UK • 13th October 2019

Lustrum gets heat for 'All Inclusive' theme

The theme of this year’s Lustrum celebration – inclusivity – generated controversy from the start. But the point was always to start a conversation, says Elmer Sterken, ‘not to act like we’ve got it all figured out. We still have a way to go.’

UK • 13th October 2019

Second-rate PhD: scholarship students can't get on top

Many PhD scholarship students feel like second-rate employees. But director of graduate schools Lou de Leij insists their criticisms are misguided and often a result of ‘fake news’.

UK • 13th October 2019

Housing crisis drives students away

International students are giving up on Groningen because of the housing problem. Ukrant issued an online poll that indicates 77 percent of homeless respondents are seriously considering other options.

UK • 13th October 2019

Hunting for a room: three internationals, three desperate searches

Is the panic over rooms overblown? The UKrant followed three international students from Germany, Russia, and Brazil as they searched for a home. This week, they all found rooms.

UK • 13th October 2019

Scrambling for rooms: nowhere to put the internationals

It’s the same story every year. International students, their acceptance letters in hand and their futures bright, flock to Groningen from all over the world. But when they get here, there is nowhere to land.

UK • 1st October 2019

Faculty of Arts objects to clustering proposal. 'Top-down restructuring is a disaster.'

Discontent is brewing in the Faculty of Arts. The Faculty Board tried to address the problems, but many staff members feel they missed the point.

UK • 23rd April 2019

Blind RUG student wins gold in martial arts competition

On monday, RUG student Iris van der Zaag won gold in a national Brazilian Jiu Jitsu tournament. In another bracket, RUG student Hatmah Hatta won silver.

UK • 25th March 2019

FEB council denied seat on BAC for new dean ~UPDATE~

FEB council denied seat on BAC for new dean ~UPDATE~ As the search for a dean continues, the FEB faculty council has asked for a shortlist of candidates. They have also requested representation on the hiring committee. The board denied both requests. ‘We are very disappointed.’ When Herman de Jong stepped down as dean of the FEB in October, the faculty council requested a seat on the BAC that will select a new dean for appointment by the board of directors. ‘The faculty council thinks it is ve

UK • 30th January 2019

Update on the housing crisis

Hundreds of new international students are arriving in Groningen. Does the rental market have room for them? It looks like it.

UK • 28th November 2018

‘Pint of Science’ debuts in Groningen

The ‘Pint of Science’ initiative began in small UK pub back in 2013 and quickly grew into a worldwide phenomenon. This week, it came to Groningen. RUG scientists shared a glass with pub-goers in Café the Crown.

UK • 19th November 2018

'They hit us, tried to take our signs': Students protest Zwarte Piet

On Saturday, RUG and Hanze students headed to the Emmaplein to peacefully protest the presence of blackface Zwarte Piets who arrived alongside Sinterklaas. Things got heated. Three students tell us what it was like.

UK • 13th November 2018

Shaken up at the Suikerlaan

This week, Groningen developer Van Wijnen is breaking ground on a futuristic housing project next to the Suikerlaan. Thanks to the noise, beleaguered Suikerlaan tenants are breaking down.

UK • 31st October 2018

Philosophy scholarship PhD contracts extended

The faculty of philosophy is taking practical steps to reduce inequalities between employed and scholarship PhD students by extending scholarship contracts. ‘We try to be as fair as possible’

UK • 24th September 2018

Suikerlaan stalls; students stress

The Suikerlaan move-in date has been pushed from 1 October to 15 October. Angry students must now find somewhere else to live for two more weeks. Some want out of their contracts altogether. ‘So tired of all of this.’

UK • 19th September 2018

No second round of PhD scholarship students, says Education Minister

No second round of scholarship students Education Minister Ingrid Van Engelshoven says universities will not be permitted to apply for any more PhD scholarship students. ‘This is not a surprise, but it’s a pity.’

UK • 5th September 2018

Housing analysis: good intentions poorly executed

When the international housing crises erupted in protests last year, everyone agreed on one thing: this can’t keep happening. But here we are again.

UK • 14th August 2018

Sugar Factory rooms snapped up

The first 20 container units at the Suikerfabriek were rented within minutes on Tuesday. The municipality says additional units will be uploaded to athomeingroningen.com every working day until all 249 are spoken for.

UK • 20th June 2018

One room, three hundred responses

Students advertising rooms to rent are overwhelmed by the number of responses they get – sometimes as many as a hundred a day. ‘It’s heartbreaking.’

UK • 11th June 2018

Attempted mugging in the Korrewegwijk

There have now been at least two incidents involving a group of pre-teens terrorizing RUG students in Groningen parks. ‘One of them tried to grab my bike.’

UK • 20th April 2018

A platform for Sterken: discussing discrimination at the RUG

Amnesty International has answered Elmer Sterken’s call for a university discussion about discrimination. Today, Amnesty will set up an outdoor ‘living room’ where students can have coffee and conversation. Student Assessor Saina Abeshzadeh will attend.