DThe Groningen KEI-week has developed over fifty years into an ambitious and socially involved student event. The largest introduction week in the Netherlands will be even more sustainable this year, will focus on student health and will work with a digital payment system for the first time. From 12 to 16 August, current students will introduce more than 5.000 newcomers to student life in Groningen.
The city of Groningen is known for its many student organizations. During no fewer than 19 KEI events, new students can get to know everything that student life has to offer. For example, the sports, culture, political and social associations present themselves to their future members, extensive attention is paid to stress among students and social themes, and the students-to-be are of course introduced to Groningen's nightlife. This year, Koen Pieter van Dijk, also known as Koen Kardashian, is coming to Groningen to talk about his studies and career. There are also performances by Tabitha, Mike Williams, Chivv and “the tougher version of Acda and the Munnik” The Given Horse.
Coin makes way for digital payment system
The KEI week is switching to a more sustainable payment system. After 50 years, the well-known coin, which is printed every year with the KEI logo, will be replaced by the digital payment system. Every KEI runner, KEI leader and volunteer receives a wristband containing a payment chip with which the student can pay for the entire KEI week.
Many events are open to the public to bring students and Stadjers (Groningers) closer together. City residents can pick up a debit card at the offline top-up points. Among other things The Grand Opening, Night of the Songs. Then Open Air Festival and the Movie at the Fish Market are accessible to everyone.
“We hope that both the Stadjer and the student will receive this initiative positively. Money that is still on the tape after the KEI week will be refunded,” said Remmie Palland, chairman of the KEI Foundation's Executive Board.
KEI Foundation stimulates sustainability
The KEI week not only stimulates a good relationship with the people of Groningen, but also with its environment. Every year the events and the KEI Foundation become a bit greener. The greening of the KEI week was rewarded in 2017 with the Green Key: the international quality mark for sustainable companies and events. Together with the Groningen Noorderzon festival, the KEI week is the only public event in the Netherlands with this quality mark. Next year, approximately 6.500 KEI runners and leaders will walk through the city with cloth KEI bags, which will replace plastic bags. To further reduce the use of plastic. gets on the Open Air Festival ran a pilot with Hardcups, so that no plastic disposable cups are used. Just like last year, Meatless Monday will also be organized in collaboration with Albert Heijn, where all KEI runners are given the opportunity to eat vegetarian food on the 1st day. In addition to these sustainable actions, the KEI Sustainability Award – to stimulate sustainability among students – is awarded to the most sustainable (student) organization. Finally, the GREEN team will perform water, waste and electricity measurements during the KEI week to provide insight into consumption. We want to use this data to see where and how profit can be made in consumption. In this way, the organization can focus on an even more sustainable KEI week in the coming years.
The healthy student
Interviews with employees of the Hanze University of Applied Sciences and the University of Groningen have shown that study stress among students is increasing, among other things due to pressure to perform and financial problems. As a result, students can develop mental and physical problems.
“By paying attention during the KEI week to the question of how students can continue their studies as healthily as possible, we hope that they will ask for help sooner if they do suffer from mental or physical complaints due to pressure to perform,” says Remmie Palland.
† For example, at the KEI Information Market there is a doctor's practice that provides information about the physical consequences of study pressure, and at KEI to your Future students receive tips in the field of mindfulness, relaxing yoga and meditation and effective studying. The Healthcie will be present during KEI Sportplaza, which organizes health events and provides information in the field of health and an active lifestyle.
The full program of the KEI week can be found at www.keiweek.nl.