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Corona crisis
Editorial
Covid and GeenStijl throw a spanner in the works
No survey, no freshly printed edition of Observant this week
News
Update: UM is preparing for a new Covid wave
At this moment: Code Dark Green: wash your hands, stay at home if you have any symptoms
Background
Held hostage by COVID-19 for years
UM leads research into Long Covid
News
“It is very important for PBL that students get together”
No more hybrid education after the summer
News
INKOM 2022: Opening at Tapijn barracks and watching a film outdoors with people from Maastricht
All big outside events in one location
News
Government: ‘Education will stay open as long as possible if new coronavirus wave hits’
“We saw that the mental health of young people was under pressure during the pandemic"
Background
Working on a Danish farm, skydiving and emigrating to Spain
Summer plans for UM students: what are they going to do now almost everything is allowed again?
News
MPs receive slap on the wrist from scientists
“This was not an isolated incident, but the latest egregious insult cast at scientists"
Read More
Cyberattack UM
Background
Hacking attempts at UM captured in a work of art
An installation is by the artist Richard Vijgen at the Minderbroedersberg
Background
For sale: Netflix login code for 2.25 dollar
Maastricht researchers on the dark web
News
University Council issues statement condemning the cyberattack after all
"Since that plenary meeting, we have learned a lot as a council"
Statement
“The University Council condemns, without reservation, and in the strongest possible terms, the criminal cyber attack on the Observant”
Statement University Council
Opinion
When it really matters, the University Council remains quiet
Democracy is a hothouse plant, it will die out if we don’t fight for it
Letter
Cultural war at the UM
At least eighty per cent of the people can live with diversity, but allow themselves to be intimidated by ideological extremists
Opinion
What kind of university do we want to be?
Opinion Jan Smits: "Especially at university you need to hear opinions you disagree with"
Opinion
Has the University Council forgotten that democracy requires a free press?
"The silence has been deafening lately after miscreants had blocked access to Observant’s online publications by launching a DDoS attack"
Read More
Einstein telescope
Background
Ground research for Einstein Telescope enters into new phase: “This is a very complex puzzle”
How suitable is the Limburg soil for the construction of a gigantic detector?
News
Are neighbouring countries jeopardising the Einstein Telescope?
Where the Netherlands is making pace, German and Belgium commitments are lagging behind
News
More than 900 million euros for Einstein Telescope
42 million for the preparations and 870 million for when the installation is actually built in Limburg
New
Too small and too vague
Municipal building inspector forbids larger image
News
"The clean room was the greatest challenge”
Opening ETpathfinder
UM and IBM researching quantum computing
The Eifel is 'moving': consequences for the Einstein Telescope?
“I feel like Alice in Wonderland”
Professor Stefan Hild on the Einstein Telescope, Sardinia and the cosmos
Read More
Human Resource Policy
News
From November, employees will report in sick with just ‘one press of a button’
Part two of the Integrated Operational Management
News
Universities are looking for a solution for the research time missed out on by postdocs
Law concerning flex workers sometimes creates issues
Background
Lost orders and a mountain of reminder e-mails
Four months after going live: how are things going with SAP Cloud?
Background
President Letschert: “PhD candidates still don’t dare to speak out; that is unacceptable”
Ask Me Anything about social safety
News
SAP Cloud going live is running smoothly
Help desk gets about 200 questions a day
News
500 euro for anyone who recruits a new colleague
Shortage on the labour market
News
“This postponement provides breathing space for everyone”
New IT system for HR, Finance and Sales to be introduced in June
News
“A system transition while insufficiently prepared? I wouldn’t do that to the organisation”
Introduction of new IT system for HR, Finance and Sales postponed
Read More
Stress at UM
News
“Without mistakes, without uncertainty, there is no growth”
President Rianne Letschert on the balance between performance and relaxation
News
Trimbos: Students are under increasing pressure, but the media aren’t helping
Too much media attention does not help either
Background
“The university as a whole has taken an irreversible path, the urgency is great”
UM going all out with ideas for a ‘smarter academic year’
News
“If you lower the bar in first year, there will be more pressure in second year”
University Council discusses standards for binding study advice
News
NSE: many students consider academic workload too high
About 55 per cent of students think study pressure is 'just right'
Column
More effort, less outcome
" I need to publish - metaphorically speaking, while riding a bike between classes"
Background
“These people are really tired; the system is failing”
Two workload experts about the results of the ‘sustainable employability monitor’
News
“I can’t see progress as long as I see colleagues suffer”
Criticism in University Council about the outcome of the sustainable employability monitor
Read More
Student housing
News
Pilot project for living-in with hosts: “People in Maastricht still have to get used to it”
Hundreds of interested students, twenty matches
News
Shortage on the Maastricht rooms market back to the level of before the Covid crisis
Friction, but "no new housing crisis", according to UM
News
Maastricht room shortages appear less severe than last year
‘Container homes’ Randwyck and locations outside Maastricht have to prevent a repeat of the housing crisis
Background
“We will soon have a small village here”
Six hundred new student homes in Randwyck
News
Dutch Student Union ranks Wageningen top for student rooms
Maastricht drops in the ranking
News
Clearer communication towards new students about the housing market
“Make sure you have a room before you move to Maastricht”
News
Excessive rents for prefab accommodation in Randwyck
According to the Rents Team, its decision could apply to all apartments on the complex
News
Worries about student housing next year
For the time being, the UM is focussing on Sittard and Heerlen
Read More
Study tips
Master's student creates music from study material
Shilly-shallying, sleeping in and shouting
Freshmen special 2019
Relax, take it easy
No longer a pupil but a student
The difference between secondary school and university: more discipline and responsibility needed
Things no one told me before writing my thesis
Ten tips for writing a thesis
It’s been a hard day’s night
International students on workload at Maastricht University
Read More
Internationalisation
News
House of Representatives urges bill on internationalisation
Omtzigt and Hermans wish to curb the right to student financing for EER students
Background
Letschert: “I hope that this does not lead to polarisation within UM”
Country-wide reactions to the proposed internationalisation legislation
News
How can it be that the BSA is deemed controversial, but English-taught programmes aren’t?
The intake of international students, a far more sensitive subject, is not declared 'controversial'
News
Dijkgraaf praises internationalisation and his own continuum
Minister Dijkgraaf of Education about internationalisation
News
UM aiming for special position
Internationalisation and language policy
Background
“Further detailing of plans for international students is crucial”
UM President Letschert on minister Dijkgraaf’s internationalisation letter
News
Internationalisation: everyone must learn Dutch; minister takes control
Education Minister is putting forward new legislation to channel the influx of international students
News
Not every employee wants to do a course in Dutch
From June also ‘brush-up’ courses for staff only
Read More
Merger UM/MUMC
News
Speed up the merger plans; Letschert wants to prevent “endless procedure”
Online Q&A session about collaboration between MUMC and UM
Read More