We would like to invite you to the festive opening of the academic year 2026/2027 of Erasmus University Rotterdam. A special moment when we start the year together.
- Date
- Monday 31 Aug 2026, 15:00 - 16:30
- Type
- General
- Space
- Aula
- Building
- Erasmus Building
- Location
- Campus Woudestein
- Ticket information
The ceremony takes place in Dutch, with simultaneous translation into English available via AI technology on your own phone.
Utopia? Building Resilient Societies
How do we build societies that not only adapt to change, but grow stronger because of it? During the Opening Academic Year 2026/2027, we will explore how universities, governments, civil society organisations, citizens and businesses can work together to create resilient futures.
With Rotterdam as a place of encounter, experimentation and co-creation, we will examine how collaboration, new perspectives and collective commitment contribute to strengthening our society, both close to home and far beyond. What does this require of the way we live, learn, work and coexist, today and tomorrow? Utopia? is not a final destination, but an invitation to dialogue, imagination and collective action.
More information about the programme will follow soon.
Prizes
The Opening Academic Year is also the moment when the Education Prize, the Rotterdam Thesis Award the Sustainability Award and the Student Societal Impact Award are presented to students and researchers from our community who have distinguished themselves remarkably. The Education Prize and the Student Social Impact Award are made possible by the Erasmus Trustfonds.
Reception
There will be a reception after the ceremony. The reception will take place from 16:30 to 17:30 hrs at the Theil Hall.
Photography & Video
Photographs and video recordings will be made during the Opening Academic Year. You may be recognisable in the images. As a visitor, you consent to the storage and use of these images for commercial purposes.
Sustainability
The Opening Academic Year will be a carbon-conscious celebration, with vegetarian catering and offsetting of CO2 emissions.
- More information
Do you have any questions? Please send an email to ceremonies@eur.nl.
