Honours College - University of Groningen

29/07/2026

29/07/2026

Check out photos from Honours lecturer Dr Jesús Mascareño Apodaca’s Creative Problem Solving Summer School this year. Also read his reflections on the experience!

“Last week, I had the pleasure of coordinating the Honours College University of Groningen Creative Problem Solving Summer School. 🚀

Together with my colleague Sasan Mansouri, and in collaboration with Manú Weissel, CEO of DataNXT, we designed a challenge that asked students to think like founders, financiers, and engineers all at once. As part of the programme, our students were among the very first to pilot DataNXT's new AI platform and apply it to real business problems.

It was great to see students from faculties outside FEB that had no prior business experience pitch their solutions like real CFOs. 🦾 🏆 👏

A big thank you to Sasan Mansouri for designing this challenge, and to Manú Weissel and the DataNXT for giving our students early access to their AI platform and for their energy throughout the week.

”

23/07/2026

Honours College Social Association - HCSA Honours Review University of Groningen - Faculty of Economics and Business University of Groningen Faculty of Religion, Culture and Society - University of Groningen Faculty of Spatial Sciences - University of Groningen Campus Fryslân - University of Groningen University College Groningen, University of Groningen Faculty of Arts - University of Groningen Faculty of Philosophy, University of Groningen

22/07/2026

We hope you are all enjoying your summer vacation! ☀️🌴 We would love to hear what you have been up to! Are you traveling, relaxing, working, or learning something new? Tell us in the comments below! 👇✨
Honours College Social Association - HCSA Honours Review University of Groningen - Faculty of Economics and Business University of Groningen Faculty of Religion, Culture and Society - University of Groningen Faculty of Spatial Sciences - University of Groningen Faculty of Arts - University of Groningen Campus Fryslân - University of Groningen

22/07/2026

We hopen dat jullie allemaal genieten van jullie zomervakantie! ☀️🌴 We zouden heel graag horen wat jullie allemaal hebben gedaan! Zijn jullie op reis, aan het ontspannen, aan het werk of aan het leren? Laat het ons weten in de reacties hieronder! 👇✨
Honours College Social Association - HCSA Honours Review University of Groningen University of Groningen - Faculty of Economics and Business Faculty of Religion, Culture and Society - University of Groningen Faculty of Spatial Sciences - University of Groningen Faculty of Arts - University of Groningen Campus Fryslân - University of Groningen

16/07/2026

Check out photos from Honours lecturer Professor John Morijn's Summer School this year, On the Purpose(s) of Commemorating War. Also read his reflections on the Summer Schools he has taught over the years.

"Just returned from teaching a 4-day Honours College University of Groningen Summer School on the Purpose(s) of Commemorating War.

What are the limitations of thinking about freedom and democratic citizenship when war, freedom’s ultimate breakdown, is actually the starting point? What choices are made, explicitly or implicitly, when such exhibitions are put together? How, if at all, can the aim of safeguarding liberal democracy in the here and now (also) be an aim of commemorating war?

My students put these (and many other) questions to the staff of the In Flanders Fields Museum, Freedom Museum & Herinneringscentrum Kamp Westerbork, and got many different perspectives - including in some very special places, like just outside the home of the former commander of Camp Westerbork. Their own answers will be on display next year when they will make their own exhibition.

This will be my last Summer School, as my affiliation with this beautiful University of Groningen programme through the University of Groningen, Faculty of Law will soon end. I took students to Cracow and Warsaw (2024), Berlin (2025) and Ypres, Groesbeek and Hooghalen (2026) to ask who could/should do what, and in in what way, when democracy gets to be under pressure? It has been a privilege to see some of the university’s brightest students engage with these issues in highly creative ways. After all, a university should be a place where intelligence meets societal relevance. And perhaps, just perhaps, the future will show that a few Groningen-educated ambassadors of freedom came out of this."

Honours Review Honours College Social Association - HCSA University of Groningen - Faculty of Economics and Business Faculty of Religion, Culture and Society - University of Groningen Faculty of Arts - University of Groningen Faculty of Spatial Sciences - University of Groningen Campus Fryslân - University of Groningen University College Groningen, University of Groningen University of Groningen

16/07/2026

A recap of some of the interdisciplinary student projects showcased during the Honours Festival. We hope you all enjoyed the festival as much as we did!

Honours College Social Association - HCSA Honours Review University of Groningen - Faculty of Economics and Business University of Groningen Faculty of Arts - University of Groningen Faculty of Spatial Sciences - University of Groningen Faculty of Religion, Culture and Society - University of Groningen University College Groningen, University of Groningen Campus Fryslân - University of Groningen

15/07/2026

Check out what some of the Honours College alumni who received a 2026 GUF-100 Prize had to say about the role the Honours College played in their academic journey at the UG!

Honours Review Honours College Social Association - HCSA University of Groningen - Faculty of Economics and Business University of Groningen Faculty of Spatial Sciences - University of Groningen Faculty of Religion, Culture and Society - University of Groningen Faculty of Arts - University of Groningen

09/07/2026

Every year during the Ceremony of Merits, the University of Groningen celebrates its most outstanding students by awarding the prestigious GUF-100 Prizes. The 2026 GUF-100 Prizes winners have now been announced. In total, eleven students received this distinction, including five alumni of the Honours College. Each award comes with a certificate and a cash prize of €2,500 in recognition of academic achievement. The Honours College is proud that five of its alumni have been honoured with a GUF-100 Prizes and congratulates them on this well-deserved achievement.

Elk jaar zet de Rijksuniversiteit Groningen tijdens de Eervolle Verlening haar meest uitmuntende studenten in het zonnetje door de prestigieuze GUF-100 prijs uit te reiken. De winnaars van de GUF-100 prijs 2026 zijn nu bekendgemaakt. In totaal ontvingen elf studenten deze onderscheiding, waaronder vijf alumni van het Honours College. Elke prijs bestaat uit een certificaat en een geldbedrag van € 2500 als erkenning voor academische prestaties. Het Honours College is er trots op dat vijf van zijn alumni geëerd zijn met een GUF-100 prijs en feliciteert hen met deze welverdiende prestatie.

GUF-100 Prizes link: https://www.rug.nl/alumni/support-research-and-education/groninger-university-fund/guf-prijzen-en-penningen/guf-100/2026/

Honours College Social Association - HCSA Honours Review Faculty of Religion, Culture and Society - University of Groningen Faculty of Spatial Sciences - University of Groningen University of Groningen - Faculty of Economics and Business Faculty of Arts - University of Groningen Faculty Behavioural & Social Sciences - University of Groningen

01/07/2026

Raoul Floren, a recent Mukwege cohort graduate, shares what his Honours Programme experience was like!

Raoul Floren, die onlangs is afgestudeerd met het Mukwege cohort, vertelt hoe zijn Honoursprogramma was.

"Dear all,

I am happy to announce that less than a week ago, I graduated from the University of Groningen Honours Programme for excelling students. In this extracurricular programme spanning almost the full length of my bachelor's, I had the unique opportunity to collaborate with students and professors of all faculties and go (far) beyond the content of my regular programme.

At the annual Honours Festival, I had the pleasure to once again showcase the documentary on Dementia and Intellectual Disabilities that I co-directed, as well as converse with the many wonderful people I met during this great adventure. People that helped me bring out the most in myself: both in my own field of IR and political science, as well as different disciplines.

I would like to thank the many passionate professors that have helped me get here and who showed great passion in teaching a select group of highly motivated students about their passions and expertise. I have learnt about subjects ranging from intercultural communication to religious studies and back to the intersection of healthcare and politics in Dutch and French society. I even had the opportunity to participate in an incredible summer school in Franeker and Paris! All thanks to them.

Finally, a word of admiration for dr. Camilla Sutherland and drs. elena herman. In these trying times for the Honours College at the University of Groningen, they have shown incredible perseverance and ambition to safeguard and underline the value of this amazing programme. Our Honours Steering Committee-meetings made this passion all to clear. Thank you."

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