Several cities across the Netherlands are preparing to welcome new students to their universities and higher education institutions with a series of introduction weeks.
The upcoming week will witness these events taking place, aiming to familiarize incoming students with their respective cities. For instance, Delft is leading the way with the OWee, starting this Sunday, catering to future students of TU Delft, Hogeschool InHolland, and Haagse Hogeschool. On Monday, KEI week kicks off in Groningen, EL CID in Leiden, and UIT in Utrecht.
Most student cities will commence their introduction periods in the coming week. From August 21, activities and festivities will unfold in Tilburg, Eindhoven, Maastricht, Nijmegen, and Rotterdam. However, students in Amsterdam and Enschede will have a slightly longer wait. Wageningen's introduction week begins on Friday.
This year's introduction weeks appear to be more in demand than the previous year. UIT week has reached a maximum of 3,700 registrations, slightly surpassing last year's numbers. EL CID boasts almost 3,500 registered participants, about 100 more than the previous year. KEI Week organizers anticipate around 5,000 attendees, similar to last year. Remarkably, Eurekaweek in Rotterdam is fully booked for the first time.
Across numerous student cities, first-year MBO (Middelbaar Beroepsonderwijs) students are also being encouraged to participate in the introduction week. This initiative is being piloted this year in cities like Leiden, Groningen, Maastricht, Utrecht, Leeuwarden, Delft, and Zeeland.
While MBO student participation in these introductory weeks is growing, it remains smaller compared to the number of university students. For instance, EL CID, which welcomes MBO students on Thursdays, has recorded just over 70 registrations a week before commencement. Utrecht has around 40 registered MBO students, and Maastricht mentions "a handful of participants" engaging in the entire Inkom introductory week. Meanwhile, in Groningen, where MBO graduates participate in the regular program, all 50 spots have already been claimed.
Utrecht Alderman Dennis de Vries recognizes the slow uptake of MBO student participation in the introduction week. He believes that it's understandable due to this being a new endeavor, while participation from higher education institutions remains a longstanding tradition. "It will take some time before it resonates with the new target group," he shared with Trouw. Photo by M8scho, Wikimedia commons.