During the New Year's Meeting, the Hermesdorf Prizes were awarded and several interviews with employees on current topics around the theme ‘Truth’ took place. The musical intermezzo was performed by Clean Pete. During the walk-in there was a look back to 2024 through facts and figures. A video with photos by Dick van Aalst and music by Thomas Dessing was also a look back to last year.
Looking back on the New Year's Gathering 2025
Radboud University's New Year's Gathering was held 6 January 2025 in the Aula. Talks with various employees looked back on 2024 and looked ahead to 2025.
Look at the facts and figures of 2024 (in Dutch)
Speech José Sanders
The New Year meeting was opened and closed by Rector Magnificus José Sanders: "Truth: a wonderful concept, pure and clear, an ideal that connects us in our search for it and a shared reality when we have found it. Which other concept better reflects the university? Yes, that’s right. It’s true! But like every truth, this too has another side, one which is more fragmented and confusing."
Winners Hermesdorf Awards
The Hermesdorf Awards were presented during the New Year's gathering. This year, the Hermesdorf Award went to sociologist Niels Spierings and the Hermesdorf Talent Award was for ecologist Constant Swinkels. The prizes are awarded every year to researchers from Radboud University and Radboud university medical center who have stuck their necks out and refused to flinch in the face of opposition in the public domain and in the media. This year's winners have spoken out in the societal discussions around minorities and biodiversity.
