Assistant Professor Rens Pieterse has recently published a biography (in Dutch) on the late Dieter Brüll, author and tax consultant.

Prospective students and their parents or carers turned up en masse for the Open Day on 4 November. More than 10,000 visitors enjoyed a talkshow, various 'theme cafés' and browsed around the information market.

Senior university lecturer Willemijn Waal was quoted in a National Geographic Portugal article about Hittite culture.

University lecturer Andrew Gawthorpe comments in an article on the Conversation on Trump’s attack on Iran.

Education

University lecturer Andrew Gawthorpe comments on France24 on controversial USA ambassadors in Europe, all appointed by Trump.

In the student-made documentary, our Field School manager, Dr Arjan Louwen, gives a brief introduction on the importance of the excavation in Oss. Watch the documentary below.

Associate professor Salvador Santino Regilme was interviewed by NPR about Trump’s soft power.

Nadine Akkerman recently appeared as a guest on a BBC podcast and the History Extra podcast to discuss her book Spycraft. In these interviews, she delved into the fascinating world of espionage, sharing insights from her research and highlighting key themes from her work.

On 6 October 2021, Simone van der Hof gave a lecture on age verification and age appropriate design.

On Saturday 22 October, the KOG filled up with prospective students looking for their next course of study. The lecture halls were packed to the brim with curious potential lawyers. Between study presentations, information could be gathered throughout the building at the designated information market…

Research

Research

PhD candidate Divakar Budda (Division of Systems Pharmacology and Pharmacy) and Solen Gousset (UCLouvain) shared were the shared winners of the best poster award of the 5th QSPainRelief General Assembly meeting held early December in Leiden.

The heat pump in the Herta Mohr Building has malfunctioned, causing the temperature in the building to drop. Work is currently underway to resolve the issue, but it is not yet known when the malfunction will be fully repaired.

In an article for The Conversation, University Lecturer Andrew Gawthorpe comments on the recent elections in the United States and what they mean for President Donald Trump’s position.

Over the past year, Leiden University’s 450th-anniversary celebrations brought together students, staff, alumni, partners and the residents of Leiden and The Hague. Join us as we look back on the highlights.

Assistant professor Andrew Shield was interviewd by Norway's largest printed newspaper, Aftenposten about sex and dating apps.

Geert Wilders and his PVV party have won the 2023 elections. What was the deciding factor for this victory?

When is the last time you made a fire? Not light a candle with a match, but an actual fire from scratch. Thousands of years ago, humans already made fire. Archaeologist Andrew Sorensen (Leiden University) explains when and how they did this.

After two years the LACDR Barbecue took place again on Monday the 20th of June. This was a great success. In the sun while enjoying a drink and nice food, everyone had the opportunity to talk to each other again during a social event. Thanks again to everyone who helped during this event.

The battle at the Tollense valley took place in 1300 BC, the Bronze age. The archaeological site now is being threatened by climate chance. In an international collaboration, archaeologist Martijn Manders and his students are involved in the ongoing fieldwork.

We have just had an evacuation in the Pieter de la Court building, fortunately because of a false alarm. We would like to thank everyone and especially our Emergency Response Team colleagues for cooperating in a smooth evacuation.

University lecturer Miko Flohr talks in a new BBC documentary about how people responded to the eruption of 79, and on whether or not they were excavating a fullonica.

Facility

Anthropologist Marja Spierenburg talks in the Dutch newspaper NRC about the neoliberal system and how it has to change in order to solve the energy crisis in South-Africa.

In the Western world, kimchi is on an unstoppable rise, but in South Korea the dish is actually losing popularity. Professor Katarzyna Cwiertka explains how this is possible in the video series 'The World of the Korean Wave'.

The Humanities Faculty welcomes Thea Hilhorst as a professor. Due to the cooperation between the universities in Leiden, The Hague and Rotterdam, she will be appointed professor at Leiden University in addition to her current position as a professor in Rotterdam. Hilhorst discusses her field and this…

Research by Assistant Professor Willemijn Waal has gained attention from various media outlets. Waal investigates, among other things, whether the Greek alphabet might be older than previously thought.

Systematic aerial surveys carried out in Jordan’s Eastern Badia region since 1998 and about 10 years of simplified satellite image analysis have led to the discovery of multiple prehistoric sites, according to archaeologist Peter Akkermans. The Jordan Times interviewed him about the new insights.

Facility, ICT

Leiden University's Pre-University College is celebrating its 20th anniversary. The programme introduced hundreds of secondary school pupils to science and the university. We asked those involved how PRE became so popular: ‘The students are the reason it still exists today.’

Organisation

Education

2023 was a busy year for the faculty. Many colleagues won awards and important progress was made on the Kernvisie. We said farewell to the previous Faculty Board and welcomed our new Interim Board. All this and lots more. Watch the video below for an overview of 2023 in a nutshell.

Professor Eric Storm was recently reviewed in the Indonesian newspaper Merdika, which praised his innovative approach to historical analysis and his relevance in today’s global discourse.

Trump caused a lot of controversy in his first month as president. University lecturer Andrew Gawthorpe discussed the new administration’s decisions in various media.

Learn how the daily Attari-Wagah border ceremony continues despite political tensions between India and Pakistan. Anthropologist Radhika Gupta offers insights into the complex historical and cultural relationship between these two nations in this recent NOS article.

The Leiden Archaeology Social Media Team (LUFASM) proudly presents their second mini-documentary in the series on Leiden Archaeology projects. The Karakorum Rescue Project is run by Marike van Aerde and Abdul Ghani Khan, and is a collaboration between archaeologists in Pakistan and the Netherlands.

Denmark’s left-leaning government is taking a hardline stance on migration. Professor Sarah Wolff comments on BBC how politicisation is pushing liberal democracies to challenge international conventions.

ICT, Organisation

The number of books by U.S. authors released in China has drastically decreased in recent years. Assistant professor Svetlana Kharchenkova wrote an article about this for the Diplomat.

Assistant professor Fenneke Sysling spoke in National Geographic about the return of the ‘Java Man’ to Indonesia.

The paleo diet: eating like people in the Stone Age did, because it is supposed to be healthier. But how accurate are the recipes in this diet?

Geoglyphs decorate the ground near the town of Boha, India, and add up a total distance of about 30 miles. They were discovered by Carlo and Yohann Oetheimer. Our Assistant Professor Karsten Lambers was asked to respond by Vice.

Why doesn’t the EU use market power to enforce migration readmission? Student Benoit Pols explains on the European Lawblog why trade sanctions remain politically sensitive — and legally tricky.

Organisation

The KNMI has issued a code red weather warning because of slippery conditions. This applies from 03.00 on Monday 15 February. All university buildings, both in Leiden and The Hague, will therefore remain closed until at least 12.00. Update: the buildings will reopen after 12.00.

Just before the new measures, we have had the cooking workshop with the PhD’s of cohort 2020. Luckily, it was planned just in time, because we haven't had that much opportunities to meet each other live. It was an amazing evening with nice recipes and awesome food.