Utrecht Science Week 2025: Sustainability Day 30 September – Connecting with Nature
From Friday 26th September to Sunday 5th October 2025, the Utrecht Science Week is happening. One of the highlights of the week is the Sustainability Day (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.
- What can we learn from nature’s principles?
- How can we give nature a voice in decision-making, education, and research?
- What does it mean to truly partner with nature?
- And how can we be positively impacted by the nature around us (think Amelisweerd)?
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
- Plenary session: 11:00 – 12:30
- Green Market: 12:00 – 16:00
- Workshops: 13:30 – 15:00
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!
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).