Science comes to life during the Weekend van de Wetenschap at the Utrecht Science Park

On Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 October, leading organisations 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.
About the Utrecht Science Week
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
About Utrecht Science Park
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

Utrecht Science Park Summer Café: Farewell to Managing Director Jan Henk van der Velden
On Monday, 6 July, the Utrecht Science Park Summer Café took place at Grand Café Living on Utrecht Science Park. This edition was dedicated to the farewell of Jan Henk van der Velden, Managing Director of the Utrecht Science Park Foundation, after nine years in which he played a key role in the development and positioning of the ecosystem.

UMC Utrecht is to get a new main entrance and a green campus park
The north side of UMC Utrecht is set to undergo a major redevelopment in the coming years. Utrecht City Council and the teaching hospital have presented plans for a new main entrance, a central car park and a green reception area designed to improve connections between the hospitals at Utrecht Science Park. The plans have now been submitted to the city council.

Petra Baarendse appointed new Managing Director of Stichting Utrecht Science Park as of 1 September
Utrecht, 2 July 2026 – As of 1 September 2026, Petra Baarendse will take office as the new Managing Director of Stichting Utrecht Science Park. She succeeds Jan Henk van der Velden, who has stepped down and will take on a new role as Managing Director of Stichting Nationaal Park Utrechtse Heuvelrug.

Opening Utrecht Science Week with keynote by Juliette Legler on the hidden influence of environmental chemicals
On Friday, September 25, the annual science festival ‘Utrecht Science Week’ kicks off once again at Utrecht Science Park. We are pleased to announce that this year, Prof. Dr. Ir. Juliette Legler will deliver the Utrecht Science Lecture. Juliette Legler is Professor of Toxicology at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at Utrecht University and leads the ‘One Health Toxicology’ group at the Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS).