Next to your studies
Doing a university programme entails more than just getting your bachelor's or master's degree. Radboud University offers many ways to broaden your views and experiences. It is up to you to make use of these opportunities. There are several ways to go beyond the regular programme requirements such as:
- Becoming a Student Assistant
- Extracurricular activities
- Extracurricular courses
- Honours programme
- Capita Selecta
- Studying abroad
- Publishing your research
- Conference presentations
- Thesis awards
- Combining Master's Programmes
- Visiting lectures
- InScience Festival
- Judicium (graduating with honours)
1. Student assistantships
The AI department funds student assistantships for students to assist with teaching and research. For efficiency reasons, we advertise the vacancies twice a year, before the start of each semester. All students can apply by submitting their CV and their acquired grade to the course coordinator.
Contracts are arranged by 'Campus Detachering'. You can also find non-AI jobs on their website.
2. Extracurricular activities
Students can take part in various committees at different levels of the University. These are valuable experiences. Within AI, you can become a member of the Degree Programme Committee (DPC), on a faculty level, you can become a member of the Faculty Student Council (and represent this council in the Faculty Joint Assembly).
3. Extracurricular courses
You can follow extra courses during your AI programme, also from other programmes, without extra costs. You need to check the prerequisites very carefully for courses outside your curriculum. Therefore, always consult the course guide of the programme that you are interested in. At the bottom of the course guide, you will find a course finder.
4. Honours programme
Are your studies a cinch and are you looking to reach your full potential? At the Radboud Honours Academy, we offer you opportunities to further develop, both broadly and in-depth. From 2022-2023 onwards, An Artificial Intelligence Honours programme is offered for B2 and B3 students. More information can be found here. You can focus on your own discipline or a new one, and you can join the Academy during your first year, bachelor's or master's. Apply for a space in one of the challenging programmes, and find out what your potential is.
5. Capita Selecta
If you want to delve deeper into a particular topic, this can be done via a Capita Selecta course of 3 or 6 EC. Instructions can be found in the course guide of both the Bachelor’s and the Master’s programmes.
6. Studying abroad
We strongly recommend that you complete part of your studies abroad, e.g., your bachelor's or master's thesis project. Find information here.
7. Publishing your research
If your thesis work is exceptional, it may well be possible to have it published in a scientific journal. Discuss this possibility with your thesis supervisor.
8. Conference presentations
Presenting your work at a scientific conference is a valuable experience. When your paper or poster has been accepted, there are different possibilities to get funding to recover some of your costs. You can contact secretary@ai.ru.nl for more information.
9. Thesis awards
There are various opportunities to get a thesis award, either locally (academic prize), nationally, or internationally.
10. Double Master's Programme
It is sometimes possible to do Double Master’s Programme. All information on this option can be found here.
11. Visiting lectures
The AI-seminars, giving you access to information about the workfield of AI are a not to miss asset to the programme. Both industry and alumni as well as researchers will tell you about their work, developments in the field and what your future could look like. AI seminars and other extra activities will be published in the calendar of the Bachelor and Master Programme Spaces in Brightspace.
The university also offers a wide variety of lectures in various fields. Be inspired and sharpen your opinion in conversation with leading scientists and international thinkers at Radboud Reflects lectures, both in English and in Dutch.
The Donders lecture series can be especially interesting for AI students and the Donders Wonders blog is good reading on Brains and Science.
A new AI initiative is the Digital ELLIS MeetUps in Nijmegen. These Meetups are intended to be a monthly meeting of roughly one hour in which two invited speakers will present exciting recent research in AI and Machine Learning. These meetings are being organized with the goal of creating a space in which advancements in the field of Machine learning can be discussed among all interested parties here in Nijmegen, at the Radboud University, and beyond (see https://ellis.eu/units/nijmegen and https://www.ru.nl/ai/ellis-unit/. Find the MeetUps at https://www.meetup.com/ellis_nijmegen/events/276995233/.
12. InScience Festival
InScience is a unique film festival in The Netherlands. InScience focuses on science film and shows science via film to a broad audience. InScience dares science, the arts and society to enter the dialogue. The program of InScience most importantly exists of an overview of the best science films of the year. InScience offers a broad program, with talks, film debates, Q&A’s, meetings, and expositions on the cutting edge of science and art. During InScience International Science Film Festival Nijmegen, Nijmegen is changed into a meeting place for exchanging new insights.
13. Graduating with honours
You can graduate with honours (e.g., cum laude) if your grades are good enough. Consult the EER rules for details.
14. Doing courses/minors at another Dutch university
If you want to take minors or courses at other universities in the Netherlands, find out about the registration procedure by contacting the university concerned (various terms are used: subsidiary students, contract students, ‘bijvak’ studenten). As a Radboud student, you can do this for free. You therefore always need a Proof of Payment of Tuition Fees (BBC), which can be obtained through Studielink.