‘So far, 102 students have already enrolled. This means that they have given a clear indication that they are coming to study in Groningen. With these enrolments, we have reached our first year student goal of 100’, says Rob van Ouwekerk of UCG.

In the last few years, UCG has struggled to attract enough students. The faculty’s goal was to have 100 students enrolled each year, but in the last two years, they had only managed to bring in 30 students a year. The interest in the UCG was so disappointing that the university board had begun to question whether or not they should pull the plug. ‘Never before have we started something which fell so short’, RUG director Sibrand Poppema admitted previously.

Relocation plans were put on hold and UCG met monthly with the university board to inform them about how they were planning to turn the tide. The faculty went all out to try and attract more students. The admissions procedure was adjusted, the degree programme was reorganised so that it would be more flexible and a new marketing campaign was developed and launched.

Predictions

In April, the faculty assumed that it would gain no more than 50 students in September. ‘We were careful with our predictions, but we have done well this year’, says Van Ouwekerk.

Although a sufficient number of students have enrolled, the possibility still exists that they will choose to study at another university in September after all. ‘We have no reason to suspect that the number of students in September will differ from the number of enrolments. All but four of those enrolled have registered for a room in Groningen’, says Ouwekerk.