Two MEPs visited Leiden University on Friday 30 January. Their visit underscored the vital importance of the university’s expertise on Africa, Asia and Latin America in a rapidly changing geopolitical landscape.

Can we reshape school playgrounds through data and design? By using AI and wearable sensors, data scientist Maedeh Nasri discovered ways to create environments where children, including those with ADHD and autism, can connect, play, and grow.

Our health is inextricably linked to the health of our living environment. Heatwaves, air pollution and urban hardening affect us all—but not everyone equally. How can we make Leiden healthier for people, animals and plants, and reduce health inequalities? What to expect: Mini-talks and round-table…

Outer space is rapidly emerging as a critical domain of geopolitical and military competition. Satellites support navigation, communications, financial systems, climate monitoring and much more. At the same time, space is increasingly seen as a strategic and military domain. Countries are investing…

Self-employed workers’ hours have significantly decreased during the coronavirus crisis. Their average hours worked decreased most at the start of the crisis, by more than five hours per week. And it was difficult to return to their pre-crisis hours in the quarters that followed. This is the conclusion…

Andrea Richards is a PhD candidate at the Faculty of Archaeology.

We do it every day but barely give it a thought: chewing our food. But the ‘simple’ process of masticating food may have played a crucial role in the evolution of our jaws, facial muscles and teeth.

Evelien Broekhof is an assistant professor in the unit Developmental and Educational Psychology of the Institute of Psychology at Leiden University.

Yung-Ting Tsou is an assistant professor at Early Childhood Education, National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan. She is also a guest researcher in the unit Developmental and Educational Psychology of the Institute of Psychology at Leiden University.

Two Leiden University science communication projects have been awarded a WECOM grant through the Dutch Research Agenda (NWA). One project is a study of the history of the deaf community in the Netherlands and the other is of a condition that causes people to lose their way.

Liesbeth Kanis is Head of the Library, Documentation and Information (LDI) Department at the African Studies Centre Leiden (ASCL). She is in charge of collection, strategy, policy and operations.

Florian Helmecke is a PhD candidate at the Faculty of Archaeology.

The programme for the interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary event The Knowledge Orchard has been announced. This anniversary event consists of more than 20 sessions aimed at providing you with practical next steps in your interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary work. Register now!

We know we should do it, and we often want to, but… Why is it so hard to live a healthier life? Professor of Behavioural Interventions in Population Health Marieke Adriaanse explains.

All those new initiatives and new policies are nice, but how do they affect work pressure and student welfare? You can judge that best by walking around on the work floor, according to Kiki Zanolie (Faculty Council) and Esther van Leeuwen (Institute Council). As chair persons, they work diligently to…

President Donald Trump’s decision to freeze U.S. foreign aid is raising concerns about ceding global influence to China. The Associated Press explores how this shift could weaken America’s soft power, traditionally used to build alliances and counter adversaries.

Lydia Lois van de Fliert is a PhD candidate at the Faculty of Archaeology.

Claartje Levelt is professor of First Language Acquisition. She researches how babies and toddlers learn their mother tongue. Besides her work, she enjoys being involved with music.

Since the demonstration over a year ago on the Wijnhaven campus, Leiden University has developed plans and initiatives to create the safest possible work and study environment for our university community. The Executive Board would like to explain what has happened since and what else we can expect…

Zijian Li is a PhD student in the Developmental and Educational Psychology unit of the Institute of Psychology at Leiden University.

Shannon Yuen is a PhD student in the Developmental and Educational Psychology unit of the Institute of Psychology at Leiden University.

From closed government systems in the Middle East to an exceptionally open Dutch government. Public administration lecturer Alex Ingrams is an expert on transparency: ‘Why are some countries secretive? And what role does technology play?’

Although it can be a challenge at times, parents should keep communicating with their teens. Also about how they parent. Research by developmental psychologist Loes Janssen shows that parenting can be perceived quite differently by family members and mood plays an important role. Parents often parent…

Always taking the same route to work, going for that one dish in restaurants and going on the same holiday each summer: this may ring a bell for those who don’t like uncertainty. Researchers are now discovering that this aversion affects how we understand the world.

Whether you are a Leiden researcher, teacher, support staff or administrator, there is something for everyone at the interdisciplinary event The Knowledge Orchard on Friday 28 November. We have picked out some of the highlights from the programme.

International collaboration brings opportunities, but it also carries risks. The Knowledge Security Committee plays a crucial role in assessing such partnerships. Due diligence is essential, says Chair Joanne van der Leun. ‘If this were easy, you wouldn’t need our committee.’

Khizar Jawad is a postdoctoral guest researcher at the Institute for History.

Sandra Manickam is a postdoc at the Institute for History.

Daniele Paolini is postdoc at the Institute for History.

What do you need to move your interdisciplinary collaboration forward? The Knowledge Orchard event will help. Assistant Professor Eduard Schmidt, who is giving a session on leadership, gives a sneak preview.

The Andrea Evers Fund provides funding for innovative, interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary projects in the area of health and well-being.

If you missed the annual LUCDH Winter School Week of Digital Humanities workshops and Pilot Project Symposium (27 – 31 January 2025) this time around, you’ll have a chance to take part next year. Save the dates for the last week of January 2026!

After sixteen years in various roles, Arianne Pen knew straight away: 'This is my chance.' As the new head of department at SOSZ, she uses her extensive network and experience to improve educational processes – and to give the support staff the recognition they deserve.

New guidelines apply to knowledge exploitation at Leiden University and the Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC) with effect from 1 January 2025. These guidelines provide clarity on the protection and exploitation of research findings and intellectual property, among other things, including…

Ronald Petrarca is a PhD candidate at the Institute for History.

Kenan van de Mieroop is assistant professor at the Institute for History.

In the context of urban challenges, multidisciplinary knowledge adds value. The idea is that urban planners, sociologists, economists, and historians can collectively provide a deeper understanding of what has worked and what hasn't so far. Since 2022, scientists from the University of Indonesia and…