Wonderful examples of the power of collaboration at the Utrecht Science Park New Year’s Café
Tuesday evening 21th of January was the Utrecht Science Park New Year’s Café. The programme was all about looking back on 2024 and forward to 2025.
Various themes from the past year were highlighted with an interactive quiz. Questioners from many partners looked back at some great developments in the Utrecht Science Park last year. Some examples that were reviewed were:
- Area developments at the Utrecht Science Park; both from Utrecht University, but also the arrival of new organisations such as the RIVM, which will move from Utrecht Science Park Bilthoven to Utrecht Science Park in mid-2025.
- Initiatives and activities around sports and exercise; the HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht initiated the WorkWalk in cooperation with the Utrecht Science Park Foundation. There were also several larger sports events with start and finish at the Utrecht Science Park, including the Utrecht Marathon and Giro d’Utrecht.
- Great progress was made in healthcare; we saw this for example during the successful TV series ‘Het Kinderziekenhuis’ on RTL4, where the WKZ was in the spotlight. And at the Princess Máxima Centre, the Infuuts was brought to life. This is a bicycle on which an infusion pump can be attached. This allows children in the hospital to cycle with an infusion pump on the back.
- The Utrecht Science Park has grown in employment and there is a lot of new business activity; this was shown in the BCI report published in autumn of 2024. Also with the arrival of the second satellite location Utrecht Science Park Zeist, the Utrecht Science Park continues to expand.
- Accessibility is a key topic. In 2024, a pilot was conducted to run trams on weekends. This pilot was so successful that in 2025 the tram will run on weekends when FC Utrecht has a home match and with the open days of Utrecht University and HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht.
- The Utrecht Science Week was a great success. In cooperation with various partners, various themes around groundbreaking science were put in the spotlight at the Utrecht Science Park. One of the great examples was Genmab’s symposium on Artificial Intelligence in R&D and healthcare, among others.
All these developments in the Utrecht Science Park are the result of many collaborations and connections established between the knowledge institutions, research institutes and companies. This only motivates even more to continue working together towards a healthy, sustainable society.
Living Lab in the Spotlight: Utrecht Science Park
Utrecht Science Park is home to several living labs focused on energy and circularity. These include Lumifield, which explores the generation and storage of solar energy, and the biogas digester, which uses organic waste as an energy source. On their own, these are already promising initiatives. Connected, they could become something much bigger: a functioning, learning model for a circular campus.
From student idea during challenge to ReGreen Hut at Dutch Design Week
On hot summer days, temperatures can rise significantly at Utrecht Science Park, while students are looking for places to study, relax and find some shade outdoors. At the same time, planting trees is not always straightforward: underground, the campus is crisscrossed by a dense network of cables and utility lines. So how can we create shade, greenery and places to relax without major changes to the ground?
Utrecht Science Week kicks off: social and economic impact of Utrecht Science Park in the spotlight
The sixth edition of Utrecht Science Week takes place from Friday, 25 September to Sunday, 4 October. During this time, Utrecht Science Park opens its doors to the general public, showcasing how research, innovation, and collaboration lead to tangible societal and economic impact. At the same time, the week underscores the importance of sustained investment in knowledge and innovation.
Looking back at Utrecht Science Week: research, education, and entrepreneurship in the spotlight
Utrecht Science Week 2026 has come to a close. For over a week, visitors enjoyed workshops, lectures, group discussions, and tours focused on science and innovation at Utrecht Science Park. With more than thirty program activities across over 25 locations, there were ample opportunities to experience science up close. We look back on a fantastic week that once again highlighted the essential role of collaboration, and the combination of research, education, and entrepreneurship, in addressing the societal challenges of our time.