, universities here are not allowed to decide entirely on their own how many students they admit. They also have to ask permission for new courses. If their financial reserves are too big, the Inspectorate…

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Delta is looking for a sports editor!     Are you a student with an above-average interest in sports and some experience with writing and/or video? Do you know what’s going on in the Delft student sports world and do you want to create interesting stories about it for our target group, your fellow students?…

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New climate protest, ín the Aula this time     (Photo: End Fossil)   Students of End Fossil Leiden and Delft again protested against the presence of the fossil industry at De Delftse Bedrijvendagen on Wednesday 22 February. This time the students were inside the Aula, the career event site. They hung banners with texts…

Off campus

Climate activists interrupt Dies Leiden     Students of End Fossil Leiden/Delft disrupted the opening speech of Leiden rector magnificus Hester Bijl at the Dies celebration in the Pieterskerk on 8 February. They want Leiden University to cut ties with the fossil industry, because the students believe it is destroying their future.   Photo: End…

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Dutch only Overwerk is heel normaal onder hbo-docenten. Ze draaien per week 30 procent meer uren dan in hun contract staat, blijkt uit nieuw onderzoek. Ruim de helft heeft te weinig tijd om de vakkennis op peil te houden. Daarbij moet worden vermeld dat de uitkomsten van het onderzoek indicatief zijn en niet representatief. 615…

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Brexit: half as many EU students to UK     Since the Brexit, three years ago this week, the number of new students from European countries in the United Kingdom (UK) has halved, including from the Netherlands. In September 2017, the number of Dutch students was 1,900. That number crashed to 1,000 in academic year…

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What are your experiences with AthenaStudies?       Delta would like to get in touch with Delft students who are in or manage AthenaStudies Whatsapp groups. What are your experiences with those groups?    Why we are curious about that? The company AthenaStudies uses Whatsapp groups with the logo of the University of Groningen…

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Emergency shelter for asylum seekers open longer     The emergency shelter for asylum seekers on the TU Delft campus will be extended by five months. This gives the Central Agency for Asylum Seekers (COA), the municipality and TU Delft time to negotiate the longer extension and expansion requested by COA in December. This is…

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House: rejecting weak students allowed     Drawing lots for admission to a popular study with numerus fixus? That is allowed, the Dutch House of Representatives thinks, but programmes should first be given the chance to reject weak students. The bill on lottery has been amended despite principled objections from Education Minister Dijkgraaf.   Dijkgraaf…

Education

‘Education Minister hinders refugees’ right to education’     Dutch Education Minister Dijkgraaf is obstructing the right to education of young people who have lived in the Netherlands without status for many years by suddenly making them pay the fees for foreign students after their final exams in higher education. The Landelijk Ongedocumenteerden Steunpunt (National…

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Delta is hiring a student photographer     Do you have experience as a photographer, do you own a good camera and do you want to improve your skills in journalistic photography? Then come be a photographer for Delta, the independent news website of the TU Delft!     This photo was taken by student…

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Utrecht revokes professor’s doctoral degree     A 2008 medical dissertation, consisting largely of previously published scientific articles, has fallen into dispute. Two articles have been withdrawn and two others are subject to an ‘expression of concern’, writes the Utrecht university newspaper DUB (in Dutch). The author in question allegedly manipulated and fabricated data. As a…

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Mandatory behavioural training for students     In the fight against transgressive behaviour, Maastricht University wants to require all new bachelor students to undergo training starting next academic year. Executive Board president Rianne Letschert announced this intention this week during the Maastricht University Council meeting, reports (in Dutch) university magazine Observant. It is not yet clear…

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DUO: this is how ‘interest rate trick’ works     The Education Executive Agency (DUO) is getting a lot of questions about the trick that allows students to fix part of their student loans at the new interest rate of 0.46 per cent. DUO has posted the explanation on its website. A number of clever students,…

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Third Leiden student assaulted in two weeks’ time     An external date of a member of the Leiden student rowing association Njord was seriously assaulted during a gala in a Limburg castle on Wednesday 14 December. According to apps owned by university magazine Mare, the victim was lying on the ground and the perpetrator ‘kept…

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Higher sentence for TU Delft scam     The Hague court sentenced Rotterdam resident Keyvan A. (36) to 220 hours of community service and nine months’ suspended imprisonment for attempted fraud on behalf of TU Delft. The public prosecutor had wanted (in Dutch) A. to be sentenced to 140 hours of community service and a suspended…

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‘Russia is recruiting exchange students’     The recruitment of African exchange students in Russia is becoming increasingly common at present, with host universities playing an important role, according to Times Higher Education and others. For instance, the Southern Federal University in the town of Rostov-on-Don, near Ukraine, is said to have recruited 2,500 African…

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Slightly more programmes with numerus fixus     The list of university bachelor’s programmes with a limited number of first-year students will be longer next academic year than this year. Three are leaving and five are joining. This year, there were 59 fixus programmes on the list (in Dutch), which will become 61. New, for example, is…

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TU/e occupiers satisfied for now     The climate activists who occupied two rooms at TU Eindhoven have ceased their protest. The university administration has promised the students a report stating how sustainable scientific research in Eindhoven is. From now on, the annual accounts will also be more open about the financial support companies give…

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Delft student also to court over energy allowance     Students in five municipalities are going to court to enforce a 1,300 euro energy allowance. These students from Delft, Rotterdam, Groningen, Leiden and Vijfheerenlanden (a municipality near Utrecht) are getting help from the National Student Union (LSVb).    More than one thousand students are said…

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Occupation TU/e only during the day     Two action groups have been occupying two rooms at TU Eindhoven for a week. They want the university to break ties with the fossil industry. They have agreed with the university that they will no longer spend the night there.    “The atmosphere is cheerful here, we…

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TU Delft rector magnificus condemns violence in Iran     TU Delft’s Rector magnificus Tim van der Hagen has expressed solidarity with ‘students and academics in Iran and all students and academics in our community who have ties to the region and who are worried about their families and loved ones’.   Like five colleagues…

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‘Kring Awards’ to Leiden and Groningen     At the annual gathering for higher education media, the ‘Kring congress’, awards were presented for the best column, investigative journalism production and video or podcast. Winners of these ‘Kring awards’ were Mare (Leiden University) and HanzeMag (Hanze University Groningen). For each category, each first-prize winner received 250…

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International student pays more for the same room     International students face higher rents per square metre than Dutch students, according to the Dutch Student Union (LSVb). The housing market is also less welcoming to non-domestic students.   Last year, the LSVb received 525 complaints from international students via its Housing Hotline, a website…

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NWO chairman offers his apologies     The Chairman of the National Organization for Scientific Research (NWO), Marcel Levi, has apologised for his latest column (in Dutch). In it, he stated that the term safety is in danger of becoming a fashionable and meaningless buzzword ‘for really all situations in which you don’t quite get your…

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Leiden University removes painting of cigar-smoking men     A painting showing cigar-smoking men has been removed from a room at Leiden University following complaints. The woman who took offence at it is receiving a flood of hateful messages.   The painting by artist Rein Dool, made in the 1970s, shows the then Leiden University…

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Students homeless after major fire     A major fire in Amsterdam destroyed part of an apartment complex for students, starters and young status holders on Sunday. Dozens of container flats were lost. One resident has been arrested for arson.   The fire in Amsterdam Nieuw-West was discovered Sunday morning, when many residents were still…

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Fewer obstacles for Caribbean students     The Dutch cabinet is removing an important obstacle for students from the Caribbean part of the kingdom. In the near future, they will receive a citizen service number (bsn) before their arrival in the Netherlands and if necessary, a new passport with that number in it.   Previously,…

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Research shows vulnerability of female scientists     Lack of job security, the tough competition for research funding and the high workload are important reasons for both men and women with temporary contracts to turn their backs on science, according to a study (in Dutch) commissioned by the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science…

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‘No maximum interest rate on student debt’     Prime Minister Rutte thinks it is entirely reasonable that students in the Netherlands will soon again pay a ‘limited interest rate’ on their student debt. He is not keen on an interest ceiling for the time being.   Two political parties in the Senate are worried…

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Leiden professor ‘never again welcome’     A professor who has been guilty of inappropriate behaviour is banned from Leiden University. Who it concerns is unknown. The professor had seriously misbehaved towards his colleagues over a prolonged period, reports the university. This was said to be the outcome of an investigation by an independent committee…

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Starting grants for groups?     Several Dutch universities want to award the new starting grants not to individuals but to groups. In the coming years, universities themselves may award a new type of grant of 300 thousand euros to young university lecturers who get a permanent contract. But according to UNL, there are universities…

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Covid self-tests at service points     The number of Covid infections is on the rise and so TU Delft is using the intranet to remind its employees of the basic measures that are still in place: wash hands, cough and sneeze in the elbow and stay home in case of symptoms.   The latter…

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TU Delft student to advise United Nations     Delft physics bachelor student Fenna Timsi (21) has been elected youth human rights and security representative. Over the next two years, she will gather young people’s ideas and opinions and offer them to policymakers, such as those of the United Nations General Assembly.   Fenna Timsi.…

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Unconventional coastal protection proposal     TU Delft, HKV lijn in water and RoyalHaskoning DHV have presented a new plan to protect the southwest of the Netherlands against sea level rise.    Impression of the Holland barrier at Hoek van Holland. (Illustration: Ties Rijcken and Koen Meijman)   The conventional approach would mean significant dike…

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Meeting: empathising with Iran     What is it like to live under an oppressive regime like the one in Iran? What happens when, as now, part of the population turns against such a regime and takes to the streets to demand change? During a meeting on Thursday 13 October, some Iranian PhD students at…

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‘How to support Iranian students and scientists?’     As Iranian students and staff at TU Delft organise remembrances and call on the Executive Board to support colleagues in Iran as well as the Netherlands, the GroenLinks party in the Dutch House of Representatives has posed parliamentary questions (in Dutch). They want to know from…

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Student PhDs in Groningen insufficiently compensated for inflation     The scholarships of Groningen student PhDs will increase by 4% this year, even though inflation is much higher. The university is not abiding by the agreements, argues interest group PNN.   Generally, PhD students are employed as employees, but in recent years universities were allowed…

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Minister understands about housing shortage warning      Students are sometimes told that they had better look for another university if they have not found accommodation by the start of the academic year. Education Minister Dijkgraaf understands this. ‘The shortage of student housing affects all students, including Dutch students’, he replied to written questions from D66. The…

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Nobel Prize for Neanderthal genome     For unravelling the DNA of Neanderthals and other humanoids, Swedish researcher Svante Pääbo has been awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Pääbo is considered the father of ‘palaeogenetics’. He researches the genetic material of extinct species and he mapped the genome of Neanderthal man, a human species…

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TU Delft inclusion week kicks off     Lectures, workshops and an actual ‘autism experience circuit’: the week of 3 October is Diversity and Inclusion Week at TU Delft. Current topics such as social safety, unconscious bias and inclusive design will pass by. For the opening, TU Delft enlisted journalist Joris Luyendijk, among others. In…

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Will staff get a little extra against the cold?     Due to high energy prices, Breda’s BUas University of Applied Sciences is giving staff a little extra. Staff in the lowest salary scales will receive a one-off 370 euro net for full-time appointments. From scale 9 onwards, it is 185 euros. Other universities of…

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Motion: Also energy surcharge without personal contract     Students without a personal energy contract who can prove that their energy costs have increased should also be eligible for an energy allowance from the municipality of Delft. This is stated in a motion (in Dutch) submitted by Stip, ChristenUnie and CDA at a city council meeting…

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‘No gas drilling in the Wadden Sea’     Hundreds of Dutch scientists, including fourteen from TU Delft, are warning against the risk of gas drilling in the Wadden Sea, an UNESCO World Heritage Site. According to ‘Scientists 4 Future’, the Wadden Sea as a shallow sea is already extremely vulnerable to sea level rise…

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Millions for research, Dutch universities still concerned     As promised, the Dutch cabinet has allocated hundreds of millions of euros for higher education and research. Next year, the cabinet will give universities 300 million euros for start-up and incentive grants: working capital for researchers. Half of the amount is earmarked for new university lecturers…

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After a short illness, dr.ir. Bert Enserink (TPM-MAS-Policy Analysis) passed away on 18 July in the presence of his wife and children. Bert has made a major contribution to the success of TPM’s international Master’s program Engineering & Policy Analysis (EPA) in The Hague. He was closely involved in establishing the innovative,…

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Former TU Delft professor is The Smartest Man     (Photo from private archive)   Anyone who studies or has studied at TU Delft is smart, but Jasper van Kuijk is the smartest of them all. Last week, he won the popular Dutch TV quiz De Slimste Mens (The Smartest Man), a title he may…

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DUO wrongfully refused supplementary grant     A student broke off all ties with her father and applied to the student funding agency DUO for a supplementary grant. But it was denied. To the judge’s annoyance, DUO barely showed any interest in her situation.   Normally, students receive some financial support from their parents. This…

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Nibud: inflation eats away at basic grant       The Netherlands Budget Institute (Nibud) claims that the basic grant helps students, but high inflation is threatening to hit them hard. All the calculations are in danger of being overtaken by inflation, is the conclusion.   Students living at home should not have to incur…

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Fill out this housing crisis questionnaire     Have you found a room yet, or are you afraid you’ll have to spend this college year in expensive hotels? Or are you just fed up with your student house and looking for a normal apartment, without dirty dishes from your roommates on the counter? The EenVandaag…

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‘Internationals treated as second-class students’     While a quarter of students now come from abroad, there is still too little attention paid to them, according to student organization ISO. They are treated as ‘second-class students’, says president ISO-Terri van der Velden. She also states that international students are ‘running on their fingers’, which worries…

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‘Supervisory boards of student associations are invisible’     Executive Board member Marien van der Meer calls on the supervisory boards of student associations to take ‘more visible responsibility’ in preventing transgressive behavior within student associations. She writes this in a post on LinkedIn.   Above the cheerful pictures of the executive board visiting various…

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Swimming naked in Delft     Are you a student and do you like swimming naked? The Naturist Swimming Association Delft (NZD) is looking for new members and others who want to swim naked occasionally, including students. The club now consists of 51 members and 30 people who come occasionally.   According to NZD president…

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Maastricht University gets ransom money back      Part of the ransom paid by Maastricht University to cybercriminals in 2019 has been recovered in Ukraine. The university is now going to get money back. Hackers had taken Maastricht systems hostage in December 2019 and demanded two tons of ransom money. The university paid that amount…

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Vidi grants for eight TU Delft researchers      Never before have so many scientists received a Vidi grant from the NWO’s Talent Programme. There were 101 in total, including 8 from TU Delft. The number of applications was also exceptionally high.   No fewer than 625 people applied for the grants for experienced researchers,…

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Inclusivity award for TU student     TU Delft student Marissa van der Tol has won the Frank Award of the expertise centre for inclusive education ECIO. She received the 1000 euro prize for her idea to make templates such as course schedules more accessible for people with disabilities. According to Van der Tol, if…

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Emergency shelter for asylum seekers opens end of July     The Centraal Orgaan Asielzoekers (Central Agency for Asylum Seekers, COA) expects the emergency accommodation for asylum seekers on the TU Delft campus to be ready to house the first people in the last week of July. This is stated in a letter to local…

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What to do after graduation?         What are you going to do when you get your degree? Which employers are interesting, how can the university help you find your way and what do alumni who preceded you do? You can read all about that and more in the 4TU Career Special, which…

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New Dean for 3mE     The Faculty of Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering  (3mE) will have a new Dean as of 1 July 1: professor of structural optimization and mechanics Fred van Keulen. Van Keulen has been associated with TU Delft since he was a student. In 1987 he graduated from the faculty he…

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New TU Delft festival on 4 and 5 June     TU Delft has a new festival: the Maker Faire Delft. On Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 June, visitors of all ages can view creations made by students, engineers, designers, craftsmen and artists. There will also be performances, exhibitions, workshops, discussions and lectures. For example,…

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NSE: ‘green’ studies excel     At the university, 79 percent of the students are satisfied or very satisfied with their study programme in general. At universities of applied sciences, that percentage is 66 percent. This is the conclusion of the National Student Survey 2022.   It is not really possible to say how these…

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University of Applied Sciences ranks most sustainable     Van Hall Larenstein University of Applied Sciences is the most sustainable institution in Dutch higher education, winning the annual SustainaBul. The numbers two and three are the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and Wageningen University. TU Delft is ranked 12 out of 33. It scores especially well on…

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Lecturers protest against temporary contracts     On 12 May, several dozen lecturers protested against the many temporary contracts at Dutch universities. They demonstrated in Utrecht to put pressure on the collective labour agreement (CAO) negotiations. For years trade unions and action groups have been resisting the ‘flex culture’ at universities increasingly fiercely. Many lecturers and…

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Vacancy: student members advisory board     TU Delft will get a new magazine: Delft Matters. That magazine is also made by the editors of Delta, as commissioned by Alumni Relations. The magazine will be issued twice a year – for the first time in June 2022 – and will cover research, education and campus life.…

Education

Flemish higher education institution still closed after cyber attack     The Flemish university of applied sciences Vives is struggling with the aftermath of a cyber-attack. On Friday 8 April, hackers managed to penetrate the school’s systems. They wanted to get hold of student and staff data, but according to Vives, they were warned in…

Education

Inspectorate wants better insight into the quality of education     Why do some Dutch educational programmes not pass the NVAO accreditation organisation’s inspection in one go? And what improvements then help best? Nobody can answer these kinds of questions now, says the Education Inspectorate in its new State of Education (in Dutch). Everyone can…

Education

University hospitals want larger share of education and research funds     Dutch university hospitals hope that Minister Dijkgraaf will reverse the shift of education and research funds to the universities of technology and science faculties. The Dutch Federation of University Medical Centres (NFU) responds (in Dutch) to Minister Dijkgraaf’s ‘outline letter’ on higher education…

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Informateur: a different coalition in Delft     The Council of Mayor and Aldermen in Delft could well be in for a change. The informateur – a person who mediates among political parties to form a coalition – former Stip Alderman Pieter Guldemond, is advising a coalition made up of Stip, D66, GroenLinks, PvdA and…

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‘Voluntary repentance scheme’ for exam fraud Saxion     Saxion University of Applied Sciences has set up a ‘voluntary repentance scheme’ for (former) students who have used stolen test questions. If students confess this, they are allowed to finish their exams ‘legitimately’ and the university refrains from imposing sanctions. In February, the university announced that…

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10,000th doctorate at TU Delft     On 22 March, Annika Krieger was the 10,000th person to receive a doctorate from TU Delft, reason for TU Delft to give her extra flowers and presents. Krieger obtained her doctorate from the Faculty of Applied Sciences with the research ‘Homogenous reduction by bifunctional manganese catalysis: a quantum…

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Ministry will tackle students’ mental problems     The coronation measures in higher education have been scrapped, but that has not eliminated the mental problems of students. Education Minister Dijkgraaf is working on tackling them, he writes (in Dutch). According to him, the Ministries of Education and Health are working on an ‘integrated approach’ to…

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TU Delft escape room reopens     The escape room Mission to Mars of the TU Delft Science Centre will reopen to the public on 22 March, at a new location in the city centre. According to the Science Centre, the escape room, which was the result of a graduation research project, has been expanded…

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Activists sabotaged university magazine website     The website of Observant, the independent university magazine of Maastricht University, was inaccessible for a few days in January due to an attack by radical activists. They accused the magazine of ‘transphobic’ language.   Observant went to the police with an anonymous e-mail claiming the cyber-attack. The police investigation…

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The Rights Forum does not want a half answer     The Rights Forum maintains that Dutch universities must disclose correspondence with, among others, the Central Jewish Consultation and the National Coordinator of Antisemitism. The knowledge centre on the Palestinian-Israeli issue submitted a Freedom of Information Act (Wob) request to Dutch universities in January. Among other…

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Disabled student does not want to go back to ‘normal’     No return to ‘normal’ after the corona pandemic: higher education can and must become more accessible for students with disabilities, argues Every(in), the umbrella organisation representing the interests of people with disabilities. During the pandemic, the standard – online – educational programme suddenly…

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Dutch pension fund ABP sells Russian investments     Due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Dutch pension fund ABP will sell all its remaining investments in Russian companies. ABP already did not invest in Russian government bonds. As of 24 February 2022, ABP had approximately 520 million euros worth of investments in Russia,…

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War in Ukraine: X opens its living room for students     TU Delft’s sports and culture centre, X, will open its living room on Friday evening, 25 February, between 8 PM and 10 PM as a ‘safe space to share thoughts and emotions about the current situation in Ukraine’. Students and staff can walk…

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TU Delft Impact Contest is looking for participants     Students with a solution for a societal problem can register until 1 March for the TU Delft Impact Contest, which is taking place for the fourth time this year. Such a societal problem can translate into a small solution, explains Nienke Zwaal of the organising…

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Full lecture halls again     In higher education, the maximum of 75 students in a lecture hall will disappear as of 18 February. This is part of a package of relaxations that the government wants to implement now that hospitals have proven to be able to cope with the current wave of coronas infections. For…

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‘Binding agreements on knowledge security’     Minister Dijkgraaf wants knowledge security to become an ‘integral part’ of university policy. During a parliamentary debate on Wednesday 9 February, he promised to make ‘binding agreements’ on this. The supervisory boards will have to monitor this. And in turn, the Minister will meet with these boards twice…

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Government: action plan against sexual violence     The news surrounding The Voice of Holland and Ajax shows that ‘extra effort’ is needed in the fight against sexual violence, according to Minister Robbert Dijkgraaf of Education, Culture and Science. He will come up with a national action plan. To help the cabinet, Mariëtte Hamer will…

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Minister will not interfere with online proctoring     Universities and universities of applied sciences are allowed to use controversial anti-spy software, Minister Dijkgraaf has written to the Dutch House of Representatives, as long as they have their privacy in order. It recently emerged that a widely used programme (not by TU Delft), Proctorio, had a…

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Dijkgraaf fan of ‘recognition and rewards’     The ideal of ‘recognition and rewards’ enriches the scientific world, according to Robbert Dijkgraaf, the Dutch Minister of Education, Culture and Science. He said this during an online festival on 4 February.   With ‘recognition and rewards’, employers should not only assess their scientific staff on their…

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‘Help international students’     Because of strict rules, the corona crisis and loneliness, international students are getting into a tight spot, student organisations LSVb and ISO warn. They point to the rule that European students have to work at least 56 hours per month to be eligible for study financing: almost two days a…

Education

‘Open up vocational and higher education’     The lockdown in higher and vocational education (mbo) must disappear as soon as possible. That is the ‘urgent appeal’ of student organisations, educational institutions, psychiatrists and young people. The organisations have written a letter (in Dutch) to the experts of the Dutch Outbreak Management Team (OMT), with…

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Proton clinic now at half capacity     The proton clinic Holland PTC, which started operating on the Delft campus in November 2018, will only reach half capacity this year. HPTC expects to have treated 300 patients by the end of 2021, while the total capacity is 600. The other two proton clinics, in Groningen…

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Students worried about crowded examination halls     Many students are worried about having to take exams, sometimes by the hundreds, just before Christmas. According to the National Students’ Union, not all exams are coronaproof.   With the rise of the omikron variant, the unease grows. At the University of Groningen, for instance, almost a…

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Delft students make Christmas single     The Delft student band On y va has released an English-language Christmas single about ‘the other side of the holidays’. The song ‘Wish Myself a Happy Christmas’ is about missing someone special and the sadness that goes with it. The students think that the lockdown can reinforce that…

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No doctorate after defence     A Tilburg external PhD student has to undergo a resit. Her thesis had already been approved, but during the public defence – normally a formality – things went wrong. Emeritus professor Jan Vranken strongly criticises (in Dutch) the Dean of the Faculty of Law, who presided over the graduation…

Campus

Delft Campus station energy-neutral     The first energy-neutral railway station in the Netherlands, Delft Campus, has been officially in use since Monday 20 December. The 810 solar panels on the roof are to generate as much energy as the station consumes: an average of 187 megawatt hours per year. According to the municipality, this…

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Complaint concerning vegetarian canteen at Architecture     The AgriFacts Foundation has submitted a complaint to the Scientific Integrity Committee (CWI) of TU Delft. The foundation disputes the calculations of the climate profit of the vegetarian canteen at the Faculty of Architecture.   (Photo: TU Delft)   ‘Here we go again…’, says Prof. Dr. Ir.…

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  Hotline for students with a cold     Universities of applied sciences and universities like to see their students on campus now that this is possible again. They are little too eager, according to the National Union of Students (LSVb). Chairman Ama Boahene thinks that the strict enforcement of the attendance obligation is ‘inappropriate’…

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  TU Delft employee as landlord/landlady?   Street in the Wippolder neighbourhood. (Photo: Dalia Madi)    Is housing a student a good idea? Some Dutch institutions of higher education explicitly ask (in Dutch) their employees to consider this, because of the lack of student housing. TU Delft addresses the subject in its latest newsletter (23 November).…

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Why 75 students in a lecture hall?   Why are only 75 students allowed in a lecture hall, regardless of the size of the room? In the corona debate on Tuesday 16 November in the Dutch parliament, there was only a brief mention of higher education when outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte explained the decision…

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Gift for Delft residents Terug naar de Nederlandse versie   A few insulation strips, LED lamps or a water-saving shower head can already help make a house more sustainable and thus lower the energy bill. To help homeowners and tenants with this, the municipality of Delft is providing 55 euro gift…

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Studium Generale cancels party   Studium Generale has cancelled the party to celebrate its 75th anniversary on 18 November. With the stricter measures that recently came into force in public buildings – the compulsory wearing of a face mask and the advice to keep one and a half metres distance -…

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  These students want to save the coral reef (and you can help)   Four Delft students from the TPM-minor international entrepreneurship and development have started a crowdfunding to restore 500 square metres of dead or damaged coral reef near the Indonesian island of Lombok. Alexandru, Joppe, Tadé and Xavier need 5000 euros to buy…

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OMT wanted QR code in higher education     The experts of the Outbreak Management Team (OMT) advised the Dutch government to make corona access cards compulsory in mbo and higher education. There were also reservations, because this would mean that some students would have to ‘get tested every day in order to participate in…

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Delta is looking for a data analyst   Do you have experience in drawing up surveys, do you know how to ask questions in such a way that you get unambiguous, representative answers, and can you subsequently elaborate and interpret the data provided? Then we have a job for you! For an investigative journalism production,…

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Delft Outlook is out   Delft scientists regularly draw inspiration from nature. In the October issue of Delft Outlook, you can read about drones inspired by insects, a scarf made from algae, a medical instrument modelled on the octopus, a building panel resembling a sponge and an aircraft wing that moves like a bird. “Inspiration…

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    Face masks mandatory again at Flemish universities    Face masks are again mandatory at the universities of Antwerp and Ghent. They decided to do so last week because the number of corona infections is increasing. They want to emphasize to politicians and society that the virus must be fought. In Flanders it is…

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  Hundreds of international students contact housing hotline     Hundreds of international students have contacted the housing hotline of the Landelijke Studentenvakbond (the Dutch ‘National Union of Students’). The hotline has been contacted 658 times in the past year and a half, the union reports in a brief report.     The most common…

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Discussion about the binding recommendation on continuation of studies   Will the binding recommendation on continuation of studies (BSA in short) disappear? Parties in the Dutch Parliament asked outgoing Education Minister Ingrid van Engelshoven all kinds of questions about the usefulness and necessity of the BSA. She has now provided an answer (in Dutch).   Like…

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  Padel now also in Delft   Padel is a mix of tennis and squash, immensely popular in Spain and gaining popularity in the Netherlands, especially among young people. Fans of this relatively new sport can now also play in Delft. In the so-called Kabeldistrict on the Schieweg, Padelcity Delft has been open for three…

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Terug naar Nederlands Terror suspects studied at TU/e   The nine terrorism suspects from Eindhoven who were arrested in September on suspicion of planning terrorist attacks were highly educated and very conservative, reports the Dutch newspaper NRC based on its own research. According to the newspaper, several of the suspects studied at TU…

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Innovation series: professor and entrepreneur   Compared to other EU countries, the Netherlands has many entrepreneurs and good researchers, but few researchers who go into business for themselves. That can be different, as a series of articles by Techleap, a platform that brings growing technology companies, investors and government together ‘to overcome obstacles and seize opportunities’ shows. In…

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Terug naar de Nederlandse versie van dit artikel Debate on internationalisation   What should an internationally oriented university look like in the 21st century? On 30 September, Studium Generale is organising a debate around this main question, with Delta columnist and PhD student Vishal Onkhar (3mE) in the panel. Other speakers are…

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Terug naar de Nederlandse versie Solar car sweat   The Delft students of the Vattenfall Solar Team, which will take part in the Solar Challenge Morocco in a month’s time, have announced that solar car Nuna11 has passed its first laps on Moroccan soil with flying colours. “Now the drivers need to…

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Terug naar de Nederlandse versie   Rape among students: no government intervention   There is ‘no need’ for government intervention in higher education to protect students from sexual assault and rape, writes (in Dutch) outgoing minister Van Engelshoven. She points to ombudsmen, who are already available to students.   …

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  Girls and technology: it can be done elsewhere   In Germany, Italy and Greece, almost twice as many girls choose a STEM study programme (STEM stands for science, technology, engineering, mathematics) as in the Netherlands. This emerges from the annual report Education at a Glance by the economic cooperation organisation OECD about the differences…

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NWO stricter on open access       More and more often, the results of scientific research are directly available to everyone. Research financer NWO has already achieved 85 percent of all publications in which it is involved, with a total value of one billion euros in 2020. In order to raise this percentage even…

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More students from outside Europe     A record number of students from outside Europe want to come to the Netherlands to study this year, the Dutch Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) reports. The coronavirus crisis led to a sharp drop in the numbers of such students last year.   Students from outside the EU…

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More students living in student housing     Last year, for the first time since 2016, more university students went to live in student rooms. In 2020, almost 26 thousand students entered the student housing market, whereas in the three preceding years the number was around 22 thousand.   This is shown in research (in…

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Additional teaching rooms in tents     On Thursday 27 August, the last equipment was installed in two tents on the site of Lijm & Cultuur, located on the Rotterdamseweg. The tents will be available for TU Delft education from the start of the academic year.   Read more under the photo.   (Photo: Jos…

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500 orphaned bicycles removed   Are you back from holiday and you can’t find your bike where you left it on TU Delft campus? It might be stalled in the depot opposite Education and Student Affairs on the Mekelweg. In the week of 23 August, the TU Delft Park Management Department is storing…

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Compensation for students on scholarship PhD students with a scholarship, just like PhD students who are employed by TU Delft, can receive compensation for delays caused by corona. The Graduate School has informed them of this in a newsletter. Executive Board member Rob Mudde told the Works Council on 17 June that it…

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CEG to train environmental engineers   As of September 2022 Environmental Engineering will be one of the new master’s programmes at the Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences (CEG). “We already have an environmental engineering track which is now covered by our current programmes, but there is knowledge about many other environment-related topics,”…

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Delta seeks student photographer     Do you have experience as a photographer, do you own a good camera and do you want to improve your skills in journalistic photography? Then come be a photographer for Delta, the news website of the TU Delft!    This photo was taken by student Dalia Madia, who has…

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Students have jumped the vaccination queue   Dozens of young people who were nowhere near their turn for a corona vaccination have jumped the queue, confirms the Municipal Health Service. They pretended to have a medical indication and that was not checked.   According to the Dutch newspaper Volkskrant, this happened at…

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Minister: ‘position ombudsman well regulated’ How independent will the new ombudspersons be who universities are required to have as of July? Six parties in the Dutch House of Representatives submitted questions about this in February. Education Minister Van Engelshoven does not foresee any problems, she writes in her answer this week. After…

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Checklist for handling research data   Are you going to share scientific data? If so, with whom and in what form? A checklist produced by the Dutch scientific society KNAW helps researchers to draw up a data plan. The list consists of main questions with follow-up questions, for example: what data will the…

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Hunt for students and academics in Belarus Belarusian students who protest against President Lukashenko’s regime are being turned away from their studies, persecuted or imprisoned. That is what human rights organization Amnesty International is warning about. Figures from the independent Belarusian Students’ Association show that at least 480 students have already been arrested this…

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Investigation into fire in student flat     How could a fire start in a student flat in Den Bosch in the night of Sunday to Monday, in the apartment on the second floor of a student who was not at home? An investigation into this has been started. The building with sixty apartments was…

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University fund awards grant   Former industrial design student Cora Man has been awarded the Marina van Damme grant of 9000 euros. This grant is awarded annually by the Delft University Fund to a young female engineer to enhance her development. The jury praised Cora Man for the ‘challenging career switch’ she has…

Science

How can you as a researcher communicate responsibly and effectively about science in a way that connects to society? A team of Wageningen University researchers is aiming to develop recommendations and strategies for doing this offline and online. To do so, they first need to assess current practices, motivations, incentives and responsibilities in the public communication…

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TU/e: priority for women again As of May 1, TU Eindhoven will resume its policy of employing more female scientists, but with different ground rules than before. Antidiscrimination agency Radar received dozens of complaints about the policy of the TU/e in 2019 and went to the Human Rights Board (College voor de Rechten van de…

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12 and 13 March: Open Days Whereas last year’s March Open Days took place on campus just before the lockdown, they are now being held fully online. On 12 and 13 March, all Bachelor’s programmes will organise live streams for students who are thinking about coming to TU Delft. They can then ask questions to…

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Integrity investigation into majorana publication comes later It is not yet known when the integrity investigation into the making of the Nature article Quantized Majorana Conductance will be completed. Earlier, TU Delft announced that the investigation would be ready early this week. Now that that deadline has not been met, TU Delft is not giving…

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Do you need help? There is! The TU Delft Executive Board is concerned about students’ welfare. In an e-mail to all students, sent on Wednesday evening 17 February, rector Tim van der Hagen and vice rector Rob Mudde urge students to take good care of themselves and each other. They also emphasize that they are there…

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Fire in student flat Duwo A fire broke out in a student flat in Amstelveen on Saturday evening. Five residents were injured and several dozen had to leave their homes. Most students were able to return home later that night, but the smoke and water damage to some rooms was too great. A crowdfunding…

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20 million for delayed researchers divided After four months of negotiations, 20 million euros have been allocated for researchers delayed by corona. More than 18 million euros will go to universities and over one million euros to various research institutes. 500 thousand euros have been allocated for young scientists who work abroad on a…

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Three men arrested for swindling TU Delft The Delft police have arrested three suspects for swindling TU Delft and others. They are men of 20, 34 and 39 from Waddinxveen, Zaanstad and Rotterdam. They had tried to order two hundred robot vacuum cleaners under a false TU Delft domain name. Because the…

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Study debt repayment paused more often In 2020, DUO was asked to pause repayment of student loans more than 66,000 times. This is 3% to 10% higher than in previous years. This was revealed in figures that HOP (Higher Education Press Agency) requested from DUO, the education executive agency. The reason for the increase is…

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TU Delft aims for interfaculty education TU Delft expects that future education will increasingly be organised on an interfaculty or even interuniversity level. This means that instead of the traditional one Faculty, several Faculties will be responsible for a student’s education. The new ‘Pro Vice Rector Magnificus for Joint Educational Affairs’ Hans Hellendoorn will…

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TU Delft Board wants to talk to students Would you like to tell the Executive Board how you as a student are experiencing this corona crisis and how your studies are going? On Friday 15 January from 5:15 PM till 6:00 PM you will have the opportunity to do so. Then, board member Rob…

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TU Delft is looking for innovation trainees (Photo: Getty Images) What to do after your Master’s programme? Maybe a traineeship is something for you. TU Delft’s Valorisation Centre is looking for recent graduates for the X!Lead traineeship. This programme focuses on innovation and will be launched for the second time in March…

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Student, how are you doing? This photo is for illustration purposes only. (Photo: Dalia Madi) How are students doing and what effect is the corona crisis having on their studies? This is what TU Delft board member Rob Mudde wants to hear from them during three Zoom sessions, as he organised earlier…

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Number of students with corona on the rise in more cities The number of corona infections is rising not only in Delft. Following earlier cases in Maastricht, Tilburg and Wageningen, this is now the case in Groningen and Nijmegen. According to the Municipal Health Service (GGD), colleges and universities are not to blame there either.…

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OWee terrace construction started The organization started with the construction of the OWee terrace and the kiss+ride on the parking lot next to the TU Delft Library. In other years, the site was used for the opening party and the cantus sing along, this year these activities will not take place due…

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Delft: ‘Don’t have house parties’ The mayor of Delft, Marja van Bijsterveldt, strongly advises students against organizing house parties with prospective students from all over the Netherlands and abroad. After all, infections with the coronavirus now mainly take place among younger people, in cafes and at parties. She writes this in a letter to…

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After three months of working from home and with relaxation of corona measures set in motion, Delta wants to get in-depth insight in how students and staff feel about the current situation. That is why we have started an online survey, in collaboration with other higher education media outlets in the Netherlands. The results will be published before the summer break. …

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Out now: the 4TU Career Special Applying for a job in times of corona is a daunting task for any recent, or soon-to-be graduate. This second edition of the 4TU Career Special is full of tips on how it is best approached. It is an unusual edition, as the magazine was both produced and…

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TU Delft expects timely promotions Despite the corona crisis, TU Delft expects PhD students and postdocs to complete their research within the set time frame, says Jan Dirk Jansen, dean of Civil Engineering and Geosciences and chairman of the COVID-19 working group on finance. In the video below he says that we now face exceptional circumstances,…

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Free mooc certificates popular at TU Delft Nearly a thousand students and over 700 TU Delft staff have used the opportunity in recent months to obtain a free certificate for a mooc from edX. Moocs are open online courses. EdX is a platform on which TU Delft, but also institutions such as Harvard and MIT,…

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Low turnout student council elections Despite the fact that the elections for the student council were as always held online this week, the turnout is low. 27.9 percent of TU Delft students voted for the council for the academic year 2020-2021, compared to 35.4 percent in 2019. There has been a downward trend for some…

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De komst van honderden medewerkers van Royal HaskoningDHV naar Mijnbouwkunde in TU Noord doet de oude vraag opkomen of de campus en de naastgelegen woonwijk zoveel verkeer wel aankunnen. Parkeerplaatsen staan nu al vaak vol. Slechte luchtkwaliteit en geluidshinder zijn omwonenden een doorn in het oog. Drukte op de parkeerplaats bij Bouwkunde, ook in…

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TU Delft will lower its application fee for international students from EUR 110 to EUR 100, in line with other Dutch universities. This is at the request of the Student Council last November in a meeting with the TU Delft Executive Board. During the meeting, the students also asked TU Delft to specify the costs…

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TU Delft will lower its application fee for international students from EUR 110 to EUR 100, in line with other Dutch universities. This is at the request of the Student Council last November in a meeting with the TU Delft Executive Board. During the meeting, the students also asked TU Delft to specify the costs…

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The political parties Stip and GroenLinks have submitted questions in writing to the Municipal Executive of Delft about student welfare. In doing so, these parties represented in the Municipality are giving “greater political weight” to the issue, says Stip party leader Marnix Weiler. In response to verbal questions posed by Stip in January 2019, Councillor…

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Twee alumni van de TU Delft zijn genomineerd voor de Prins Friso Ingenieursprijs 2020. Jelte Kymmell (42) studeerde offshore engineering. In 2013 richtte hij Mocean Offshore op, dat onder meer een app ontwikkelde voor het inschatten van risico’s van offshore operaties. Dat maakt volgens Kymmell dat het werk minder lang stil ligt bij moeilijke weersomstandigheden.…

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Welk studentenhuis bespaart de meeste energie? De vijftien deelnemers aan de jaarlijkse Student Energy Race hebben nog een maand te gaan om als beste te eindigen. De tussenstand die studentenhuisvester Duwo deze week publiceerde, toont dat de twee deelnemende Delftse studentenhuizen een tandje bij moeten zetten. Bespaarde de Utrechtse koploper Noorderstraat tot nu toe ruim…

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How much freedom will make people the happiest, and how much freedom should they strive to have? The next topic of debating club Vox Delft will be ‘Does freedom make us less happy?’. According to the Vox-students freedom ‘comes [with] responsibility for your own happiness’, but it ‘can give a feeling of guilt for not…

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How much freedom will make people the happiest, and how much freedom should they strive to have? The next topic of debating club Vox Delft will be ‘Does freedom make us less happy?’. According to the Vox-students freedom ‘comes [with] responsibility for your own happiness’, but it ‘can give a feeling of guilt for not…

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Meet Highlight, a new festival that celebrates technology via art. With technology being an important part of the identity of the city of Delft, the festival is spread across several locations throughout the city centre and TU Delft campus. Part of the Highlight festival is a pop-up college inspired by an article that Delta…

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Meet Highlight, a new festival that celebrates technology via art. With technology being an important part of the identity of the city of Delft, the festival is spread across several locations throughout the city centre and TU Delft campus. Part of the Highlight festival is a pop-up college inspired by an article that Delta…

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TU Delft PhD student Ties van der Heijden has won the Delfland Thesis Award. He received the prize worth two thousand euros for his master’s thesis Pumping when the wind blows; demand response in the Dutch Delta. Van der Heijden researched the use of sustainable energy at pumping stations. According to Delfland, that combination is…

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TU Delft PhD student Ties van der Heijden has won the Delfland Thesis Award. He received the prize worth two thousand euros for his master’s thesis Pumping when the wind blows; demand response in the Dutch Delta. Van der Heijden researched the use of sustainable energy at pumping stations. According to Delfland, that combination is…