Last Slavic student can graduate

The very last Slavic student can get his diploma after all. Auke de Vlieger panicked in August when he couldn’t register for the autumn term: the Slavic language and literature study had ceased to exist.  But on Monday, he was informed by arts faculty dean Gerry Wakker that the programme is accredited through December 2014.

As long as he can finish his thesis by then, he will be able to get his degree. His study advisor and thesis supervisor had recommended that he switch to the European language and culture programme, but he wanted to receive his diploma for what he studied.

Usva and University College moving

Cultural centre Usva and the University College will move into the Bodenterrein – the property between the Antonius Deusinglaan and the Oosterhamrik canal – as part of long-term housing plans for the RUG. The Usva has been at the Munnekholm for seventeen years, but they want to relocate since they’ve outgrown it.

The first classes of the University College have just started at the Hoendiepkade, but their new home will be at Bloemsingel 1 and the UC students will eventually move into housing on the Bodenterrein. It’s not yet known when the big move is going to happen, though.

KNAW: ‘RUG shouldn’t collaborate with Russia’

Hans Clever, head of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Science, thinks that the RUG should end its collaboration with the Skolkovo mega-university that Russian president Vladimir Putin wants to build near Moscow.

But RUG president Poppema told RTV Noord that he wants to press ahead anyway. ‘We think that for us, it’s important that we should continue the collaboration. Especially given that there’s a conflict going on, it’s important to maintain contacts in the fields of education and research.’

No proton therapy centre at UMCG

The UMCG is unlikely to receive a proton therapy centre after all. Originally, four centres were planned to open throughout the Netherlands, but according to OOG TV, health insurance companies are only willing to fund one such facility.

If the treatment centre doesn’t come through, that will be a major loss for the RUG, namely because the centre is part of the rescue plan for the KVI, the Center for Advanced Radiation Technology.

The very first MOOC

It’s still a couple of days away, but the very first massive open online course (MOOC) will be coming online, fi-nal-ly. A few months ago, the university received one million euros from Minister of Education Jet Bussemaker to move foward with developing online lectures.

On Monday, 15 September, economist Lex Hoogduin will debut his MOOC, ‘Decision Making in a complex and uncertain world’. More than 9,000 students have already signed up. On Lux’s flashy website, you can whet your appetite by watching the trailer.

Aletta Jacobs out, anniversary art in

Aletta Jacobs’ popular statue is leaving the Harmonie square to make room for a commissioned modern artwork by German artist Julius Popp. The university board decided to move the bust of Jacobs, the first female university student and doctor in the Netherlands, to the front of the Academy Building and Popp’s piece will take its place.

The artwork, titled ‘Imagine for Infinity’, was commissioned by the university for the RUG’s 400^th anniversary. Popp is best known for his waterfalls whose droplets form words and sentences. What the piece actually looks like and when it will be installed remain a secret.