SEPTEMBER 26 TO
OCTOBER 5 2025
OCTOBER 5 2025
SEPTEMBER 26 TO
OCTOBER 5 2025
OCTOBER 5 2025
On Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 October, leading knowledge institutions will open their doors for everyone during the Weekend van de Wetenschap (Weekend of Science), which takes place as part of the Utrecht Science Week. Visitors will get a unique look behind the scenes at, among others, HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht, Utrecht University, the Wilhelmina Children’s Hospital (WKZ) and the Princess Máxima Center.
During this national science weekend, visitors can learn about the world of research, technology and innovation in an accessible and interactive way. From doing experiments in a real laboratory to building your own robots or discovering how paediatricians and researchers work together on groundbreaking therapies. There is something for everyone.
With lectures, workshops, demonstrations and guided tours, the participating institutions will bring science closer than ever. Children, families, students and curious adults can experience for themselves how science contributes to a healthy, sustainable society.
Access to the Weekend van de Wetenschap is free of charge, but registration is required for some activities. The programme will be announced soon via the websites of the participating organisations and Utrecht Science Week. Keep an eye on the channels.
From Friday 26 September to Sunday 5 October is the fifth edition of the Utrecht Science Week and the Utrecht Science Park will open its doors for everyone interested in (applied) science. In cooperation with various partners of the Utrecht Science Park, a varied programme will be put together, with appealing lectures, interactive workshops, guided tours and high-profile interviews, around science at the Utrecht Science Park, focusing on the themes ‘health’ and ‘sustainability’. For more information visit https://utrechtscienceweek.nl/en
Utrecht Science Week is an initiative of the Utrecht Science Park, the biggest science park in the Netherlands with over 31,000 employees and 55,000 students. Together with its two satellite locations Utrecht Science Park Bilthoven and Utrecht Science Park Zeist, Utrecht Science Park forms the beating heart of Europe’s most competitive region (RCI, 2022). At the Utrecht Science Park, knowledge institutions, research institutes and companies work intensively together towards a healthy, sustainable society. For more information visit www.utrechtsciencepark.nl/en
From Friday 26th September to Sunday 5th October 2025, the Utrecht Science Week is happening. One of the highlights of the week is the Day of Sustainability (Dag van de Duurzaamheid), taking place on Tuesday 30th September. This year, the Day of Sustainability is a collaboration between HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht and Utrecht University, and the theme is: Connecting with Nature.
On this day, attendees will be encouraged to reflect on nature’s role in their lives and how we can stay connected to it. Some of the questions up for discussion include:
The event promises a fantastic programme, with keynote speakers including Jessica den Outer, Director of Rights for Nature, and Matthijs Schouten, an ecologist and philosopher. The day will be hosted by Aniek Moonen.
The event promises a fantastic programme, with keynote speakers including Jessica den Outer, Director of Rights for Nature, and Matthijs Schouten, an ecologist and philosopher. The day will be hosted by Aniek Moonen.
Programme:
The event will be held at Padualaan 101 (HU), where everyone can dive into a day of sustainability and connection with the natural world.
More info on registration is coming soon – so keep an eye on the website for all the latest updates!
We are thrilled to announce that Prof. Dr. Jan van de Winkel, President & CEO of Genmab, will present the keynote opening Utrecht Science Lecture during the 2025 Utrecht Science Week on September 26. As a pioneering scientist and industry leader in antibody-based therapies, Jan van de Winkel has been at the forefront of groundbreaking advancements in immunotherapy, shaping the future of cancer treatment and beyond.
With more than 30 years of experience in therapeutic antibodies, Jan van de Winkel has played a pivotal role in translating cutting-edge science into life-changing medicines. As a co-founder of Genmab, he has led the company’s journey from an ambitious startup to a global end-to-end biotech powerhouse. In addition to his executive role, he holds a professorship in immunotherapy at Utrecht University, contributing to academic research and fostering the next generation of scientific leaders.
In his lecture, titled “Cracking the Code on Cancer and Other Serious Diseases: The Past, Present, and Future of Immunotherapy”, he will explore how immunotherapy is revolutionizing medicine. From early discoveries to today’s breakthroughs in cancer care, he will offer insights into the evolving role of antibody therapies, the next frontiers in biotechnology, and the power of collaboration and AI in driving innovation.
As Utrecht Science Week celebrates its fifth edition, this keynote lecture will highlight Utrecht’s ambition as the “Heart of Health” and the Utrecht Science Park as a unique life sciences ecosystem for cutting-edge research and medical innovation. Join us to gain a front-row perspective on the future of immunotherapy and how partnerships between academia, industry, and healthcare can accelerate progress for patients worldwide. More information about the lecture and the opening of registration will follow soon.
The Utrecht Science Week 2024 was a great success! For over a week, you could visit inspiring events around (applied) science and innovation at the Utrecht Science Park. We are now preparing for the fifth edition of Utrecht Science Week, which will take place from Friday 26 September to Sunday 5 October 2025.
The Utrecht Science Park will open its doors and, together with various partners, a varied programme will be created for a diverse target group. The programme will focus on the themes of health and sustainability and include components such as lectures, presentations, tours and workshops.
Like last edition, in 2025 the Betweter Festival, the ‘Dag van de Duurzaamheid’ (Sustainability Day) and ‘Weekend van de Wetenschap’ (Weekend of Science) will also be part of the Utrecht Science Week.
Keep an eye on the website for current updates: https://utrechtscienceweek.nl/en.
Curious about what last year was like? Take a look at the recap, with photos and the aftermovie: https://utrechtscienceweek.nl/en/edtion-24/.
We look back on a wonderful week full of inspiring events around groundbreaking science at the Utrecht Science Park. A week in which it became even more clear how crucial education, research and innovation are to providing solutions to major societal challenges.
From 27 September to 6 October, the Utrecht Science Park was well attended during the Utrecht Science Week. The programme included more than 30 components with various topics focusing on the themes of health and sustainability. In cooperation with many different partners at the Utrecht Science Park, a varied programme was realised. The Utrecht Science Week is interesting for various audiences, both employees and students at the Utrecht Science Park, but certainly also professionals and residents from the entire region or country.
The Utrecht Science Week was officially opened on Friday 27 September by board directors Jan Henk van der Velden, Anton Pijpers, Wilma Scholte op Reimer and Arno Hoes. This was followed by the Utrecht Science Lecture by Peter Luijten, which was dedicated to his farewell and in which he and colleagues discussed the developments, collaborations and successes of the Utrecht Life Sciences.
To make research and innovation in the field of cancer treatments even more efficient, a collaboration platform, ‘Utrecht Cancer’, has been established by various partners at the Utrecht Science Park. Monday 30 September saw the official kick-off of the collaboration platform at the Walking Dinner.
Monday 30 September saw the official kick-off of the collaboration platform at the Walking Dinner, in the presence of board members, entrepreneurs and scientists from the Utrecht Science Park, representatives from the city, region, The Hague and national organisations.
Tuesday 1 October was the ‘Dag van de Duurzaamheid’ (Sustainability Day) at HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht, filled with inspiring lectures, workshops, a Climate Casino and the Spacebuzz. In the evening, the Ziekenhuis van de Toekomst (Hospital of the Future) opened at the UMC Utrecht, where impressive presentations and demos were given on the latest innovative cell techniques, which accelerate healing and recovery.
For the very first time, the Utrecht Science Park Pubquiz was organised, this time for students. 13 teams gathered at Café Minnaert on Wednesday evening and took up the challenge to put their knowledge of sports, science, Utrecht and, of course, the Utrecht Science Park to the test. And with success: the commitment of the teams was strong and there was a lot of laughter. On to the next edition!
Artificial Intelligence (AI), automation and digital transformation are playing a major role in healthcare and laboratories. This was nicely reflected on Thursday afternoon during Genmab’s ‘Healthcare and Laboratories of the Future’ event, which looked ahead to groundbreaking (digital) developments within healthcare.
Throughout the week, there were also various components from Life Sciences and Planetary Health, with interesting lectures, meetings and workshops on the relationship between planetary health and human health.
The Utrecht Science Week ended over the weekend with the finals of the Sustainable City Challenge on Friday afternoon and the ‘Weekend van de Wetenschap’(Weekend of Science) on Saturday and Sunday.
In the Sustainable City Challenge, a five-day pressure cooker challenging teams of students to come up with creative ideas for a more sustainable Utrecht, Team ‘Utrecht Oost’ won with their idea around ‘Green Corridors’ near stadium Galgenwaard.
During the ‘Weekend van de Wetenschap’ thousands of people of all ages visited the Utrecht Science Park for experiments and workshops. From growing cells to making your own flower bulbs. And from soil research with fungi to practising in court. There was plenty to experience!
Besides the events mentioned above, there was more to see during the Utrecht Science Week. Check out the recap. More photos and the aftermovie will be added here in the coming week: https://utrechtscienceweek.nl/en/edtion-24/
Many thanks to all speakers, organisers and partners who contributed to this successful Utrecht Science Week!
See you next year!
From growing cells to making your own flower bulbs. And from researching soil with fungi to practising in court. There was plenty to experience at the Utrecht Science Park during the ‘Weekend van de Wetenschap’ (Weekend of Science).
The Utrecht Science Week wrapped up with the ‘ Weekend van de Wetenschap’ on Sunday 6 October. Six organisations at the Utrecht Science Park opened their doors to science lovers of all ages.
Starting in the morning, visitors were already queuing up to discover science at the various organisations.
Throughout the day, it was nicely crowded around the Koningsberger building and the Botanic Gardens, where Utrecht University’s wide range of activities could be found, with experiments, presentations and experiments on various topics such as the brain, veterinary medicine, climate, law and health. In addition, visitors could do research at the Tuinlab in the Botanic Gardens.
At the Hubrecht Institute, the activities of the institute itself, the Westerdijk Institute and Regenerative Medicine Center Utrecht came together. Here, visitors could, among other things, isolate their DNA, make a fungus and look through the eyes of a doctor.
At the Wilhelmina Children’s Hospital (WKZ), visitors were introduced to bacteria in our bodies and there was an inflatable bowel through which they could walk as true bacteria. They also practised dealing with emotions, using VR glasses to practice different situations where these emotions arise.
The Princess Máxima Center opened its doors to introduce visitors to the world of researchers and, for a day, they were researchers themselves. Wearing lab coats, they did many experiments, were shown around the labs and gained knowledge at the mini-lectures.
The ‘Weekend van de Wetenschap’ at the Utrecht Science Park was a great success. It is great to see that even the younger audience can learn about science and the research being done here at the Utrecht Science Park in an accessible way. This was a great ending to the Utrecht Science Week.
Artificial Intelligence (AI), automation and digital transformation are playing a major role in healthcare and laboratories. This was reflected very well on Thursday 3 October at Genmab’s ‘Healthcare and Laboratories of the Future’ event, part of the Utrecht Science Week, which looked ahead to pioneering (digital) developments within healthcare.
The event started with a plenary session. Several persons from the industry shared their experience on digital developments within the organisation and in their field, including stories from the biotech industry and around healthcare research. This was followed by a panel discussion where professionals and students from Utrecht University, HU University of Applied Sciences, UMC Utrecht and Genmab discussed the future of healthcare and labs together.
The plenary session was followed by the ‘Health of the Future Fair’ at which (young) professionals could interact with companies and healthcare and educational institutions.
A valuable addition to the diverse programme of the Utrecht Science Week, where this important topic was discussed from different perspectives.
Friday 4 October was the finale of the Sustainable City Challenge, a five-day pressure cooker (from 30 September to 4 October) during the Utrecht Science Week, where student teams are challenged to create imaginative ideas for a more sustainable Utrecht. Team ‘Utrecht East’, with the theme Climate Adaptation, won the challenge with their idea around ‘Green Corridors’.
Utrecht healthier, more liveable and greener
Around 100 students (some international) from ROC Midden Nederland, Utrecht School of the Arts and the HU University of Applied Sciences worked in mixed teams on this challenge. The challenge took place in various districts in the city, such as Overvecht, Cartesius, Merwede and Utrecht Science Park. The five sustainable themes of this year’s challenge were climate adaptation, active mobility, community building, (mental) well-being and circularity.
Together with partners including the Cartesius Consortium, Utrecht University, Project O, ROM Utrecht Region and the Municipality of Utrecht, the student teams worked on challenging issues with the aim of making Utrecht healthier, more liveable and greener.
Green Corridors
On Friday 4 October, as part and closing of the Utrecht Science Week, the students presented their ideas during the expo in the Accelerator at the Utrecht Science Park. This was followed by the finals where five finalist teams presented their innovative ideas and visitors could vote for the public winner.
Team ‘Utrecht Oost’ won this year’s challenge with their idea on Green Corridors around stadium Galgenwaard. The concept consists of planted tunnels that guide the public to and from the stadium. Around these, green communal areas can be created for residents. The winning group was presented with the award by André van Schie ( provincial executive of Utrecht Province) and Jan Henk van der Velden (managing director of the Utrecht Science Park Foundation), in the presence of Eva Reuling (member of the Executive Board of HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht).
Great to see the teams developing wonderful innovative and creative ideas for a more sustainable city in such a short time.
On Wednesday 2 October, the Utrecht Science Park pubquiz was held during the Utrecht Science Week. The pubquiz took place in the cosy Café Minnaert and with 13 teams signed up, the café was quite full.
At 5 pm, the doors of Café Minnaert opened and people joined in for delicious pizzas. The pub quiz was then opened by the evening’s presenting duo: Mei Nelissen and Daan Warnas.
Mei is a PhD candidate at Utrecht University and is involved in research on climate (change) and the ocean. She likes to share her knowledge and experience with a broad audience to make scientific research more accessible and fun. Daan is a presenter and host. He studied Social Work at the HU University of Applied Sciences in Utrecht a while ago and regularly returns to the Utrecht Science Park as a presenter for HU education festivals, for example. Mei and Daan did not know each other yet, but it soon turned out that this is a golden duo.
The pubquiz consisted of 7 rounds with 10 challenging questions on various themes, such as sports, science, Utrecht and, of course, the Utrecht Science Park. The 13 teams faced the challenge of putting their knowledge of these topics to the test and did their very best to answer the questions correctly.
It was a head-to-head competition, but the eventual winner was the team from student association Anteros. The team received the trophy and the prize; a climbing workshop at the outdoor climbing wall Kalymnos at the Utrecht Science Park.
It was a successful Wednesday evening during the Utrecht Science Week. The commitment and enthusiasm of the teams was great and there was a lot of laughter.
Thanks to all the teams. Until next time!
On Tuesday 1 October, HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht organised the Sustainability Day (Dag van de Duurzaamheid) during the Utrecht Science Week. This year, the theme of the day was ‘A social and fair sustainability transition’.
Globally, the urgency to tackle climate change, biodiversity loss and inequality is being sensed. Students and teachers in higher education are also calling for more attention to these issues. It is important to explore together how sustainable ambitions can be shaped and how everyone can contribute to a sustainable and fair society.
The opening
The day began with the plenary programme in a full lecture hall at Padualaan 101. Day chairman Aniek Moonen, former president of the Young Climate Movement, opened the day and introduced the theme. Next to speak was Wilma Scholte op Reimer, chair of the Executive Board, followed by welcoming the keynote speaker Eva Rovers. Eva is a writer and director of ‘Bureau Burger Beraad’. She took the audience through 4 ‘ democratic weaknesses’ that she believes are slowing down the transition to a sustainable society and how setting up a citizens’ council helps to solve this problem. The opening ended with a panel discussion, during which people discussed the topics.
Choice of eight workshops
The opening was followed by the workshop rounds, with the choice of eight different workshops. There were workshops on recognising climate disinformation, citizen participation in the sustainability transition and the future of higher education in the climate crisis, among others.
The Green Market
Throughout the day, the Green Market was open, with various activities from the Green Office, Gender and Sexuality Alliance and the Diversity and Inclusion Network, as well as others. These included learning about swapping clothes at the Swaplab and scoring a plant at the Plant Doctor’s Clinic. In addition, as part of Diversity Day, there was the Diversity Wall where people talked about diversity and inclusion.
SpaceBuzz and ClimateCasino
Besides all the inspiring and cool workshops, visitors could drop by the ClimateCasino, where they could test their climate knowledge in a game format, and the SpaceBuzz. In the SpaceBuzz, (a virtual) André Kuipers took visitors on a space journey. The chair moves and through the VR glasses you can see the earth turning. From space, you have the ‘overview effect’ and see how extremely beautiful, but also how vulnerable the earth is. The aim is to make visitors even more aware of climate change and motivate them to get involved.
During Sustainability Day, the importance of paying attention to issues such as climate change and the sustainability transition is highlighted. It is important to discuss this and plan how we work together to create a healthy, sustainable society.
Curious about all the other sustainability initiatives at HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht, visit the website (in Dutch).
