Study information | On Campus Experience
Experience Day Leiden University College The Hague - Green edition
- Date
- Saturday 17 May 2025
- Time
- Explanation
- In the morning, the activities take place in LUC's building at the Anna van Buerenplein in The Hague. In the afternoon you will join nature excursions in the city and nature areas of The Hague. Please note: it may be necessary to bring or arrange (/rent) a bike!
- Location
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Anna van Buerenplein
Anna van Buerenplein 301
2595 DG The Hague
Thank you for your interest in joining the LUC Experience Day, Green Edition! Join us for a day devoted to creative thinking about the global challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss. Our focus will be on the politics of nature—with an emphasis on politics in the morning and nature in the afternoon. Prospective students, current students of Leiden University and Leiden University College, and alumni are all welcome to attend.
In the morning, you can get to know Leiden University College through a panel discussion on youth climate activism or by participating in LUC's Climate Game.
Lunch will be catered by our very own Community Kitchen, which sources rescued vegetables that would otherwise go to waste. This vegan lunch is offered for only €3, prospective students join lunch for free. Alongside lunch there will be a Green Fair where you can get acquainted with student organizations and local NGOs that focus on sustainability. Finally, in the early afternoon, LUC students will guide you on nature excursions within the beautiful, green city of The Hague.
The day will wrap up with a musical performance in Haagse Bos, featuring the LUC choir and small orchestra, to celebrate the launch of Sand and Peat, a new student-run literary journal devoted to nature in The Hague and beyond.
All in all, it will be a great way to meet other young people who care about sustainability, and experience what LUC has to offer. You are free to attend the full day or part of it, but we do ask that you sign up so we have an idea of attendee numbers.
Are you a prospective student? Please use this form to sign up:
Sign up prospective students >>Are you a student at Leiden University, at LUC, a staff member or alumni? Please sign up using this form:
Leiden University staff, students & alumni signup >>The programme
Please find the schedule of the day below. You are welcome to attend part or all of the programme.
| 11:00 | Registration |
| 11:15 - 11:30 | Welcome session |
| 11:30 - 12:45 |
Sample class or serious game |
| 12:45 - 13:45 | Lunch break |
| 13:45 - 16:00 | Nature excursions in and around The Hague. We will be back at LUC at 16:00.* |
| 16:00 - 17:00 | Musical performance in Haagse Bos |
*Please note: for 2 of the 3 excursions you need a bike! This can be your bike, or a bike you can rent nearby.
All times are in CEST / Amsterdam time zone.
Can parents join this experience day?
We understand that parents and caregivers play a key role in the University Exploration process. However, during this day the sample class and excursions will mimic a real university setting as much as possible. Therefore you will join without your parents.
Activities
Below you can find the descriptions of the panel discussion, serious game and excursions. When you register for this experience day, you will get to select the sessions of your choice.
Morning | Experience LUC
In March 2019, Fridays for Future organized a global “school strike” that gathered more than one million participants across 125 countries. Since then, it has been impossible think about climate activism without considering the role of young people. But what is the longer history of youth leadership in environmental politics, and what special role do young people play in these movements today? In this session, Dr. Ann Marie Wilson and Dr. Gerrit Schaafsma will give a brief (historical) introduction, and we will also hear from Fabiola Melchoir (LUC class of 2022), a seasoned activist who recently wrote her MA thesis on place-based youth climate activism in Canada. Then there will be a panel discussion featuring current LUC students, and plenty of room for questions and discussion.
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Fabiola Melchior
LUC’s Climate Game presents thought-provoking dilemmas about climate change and climate-saving measures. Each dilemma proposes a measure to reduce CO2-emissions. In this game, you engage in a discussion to determine which measures are most effective in combating climate change.
Students are divided into small groups to ensure engaging discussions. As a player, you receive a set of cards (resources) that you can use during the game. You are then presented with different scenarios, in which you take on the role of a stakeholder. From this perspective, you must decide whether to support the proposed measure in the scenario or not. You discuss your reasoning and then use your resources accordingly. Each player decides individually how much they support the measure, but the total contribution of all players is combined, making collaboration essential. This playful game makes you think about climate change and climate change mitigation, and will let you test out your debating and negotiation skills.
Afternoon | Nature excursions
After spending some time in the LUC college building, it will be time to go outdoors! Students from The Ecology Project course will lead you on an immersive nature excursion to one of three beautiful green spaces in The Hague: Haagse Bos, Clingendael Park, and Westduin Park. You will learn about the surprising biodiversity to be found in a bustling city, and you’ll get a chance to (re-)connect with nature using multiple senses: touch, smell, sight, and hearing. Above all, it will be a fun way to slow down and experience how time outdoors can both foster community and ground you as you balance the work and other activities that fill your time as a busy student.
Please note: For the field trips to Clingendael and Westduin Park it is necessary to have a bike. If you live in The Hague, we recommend bringing your own. If you do not live in The Hague, we recommend renting an OV-bike. Please note that this requires a registration with NS. The registration itself is free, the bike rental is less than €5. You can read more about that here. For the excursion to Haagse Bos, it is not necessary to have access to a bike.
Step into a whole new way of experiencing Haagse Bos, where nature reveals itself through the four elements: Water, Air, Earth, and Fire. This immersive excursion will open your eyes to the forest’s hidden rhythms and details, transforming the way you perceive the natural world. You’ll gain fresh insights into the delicate balance of nature, discovering the unseen forces that shape the landscape around you. This journey is an invitation to slow down, observe, and reconnect with nature on a deeper level, and in a playful way!
On this excursion to Clingendael park you will rediscover your inner connection with nature. Imagine guided meditations, painting activities, and active games all related to the beautiful nature at the park. The activities will amplify your emotions and your connectedness to nature. It is meant to be a getaway from the stressful and busy lives we lead and provide some moments in a tranquil environment with your peers. Plus you will get to know the nature to be found in one of the most beautiful country estates in the Netherlands.
Do you find Dutch nature to be “flat” or boring? Did you enjoy the Dune movies with Zendaya and Timothée Chalamet? Have you ever wondered what being a grain of sand feels like? Join us for a trip to Westduinpark, The Hague’s most impressive coastal dune region. We’ll be biking through the park and learning about its (natural) history before settling down to play some games and do some meditation. Everyone is free to stay and hang out by the beach afterwards, or to join us on the ride back to LUC.
Closing Event | Musical Performance and Literary Launch
To close the day, an outdoor concert will take place in Haagse Bos, performed by LUC student musicians including a small orchestra and the LUC Choir. It will feature vocal and instrumental ensemble music such as “Adiemus” by Karl Jenkins, and Christopher Tin’s “Baba Yetu” from Civilizations IV.
The LUC Choir consists of LUC students from all years and majors who share a common interest in ensemble singing. They rehearse once a week at LUC and are led by two students who are following the Practicum Musicae minor at the Royal Conservatory: Elisa (classical voice) and Joanna (choir conducting). Alongside the performance, we will also launch Sand and Peat, LUC’s new literary journal focused on nature writing about The Hague and beyond.