Wageningen Experience Day 2023 connects alumni and WUR employees

On Saturday 7 October 2023, all alumni and all employees and their families are invited to participate in this special day at the Wageningen Campus. This will be a unique occasion where we won’t only be reflecting on WUR’s rich history, but we’ll also be looking to the future.

A key moment in the genesis of the current organisation is the merger of Wageningen University and its research institutes in 2016 as Wageningen University & Research. Wageningen University & Research's strength is the bundling of specialised research institutes and the university. This close cooperation across natural, technological and social science disciplines ensures that scientific breakthroughs are quickly translated into practice and education. We call this 'The Wageningen Approach'. Cooperation with other parties such as government, industry, NGOs and alumni is indispensable here. Our alumni are of great value to us in sharing, disseminating and applying our knowledge worldwide.

In the last two years, WUR organised a Wageningen Experience Day for alumni. This year the celebration will be an extra special one. This will be the first time that alumni will be invited to attend together with their families, and employees and their families will also be invited. This will make it a real celebration for and by the entire WUR community.

Talk shows, tours and activities for children

The program is focused on experiencing WUR through a wide range of activities, for both young and old. One of the day’s highlights will be the inspirational talk shows about what the world will look like in 105 years’ time and the role that WUR will play in this. Together with a diverse group of table guests, we will discuss a range of interesting topics such as how trees respond to climate change, the role of animals in our food system and what the Netherlands might look like in 105 years. The Dutch film Onder het Maaiveld (known in English as ‘Living Soil’) will also be screened twice; both the cinematic version and the children’s version will be shown. The film gives an insight into the wonderful world of soil life.

But in addition to this, there’s a lot more to see and do at the Wageningen Experience Day. Visitors can find out more about food on Mars, visit the World Soil Museum, admire WUR’s special collection or take a tour to Carus, Unifarm, NPEC or the Lumen Gardens. Young adventurers can go exploring during the Speedexpedition Kids with Geert Jan Roebers, can go to a performance and meet & greet with Sterrin Smalbrugge and can create their own music at DJ Booth. And book enthusiasts can visit the book market where they’ll find interesting literature by WUR alumni and employees, and on WUR-related topics.

Enjoy the music and food

The activities will primarily be held in Omnia and Forum and at the tour locations. Outside there will also be plenty to see and do. The campus is actually set to become a festival site complete with music, dance, art, exhibitions and food trucks.

In addition to the celebrations on campus, the Wageningen Experience Day will also be celebrated online. Alumni from all over the world will be able to visit our digital campus, connect with their former classmates, watch the celebrations via a live stream and keep up to date with the latest developments at WUR.

Celebrating our 105th anniversary together

The Wageningen Experience Day is the perfect opportunity to celebrate the fact that so many people are connected to WUR. And we’ll be doing just that in a year that has special significance for WUR: the year that we’ll be celebrating our 105th anniversary. This day will be part of the grand anniversary programme, with the theme ‘Shaping Sustainable Futures’. For more information on 105 years of WUR, please visit our website.