Coronavirus student campaign launched: ‘For student life. That’s why’
The National Chamber of Student Associations (LKvV) launched a coronavirus campaign today: ‘That’s why.’ The campaign was launched together with Ingrid van Engelshoven, Minister of Education. The aim of this national campaign is to get students to follow the coronavirus rules. The virus is still spreading in student houses and other places where students meet.
Denise van de Sant, chair of the LKvV: ‘We want to help where we can. It is almost impossible for the government to reach students directly. This campaign will get right to the core of student life, and make sure that everyone follows the rules. To begin with, our student associations, which are in direct contact with their 44,000 members. But we are also rolling out the message to research universities and universities of applied sciences.’
Even less student life
The aim of the campaign is to hammer home the message that if students flout the COVID-19 rules, even less will remain of what should be the best days of their lives. Student associations are closed, students can only receive a very limited number of visitors at home and they can no longer do sport or go out at night. The national campaign calls on all students to keep that 1.5 metre distance, wear a face mask, receive no more than three guests per day and stay in their room (or student house) if they have symptoms.
New website
The campaign includes large wall banners and eye-catching flags for student association buildings, posters for all student houses and universities and a website: studentendoenhetvoor.nl. The wall banners will draw public attention to the campaign and become part of the streetscape.
Eleven cities
The campaign has been launched in 11 student cities: Amsterdam, Delft, Eindhoven, Enschede, Leiden, Maastricht, Nijmegen, Rotterdam, Tilburg, Utrecht and Wageningen. The Local Chamber of Associations (PKvV) in each city will work together with the student associations and universities to make sure that the message hits home with students. The associations will thus help all students by highlighting the importance of the new social distancing rules to prevent the further spread of COVID-19.
Not an easy time
Minister Ingrid van Engelshoven, from the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW): ‘This isn’t an easy time for anyone, students included. The better we follow the coronavirus rules, the sooner we will have more freedom. That’s why we are doing this and why I wholeheartedly support this student campaign.’
‘We have to raise awareness right now, so that the coronavirus measures can do their work and we can gain the upper hand on the virus. If we flout the rules, there will be even more restrictions and even less will remain of the best days of our lives,’ said Denise van de Sant.
Seventy-five thousand students
The national campaign is starting with the members of the over 100 associations that are members of the LKvV and the PKvVs in the student cities, so at least 75,000 students. An important part of the campaign is that it focuses on not only all association buildings, universities of applied sciences and universities, but also all student houses that belong to the associations.
The campaign was developed with the Association of Universities in the Netherlands (VSNU) and the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW). The Netherlands Association of Universities of Applied Sciences, the Dutch National Student Association (ISO), the Dutch Student Union (LSVb) and the National Youth Council (NJR) all support the campaign.