Internationals discover Leiden and The Hague in the winter
In the summer there are three big introduction weeks for new students – EL CID, HOP and OWL – but students also begin their studies in Leiden or The Hague halfway through the year too. International students, for instance, who are coming for on an exchange for a few months. They got to know the University and the two cities at the WinterOWL.
From 28 to 31 January over 300 international students discovered Leiden University and all that studying entails. They did a city walk and were welcomed by Leiden Mayor Henri Lenferink. The University Sports Centre opened its doors for a taster of various sports, there was an atmospheric light festival and a bike sale – a bike is a basic necessity in the Netherlands after all!
Photos: Simone Both, Gracia Nolten and Ruduan Plug
-
The first introductions during registration in the Kamerlingh Onnes Building, as the new students get to know their group for the week. -
-
Discovering the city: a walk through the centre of Leiden. -
Henri Lenferink, Mayor of Leiden, welcomes the new students at the official opening of WinterOWL in Marekerk church. -
The students were also given an introduction to their faculty or department. Here in the Wijnhaven building in The Hague... -
...and here in the Gorlaeus building in Leiden. -
A bike is a basic necessity for students in the Netherlands, which is why the bike sale is a permanent fixture at the OWL! -
At the info market there were a whole range of study and student associations, interest groups and cultural organisations that the new students could join. -
Bouldering in Kunststof climbing hall. -
And there was climbing in the University Sports Centre too: students climbed the silks at an aerial acrobatics workshop. -
An atmospheric evening at the Light Festival. -
‘Waar kom je vandaan?’ The first Dutch lesson: ‘Where do you come from?’ -
And winter isn’t winter without a real Dutch sport: an afternoon of ice skating!