{"id":124887,"date":"2021-03-30T17:31:04","date_gmt":"2021-03-30T15:31:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=124887"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:25:31","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:25:31","slug":"eurekaweek-committee-preparing-for-three-different-types-of-induction-weeks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2021\/03\/30\/eurekaweek-committee-preparing-for-three-different-types-of-induction-weeks\/","title":{"rendered":"Eurekaweek board preparing for three different types of introduction weeks"},"content":{"rendered":"

Preparations for the 2021 Eurekaweek are in full swing. The Eurekaweek board is exploring three different scenarios for its annual introduction week for first-year students (to be held in August), based on different pandemic development scenarios. \u201cBasically we\u2019re organising three Eurekaweeks at once,\u201d says chair Kirsten Prins.<\/p>\n

\"\"

First-year students explore the city together during the 2020 Eurekaweek.<\/span><\/p>

\n\t\n\n<\/svg>\n<\/span>\n\tImage by:<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tEurekaweek 2020<\/span>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Calls, e-mails, Zoom calls and meetings. Officially, the board did not embark on its activities until December, but in actual fact, the members of the board had already begun making arrangements in the previous months. It\u2019s quite the complex puzzle this year. \u201cA lot will depend on the type of restrictions that will be in place over the summer. This means we\u2019re doing a lot of extra work, and it takes a lot of discipline, but thankfully, we\u2019re receiving a lot of help.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to Prins, the three scenarios the Eurekaweek is drawing up are informed by different levels of restrictions. \u201cThe first is based on a situation largely without restrictions. It\u2019s basically inspired by the 2019 Eurekaweek. In this scenario we\u2019re operating on the premise that large groups of people will be allowed to get together. We don\u2019t know yet whether this will involve testing or vaccine passports. The rest of the year will tell.\u201d<\/p>\n

Restrictions<\/h2>

The second scenario involves social distancing, but no limits to group size. \u201cThe main requirement will be creating enough room for everyone, but we will be able to organise large-scale events.\u201d The third scenario involves restrictions as to group size. \u201cUp to three hundred people together outdoors, and up to thirty together indoors. This is the scenario that comes with the strictest restrictions. For this scenario we\u2019re drawing inspiration from the original 2020 scenario, which wasn\u2019t implemented in the end, because the week\u2019s activities had to be revised at the last minute due to new coronavirus measures.\u201d<\/p>\n

The board is showing these three scenarios to organisations to check their options and draw up various scenarios. \u201cPeople are being very understanding. We\u2019re all in the same boat. We also ask them by which date the plans must be finalised, and we\u2019re trying to get the latest deadlines possible, but we will have to make a decision as to which scenario will be used a few weeks in advance, because of the contracts.\u201d<\/p>\n

As for the current freshers who were treated to a largely virtual Eurekaweek last year, \u201cwe\u2019re considering organising something for them, too. They had a good introduction to the city and the university, but we\u2019re hearing they found it hard to make friends. I can\u2019t make any promises to them, though. We\u2019re getting another 4,500 new students this year, so accommodating last year\u2019s 4,000 students on top of those will be quite the challenge, particularly if we all have to observe physical distancing rules.\u201d<\/p>\n

Group guide or crew member<\/h2>

One option open to those second-year students is signing up as a group guide or crew member. \u201cA lot of students want to do that this year, because it will allow them to get the full experience, after all. And another thing we\u2019re seeing is societies organising events for those who were unable to enjoy a regular Eurekaweek last year.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Eurekaweek board will give an online presentation<\/a>\u00a0of the theme of this year\u2019s Eurekaweek at 8pm on Thursday this week.<\/p>\n\n\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t

De redactie<\/h2>\n\t\t\n\t\t
\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t