Monday, 31 August | 15:00Muziekcentrum, Enschede
On Monday, 31 August 2026, we will come together to celebrate the opening of the 2026–2027 academic year. This year’s opening is extra special, as the University of Twente celebrates its 65th anniversary! You are welcome from 2 p.m. at the Muziekcentrum in the centre of Enschede. The official programme will start at 3 p.m. You can register for the event by clicking the link below. After you register, you will receive a QR code that you can use to enter the Muziekcentrum.
For 65 years, the University of Twente has been shaped by people who dare to take initiative, see new opportunities, and act upon the ideas that they have. That is why the theme of this anniversary year is Courage.
During the opening of this academic year, we will mainly hear stories from our alumni. We will reflect on the past, but above all we will look ahead: to the opportunities that are presented to us, the challenges that we will be facing, and the role that we can play in handling them. What does the future require of us? And do we have the courage to accept the challenge?
We are proud that UT alumna and Minister of Economic Affairs and Climate, Heleen Herbert, will deliver this year’s keynote address. The programme also includes the presentation of the Van den Kroonenberg Oeuvre Awards and the Graduation Awards 2026, as well as inspiring talks by four other alumni. There will also be live music by the Bartenders Reunion.
We look forward to welcoming you as we open the new academic year together.
NOTE: The auditorium doors will close at 14.45.
The cortege will depart from the City Hall and make its way to Muziekcentrum Enschede. Following the arrival of the procession, the Opening of the Academic Year 2026–2027 will commence.
At 3.00 p.m., Rector Magnificus Tom Veldkamp will open the ceremony with a welcome address. This will be followed by a moment of reflection in memory of the members of our community who have passed away over the past year.
Presenter Vera Boertien will then guide us through the programme of this special afternoon.
University of Twente alumna and Minister of Economic Affairs and Climate, Heleen Herbert, will deliver this year’s keynote address. Drawing on her experience and perspective, she will reflect on the societal challenges of our time and the role of science, technology and innovation in addressing them.
We will also present the Van den Kroonenberg Lifetime Achievement Awards (see below). These four University of Twente alumni were driving forces or pioneers behind the development of internationally leading technology companies: Jitse Groen (Just Eat Takeaway.com), Sytse Sijbrandij (GitLab), Geert-Jan Bruinsma (Booking.com) and Martin van den Brink (ASML). Miriam Luizink, Chair of the University Fund, will present the awards.
We will also be joined by four other alumni for a discussion entitled Courage in Practice. Together, we will reflect on their time at the University of Twente, discuss current developments within their respective fields, and look ahead to the future of Health, Climate, Chip Technology, and Safety & Security.
The programme will be enhanced by musical interludes from the alumni band The Bartenders Reunion. We will also present the five UT Graduation Awards, celebrating the exceptional talent and outstanding achievements of our students.
With the official opening of the academic year, we will also mark the beginning of the University’s anniversary year.
We look forward to concluding this special afternoon together with refreshments at the reception in Muziekcentrum Enschede.
“A perfect plan without entrepreneurial spirit leads nowhere. A plan that is reasonably achievable and pursued with a strong dose of determination is far more likely to succeed.”
With these words, Harry van den Kroonenberg expressed his vision of entrepreneurship in 1992. As Rector Magnificus of the University of Twente, he laid the foundations for what would later become known as the “entrepreneurial university”.
To showcase the entrepreneurial strength of the University of Twente to the Netherlands and the wider world, the Van den Kroonenberg Award has been presented annually since 1984. The award recognises a University of Twente alumnus or current/former staff member who has distinguished themselves through successful entrepreneurial achievement at an early stage of their career.
This year, the University of Twente celebrates its 65th anniversary. To mark this milestone, the award ceremony will take on a special character. This year, the University will present the Van den Kroonenberg Oeuvre Awards to the driving forces behind four unicorns: privately held companies that have grown to achieve a valuation of more than one billion US dollars.
These lifetime achievement awards honour entrepreneurs who have not only achieved exceptional success, but who also demonstrate how the entrepreneurial spirit of the University of Twente can grow into an impact of global significance.
The University of Twente wants to reward excellent students for their achievements. This is done by awarding a graduation award to master's students. The five faculty winners will receive their awards during the Opening of the Academic Year. The Rector Magnificus presents the prizes.
The graduation award consists of a cash prize of € 1,000.