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Alternative Opening of the Academic Year

Organize the RUG (OtR) and the AOb are organizing the Alternative Opening of the Academic Year (AOAJ) 2026 in Groningen on Monday, August 31.

Investments in education and less precarious contracts. These are – unfortunately – almost  standard demands at the AOAJ . The AOb organizes this alternative opening every year on the day that universities officially kick off their own academic year.

The Union for Science, which has been part of the AOb since 2020 , started the tradition of an annual alternative opening of the academic year. Other organizations, such as WOinActie, have also joined for many editions. 

The alternative opening of the upcoming academic year

We are hosting the alternative opening of the academic year in Groningen this year, together with the action group  Organize the RUG (OtR) . This year, we are focusing on organizing. This is a form of collective action in which people unite for the long term around a common goal. Because only together can we make a difference.  

The meeting can be attended both in person (registration required) and online. After the conclusion, everyone is invited to continue the conversation locally about the theme and the application of organizing.

The program

Address: Oude Boteringestraat 33, 9712 GD Groningen

12:45-13:00 Arrival, coffee and tea

13:00-13:05 Opening by the AOb and the OtR

13:05-13:25 Presentation by guest speaker Feyzi Ismail and Q&A

13:25-13:40 Short speeches by WOinActie and the LSVb

13:40-13:50 Presentation on organizing by the OtR

13:50-15:00 Workshop: Let's organize ourselves nationally! (Only the first half of the workshop will be livestreamed; the online event ends afterwards)

15:00-15:30 March/procession, followed by drinks (funded by the AOb) at Café De Sleutel.

To sign up for the event: https://www.aob.nl/actueel/agenda/alternatieve-opening-academisch-jaar-aoaj-2026/inschrijven/

For the livestream: https://www.aob.nl/actueel/agenda/alternatieve-opening-academisch-jaar-aoaj-livestream/inschrijven/