Latest stories
student Student lifeAn evening with your housemates? Here are 14 fun activities!Whether you’ve only just started living with housemates or have already organised 20 house activities, it’s always a challenge to come up with something original to do. Okay, there’s nothing wrong with chilling on the sofa with a bag of crisps and watching First Dates together, but sometimes you want to do something a little more exciting. Are you (once again) stuck with the job of organising your “huisavond”? With these ideas, you can’t go wrong!
science ClimateHow do you measure drought from space?A meadow that still looks green from the road can have been thirsty for days. Plants give that away in light the naked eye cannot see. A European satellite has been circling the Earth since this week, measuring exactly that light, and part of the research behind it comes from Enschede.
student InternationalsCulture shocks you'll experience as an international student in the NetherlandsYou’ve packed your bags, said your goodbyes, and took the train to Enschede to start your studies in the Netherlands. The excitement is palpable – new city, new people, new life, what’s there not to be excited about? But somewhere between week two and month three, something shifts. The novelty wears off, and you may start experiencing feelings of frustration, homesickness, and confusion as you try to navigate your new life abroad. That’s culture shock, and as an international student, you’re bound to go through it.
student Student tips
How to find your way around campus as a new student
Whatever your goals are at the University of Twente, one thing is for sure: to achieve them, you’ll need to know your way around the campus. As someone who’s spent a good amount of his formative years here, I know a thing or two about finding your way around the UT’s many buildings. Read on for a list of (perhaps unhinged) tips you can use to make sure you remember your room numbers.
Science Stories
science Behaviour & SocietyWhat ethical AI in research really meansAs AI tools become inseparable from student essays, scientific writing, and data analysis, universities across the globe are scrambling to decide what counts as “ethical use.” Some draw the line at letting tools such as ChatGPT write for you; others simply ask that you be transparent and honest.
science Behaviour & SocietyIntimacy and AI: what can sex robots teach us about human relationships?A partner who always listens, never gets angry and does exactly what you want. What does that mean for how we think about intimacy? PhD researcher Maaike van der Horst investigates at the University of Twente how sex robots and digital AI partners are changing our ideas about relationships, desire and vulnerability.
science HealthCould one device replace two failing organs?Life-support machines can save your life. But sometimes they can make patients sicker. When doctors use an artificial lung to keep someone alive, the kidneys often also fail. Up to 70% of patients on this treatment develop kidney problems. Could both be solved with the same device?
science HealthHow stressed are you, according to your watch?Your smartwatch knows how you sleep, how much you move – and even how stressed you are. But how accurate is that, really? Around 40% of people in the Netherlands use wearables to track their health. In this podcast by Universiteit van Nederland, we dive into the world of stress wearables with University of Twente professor Matthijs Noordzij. How do these devices measure stress? What do those scores do to your mind? And can they actually help us live healthier lives?
science Behaviour & SocietyIs it wise to invest in green steel in the Netherlands?The debate on green steel has become strikingly sharp in recent months. Not only in politics, but particularly among economists and other scholars. In a blog on ESB, 117 economists argued against government support for more sustainable steel production in the Netherlands. According to them, public funds could be spent more effectively elsewhere. A group of scientists responded with a counterargument, advocating investment instead. This sense of nuance is also shared at the University of Twente, says Professor of Nonlinear Solid Mechanics Ton van den Boogaard.
Student Stories
student EnschedeMy favourite thrift shops in EnschedeThrift shopping has been on the rise in recent years, and for good reason: it’s cheap, it’s sustainable, and it’s very fashionable. It’s especially popular among students, who love everything that’s cheap and readily available. That’s why I’ve compiled a list of my go-to thrift shops in Enschede, for the students who love clothes but don’t know yet where to get them secondhand!
student MasterClean cooking in Madagascar: Mechanical Engineering student Gabe-Jan developed a solutionSustainable and safe cooking is far from a given everywhere in the world. In Madagascar, for example, the vast majority of the population cooks using wood or charcoal, which can cause lung problems, among other health issues. During his graduation project, Gabe-Jan, now an alumnus of the Master’s in Mechanical Engineering, helped develop an alternative. He designed a sustainable and safe solution based on solar energy and thermal storage.
student GraduatesFrom student to talent assessment specialist: “I design and manage tools that help us hire the right talent.”Nico is a talent assessment specialist at Red Bull, a global beverage and media company. He completed the Master’s in Psychology with a specialisation in Human Factors & Cognition at the University of Twente.
student CampusFood at uni: where to go for the tastiest meal?Almost every building at the University of Twente has a restaurant, each with its own charm and specialities. But how do you choose a nice spot, with so much to choose from? To save you the stress of deciding where to eat next lunch break, we've tested all the restaurants on campus for you!
student InternationalsA guide to Dutch cultureAs a Dutch girl who has lived in the Netherlands her entire life, I find our culture and habits nothing special. However, while studying at the University of Twente and meeting people from all over the world, I soon realised how Dutch culture sometimes differs from other cultures. From our daily routines to our deeply rooted traits, here’s a guide to navigating life in the Netherlands!