Exhibition on Campus The Hague opens in City Hall
Saskia Bruines, alderman for Education, Knowledge Economy and International Affairs in The Hague, and Erwin Muller, Chair of Campus The Hague, opened an exhibition about 20 years of Campus The Hague on 4 September. The exhibition in the Atrium of City Hall in The Hague focuses on the links between the University and the city of The Hague, and will run until 21 September. Entry is free.
Leiden University turned 444 this year and one of the ways in which we are celebrating this is with an exhibition in the Atrium of City Hall in The Hague. At the opening of this photo exhibition, Erwin Muller referred to the theme of links between Campus The Hague and the city of The Hague: ‘The University is 444 years old, and we have been in The Hague for 20 years and will remain there for at least another 100 years,’ he said. He explained how Campus The Hague has grown in 20 years from a few members of staff and students to a fully fledged second home of Leiden University with five locations, 17 degree programmes, over 500 members of staff and 5,300 students. Thanks also to the support of the Municipality of The Hague.
Good for the city
Alderman Saskia Bruines represented the Municipality at the opening. She began her speech by congratulating the University on its 444th anniversary. ‘The students have made our city a much livelier place, which is good for it. I am pleased and proud of the good collaboration in the area of research because it is hugely important for politicians and policymakers to be able to use academic research to tackle challenges.’
Beautiful buildings
Bruines also praised the ‘beautiful buildings’ of the University, which are contributing to the growth and development of the Central Innovation District, the economic heart of The Hague. She mentioned student accommodation as a point of concern: ‘It hasn’t proved possible to provide accommodation for everyone. I would call on the people of The Hague to see if they wouldn’t be able to rent out an attic room for a certain period of time.’ She ended her short speech by thanking her predecessor, Ingrid van Engelshoven, for all her efforts to boost the growth of Leiden University in The Hague.
Exhibition
The opening was followed by a reception, which gave visitors the opportunity to network and admire the exhibition.
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L-r: Tim van der Hagen (Rector Magnificus of Delft University of Technology), Mayor Pauline Krikke, alderman Saskia Bruines, Kristel Baele (President of the Executive Board of Erasmus University Rotterdam) and Carel Stolker (Rector Magnificus of Leiden University) visited the exhibition on 5 September. -
‘It is good that so many degree programmes at Campus The Hague are in English. That is important for internationals in The Hague who are eager to learn,’ said Billy Allwood, organiser of the annual Feel at Home Fair for internationals. -
‘The University is a welcome addition to the city,’ said Koen Baart. He was a member of the Municipal Council and is now Chair of Fietsersbond, the Dutch Cyclists’ Union. ‘I enjoyed the tour of Wijnhaven, just before this opening. What a beautiful building!’ -
‘We would love to work together with Leiden University to further develop The Hague as a real student city,’ said Sem Bolk and Thomas de Bruin from INTAC student association in The Hague.
Text: Minke Holleman
Photos: Nicole Romeijn
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