Melvyn Williams, who previously co-organized the university’s Christmas markets as well TU/e Summer University’s first edition, says that interest in the event has rocketed since registration for the second edition opened last Friday. “Yes, there’s clearly a lot of enthusiasm, many courses and workshops are fully booked by now and we’re already working with waiting lists.” The first edition of TU/e Summer University, which took place last year, had been very successful, Williams says, even though certain activities weren’t fully booked.

The second edition clearly benefits from the name recognition that was built last year, Williams says. “As soon as people realized that a second edition was set to take place this year, the organizing committee started to receive mails with questions. That’s a clear sign to us that people feel strongly about TU/e Summer University and that there is a need for it.”

Wide variety

Like last year, TU/e Summer University offers a wide variety of courses, programs and workshops. The online Dutch and Spanish language courses are fully booked already. The reason? Williams: “Yes, a Dutch language course is a good way to spend your time for internationals during the summer when there aren’t any educational activities. Spanish is probably also popular among Dutch students because Spain – Ibiza for example – is a popular holiday destination for many of them.”

But there are plenty of physical activities as well: fencing lessons, waterskiing, a firefighting drill, sailing, athletics, archery. More thoughtful students and staff members can follow workshops on chess, 3D printing, film, sculpting and artist Vincent van Gogh. Williams says that inquiries have been made with the Student Sports Center (SCC) about golf, tennis and beach volleyball clinics. A sports card isn’t required.

Those with an interest in craftsmanship can sign up for a beer brewing or cheese making workshop. Handymen can start to work, under supervision of CHEOPS, on the design of an actual Arc de Triomphe on the Limbopad on the occasion of the university’s 65th anniversary. Or how about the three-day CERN Hackathon organized by the Stan Ackermans Institute. Share your algorithms and help the scientists working on the Large Hadron Collider in Switzerland take the next step.

Corona

Williams doesn’t expect that participants will be impacted significantly by any corona-related measures. “Keeping a safe distance shouldn’t be a problem during any of the workshops and activities, and we ask organizing committees of events that take place off-campus to comply with this measure.”

Anyone still walking around with a nice plan for this edition of TU/e Summer University can share their idea via e-mail. Williams and his co-organizers Erik de Jong, Joost van Engelen, Reijn van den Burg and Lara Hofstra will seriously look into it and try to incorporate it into the existing program.