{"id":143573,"date":"2022-09-07T16:39:14","date_gmt":"2022-09-07T14:39:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=143573"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:26:25","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:26:25","slug":"opening-of-the-academic-year-nice-to-see-the-professors-dressed-in-their-gowns-walking-around-with-a-drink","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2022\/09\/07\/opening-of-the-academic-year-nice-to-see-the-professors-dressed-in-their-gowns-walking-around-with-a-drink\/","title":{"rendered":"Opening of the Academic Year: \u2018Nice to see the professors dressed in their gowns, walking around with a drink\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

Artist Refik Anadol and the vegetarian bitterballen<\/em> were the stars of the \u2018show with an academic twist\u2019: the traditional Opening of the Academic Year.<\/p>\n

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Gert Goris, Geert Stevens and Ger Lugtenberg raise their glasses on a new academic year.<\/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\tTara Lewis<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>

The Opening of the Academic Year begins with the solemn arrival of the professors dressed in gowns, against the backdrop of two sober hymns: the Io Vivat<\/em> and the Gaudeamus Igitur.<\/em> The AI-themed programme is a jam-packed and varied sequence of formalities \u2013 from applauding for all the important board members and handing out awards, to dazzling performances, including the keynote speech by artist Refik Anadol.<\/p>\n

As Anadol tells his story, about half the auditorium is transformed by his AI-powered art, which is projected onto the walls. He races through his slides while the constantly moving, changing, colourful shapes hypnotise the audience.<\/p>\n

Bauhaus<\/h2>

Education alderman Said Kasmi can\u2019t compete with that during the super-short \u2018panel discussion\u2019, where he is only able to take two questions (\u2018What can AI do for Rotterdam?\u2019 \u2018The staff shortages could be solved with self-driving vehicles.\u2019). Executive Board President Ed Brinksma closes with a fascinating speech in which he recites poetry (in Portuguese!) and emphasises that you can become successful even (or precisely) without an education, like several gentlemen of the Bauhaus movement (architect Walter Gropius, artist Theo van Doesburg).<\/p>\n\n\t

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Read more<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t