Programme​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

UM 50 Alumni Homecoming | 23 May 2026

Main event programme

Date: 23 May 2026

Walk-in: From 14:00

Location: Tapijnkazerne 11, Maastricht

> Directions & parking

14:00 - 15:00 | Walk-in and registration

15:00 - 15:10 | Opening by Jan-Tjitte Meindersma, Vice President Maastricht University

15:10 - 15:20 | Opening song by Maastricht University Choir

15:20 - 18:00 | Festive Reunion with food, drinks, music, entertainment and several fun activities:

• The UM 50 Alumni Quiz

• Live music and DJ's

• Meeting points for your faculty and years

• Group pictures with your old classmates

• A lot of other surprises ;)

18:00 - 18:55 | Closing Act: The Originals

18:55 - 19:00 | Closing remarks

Before the general programme at the Tapijnkazerne we have faculty specific programmes prior to the main event.

Below you can find the programmes of the faculty specific events.

Please note that the programmes are subject to change. No rights may be derived from the published programmes.

Faculty programmes

Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience

Date: 23 May 2026

Walk-in: From 13:00

Location: Universiteitssingel 40, Maastricht

> Directions & parking

Programme:

13:00 - 13:30 | Faculty Bar, level 0

Reception & registration with coffee, tea and Limburgse vlaai

13:30 - 13:35 | Akenzaal, level 0

Welcome/Opening – André Aleman, Dean Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience

13:35 - 14:15 | Akenzaal, level 0

Lecture by Prof. Dr. Anita Jansen: New Science of Mental Disorders

14:15 - 14:45 | Campus Randwyck

Departure to Tapijn for the central programme

Lecture by Prof. Dr. Anita Jansen: 'New Science of Mental Disorders'

Over the past 50 years, clinical psychology has grown rapidly—much like Maastricht University itself. Today, the science behind clinical psychology is thriving, and this has led to real improvements in mental health care. At the same time, major challenges remain. Long waiting lists, high costs, limited access to care, and the role of insurance companies continue to put pressure on the system.

Beyond these structural issues, there is another important question: how good are our treatments really? We now have so-called “evidence-based” treatments that perform better than many alternatives, but they are still far from perfect. Mental health treatments can—and should—be much better.

At the Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, we are leading a national consortium of top researchers who have received substantial government funding to study new ways of diagnosing and treating mental health problems. Our goal is simple but (very) ambitious: to improve how we understand mental disorders and how we treat them.

In this lecture, we will take a closer look at the limitations of current diagnostic methods and treatments. We will also offer a behind-the-scenes look at our research on symptom networks—an innovative approach that we believe holds promise for developing more effective, personalized treatments in the future.

School of Business and Economics

Date: 23 May 2026

Walk-in: From 13:00

Location: Tongersestraat 53, Maastricht

> Directions & parking

The School of Business and Economics invites alumni to take part in a special Trip Down Memory Lane. Through guided tours and stands, you will revisit familiar spaces, rediscover key moments from your student days, and learn more about how SBE has developed over the years. There will be plenty of time to reconnect, share memories, and catch up with fellow alumni.

13:00 - 14:30 | Free visitation hours to the building for a Trip down Memory Lane

14:30 - 14:45 | Walk to Tapijnkazerne 11

Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

Date: 23 May 2026

Walk-in: From 12:30

Location: Grote Gracht 90-92, Maastricht

> Directions & parking

FASoS invites you to take part in a special Trip Down Memory Lane, where alumni come together to reconnect while exploring the faculty buildings and FASoS history. There will be plenty to see, read, and listen to.

As part of the programme, alumnus Bart Zwegers will host a special session titled “The History of UM in 50 Objects”, offering a unique perspective on the university’s past through a curated selection of meaningful objects.

Bandito will be open throughout the programme, providing a welcoming space to catch up with former classmates over a drink and light refreshments.

12:30 - 14:15 | Free visitation hours to the building for a Trip down Memory Lane

13:30 - 14:00 | Session by alumnus Bart Zwegers: The history of UM in 50 objects

14:15 - 14:45 | Walk to Tapijnkazerne 11

Faculty of Science and Engineering

Date: 23 May 2026

Walk-in: From 11:45

Location: University College Maastricht, Zwingelput 4, Maastricht

> Directions & parking

We’ll welcome you at the University College Maastricht building, right in the heart of the city, with its beautiful courtyard next to the city park. The afternoon kicks off with a Back to the Future FSE Pub Quiz, where teams per study programme will compete for fun prizes. It’s the perfect way to reconnect with former classmates and teaching staff in a relaxed, small-group setting.

After the quiz, you’ll receive a warm welcome per study programme, followed by a light lunch from our food trucks. During this 1.5-hour social gathering, there’s plenty of time to catch up, share stories, exchange experiences, and relive memories, old and new. To round off the afternoon, we’ll take a short five-minute walk together to join the big UM anniversary celebrations at Tapijnkazerne.

Programme:

11:45–12:15 | Walk-in

12:30–13:00 | Battle of the Studies Pub Quiz - Back to the Future Style

13:00–14:30 | Lunch with food trucks and social gatherings per study programme

14:30–15:00 | Walk to Tapijnkazerne

Which alumni are part of the FSE Alumni Homecoming?

Alumni from the Department of Advanced Computing Sciences, University College Maastricht, Maastricht Science Programme, University College Venlo, Circular Engineering, Biobased Materials, Imaging Engineering, and Systems Biology and Bioinformatics.

Faculty of Health Medicine and Life Sciences

Date: 23 May 2026

Walk-in: From 09:30

Location: Universiteitssingel 40, Maastricht

> Directions & parking

50 Years Ahead in Health

09:30 - 10:30 | Walk-in and register

10:30 - 10:50 | Welcome and highlights of the past 50 years by Annemie Schols, Dean FHML

10:50 - 11:10 | Theme session Innovation in Education by Pim Teunissen, Vice-Dean Education FHML

11:10 - 11:30 | Theme session Prevention and Vitality by Stef Kremers, Vice-Dean FHML

11:30 - 11:50 | Theme session Climate Health by Hafez Ismaïli M'hamdi, Scientific Coordinator Climate Health Institute

11:50 - 12:50 | Lunch

12:50 - 14:00 | Programme based on preferences provided in advance:

• From Campus to Core: a visit with a guided tour and/or presentation at one of our research institutes or the Brightlands Maastricht Health Campus

• Campus Walk

14:00 - 14:15 | Shuttle bus to Tapijnkazerne 11

Faculty of Law

Date: 23 May 2026

Walk-in: From 12:00

Location: Bouillonstraat 1-3, Maastricht

> Directions & parking

The Faculty of Law warmly invites you back to Maastricht for a special afternoon of reconnection and reflection. Join us as we celebrate two proud milestones: 45 years of the Faculty of Law and 50 years of Maastricht University.

From 12:00 to 14:30, reconnect with fellow alumni over coffee and traditional Limburgse vlaai, enjoy a musical surprise, and explore stories from the faculty’s past, before we raise a glass together to everything we have built.

The afternoon closes with a plenary lecture by Professor Sjoerd Claessens and a scavenger hunt through the building, after which we head together to the central Homecoming celebration at Tapijn.

Programme:

12:00–13:00 | Open House @ Faculty of Law

• Memory Lane: 45 Years of the Faculty of Law

• Scavenger Hunt through the building

• Coffee & Limburgse Vlaai

12:45–13:00 | 🎵 Musical Nostalgia Intermezzo — Surprise Performance

13:00–13:30 | Plenary Lecture ​​​Prof. Sjoerd Claessens - Legal Thinking Then and Now at the Faculty of Law

13:30–14:30 | Open House @ Faculty of Law (continued)

14:30 | 🚶 Together to the central Alumni Event at Tapijn

Please note that the programmes are subject to change. No rights may be derived from the published programmes.

Optional weekend programmes

Would you like to make the most of the Pentecost weekend and stay a little longer in Maastricht after the Homecoming? We would love to help you turn it into a memorable weekend away. That is why we have put together a selection of optional activities for the evening of Saturday 23 May and Sunday 24 May.

Saturday evening

Stay a little longer in Maastricht after the Homecoming and enjoy a fun Saturday evening with fellow alumni. Choose from activities such as bowling, Prison Island or an evening of karaoke. The perfect way to reminisce and end the day together.

Sunday programme

Turn your visit into a full weekend and discover Maastricht in a different way on Sunday. From a relaxed breakfast and nature walk to a guided city tour, beer tasting or river cruise with lunch, there is something for everyone. There are also fun activities for children, making it an enjoyable day for the whole family.

Why you should attend?

A homecoming like this happens only once in a lifetime. This is your chance to reconnect with former classmates and rediscover the friendships you made in Maastricht.

Enjoy a festive day filled with great food and drinks, music, entertainment, and fun activities. No lectures, no obligations, just UM alumni coming together to celebrate, laugh, and relive the memories of their student days.

Join us on the 23rd of May and be part of an unforgettable UM reunion.