Today, the university celebrates its 99th birthday. That means the lustrum year towards the centenary in 2023 has begun. Music festivals, anniversary books, and a hundred 'Radboud Gestures' (selfless actions for the city) are in the pipeline.

The theme of the lustrum year is ‘meaningful’. To put these words into practice, the organising committee is already collecting one hundred Radboud Gestures, or selfless actions that will benefit the city of Nijmegen. The gestures must be carried out during the anniversary week from 8 to 12 May.

‘Think of Radboud employees baking cakes for all 100-year-olds in Nijmegen, for example’, coordinator Elianne Keulemans clarifies. She immediately adds that it is just an example, to avoid that all 100-year-olds in Nijmegen will actually be waiting for a tasty university cake.

‘Or maybe a student band will want to organise a concert. Or biologists might offer a biodiversity workshop in allotment gardens’

City island

What is most important is that the Radboud Gestures fit whoever offers them, says Keulemans. In the meantime, a website was launched where interested parties can submit their ideas. Radboud University does not finance the actions, but does help with promotion.

That week in 2023 will be all about the lustrum. During Radboud Kids, professors will conduct research together with primary school pupils on the city island at Veur-Lent, there will be a big Radboud Festival and Doornroosje will collaborate on a new musical event: Radboud Sounds. That evening with music and science at the pop podium will also include debate programme Radboud Reflects.

Honorary doctorates

Today, the university celebrates its 99^th birthday with a Dies Natalis in the Aula. The Hungarian-American Katalin Karikó will receive an honorary doctorate for her pioneering mRNA research, which led to the Pfizer vaccine. Next year, when Radboud University turns 100, no less than seven scientists will receive an honorary doctorate. ‘All faculties will have their own honorary doctor’, says Keulemans.

The Dies Natalis in 2023 will start with a Eucharist in the Molenstraat church, just like a hundred years earlier. There will also be a celebratory gathering on the same place as a century ago, in the Vereeniging. Guests from the Netherlands and abroad will come to Nijmegen to celebrate the birthday. During the celebration year, two lustrum books will be published: one with a photo and an event for each year and a hefty book by university historian Jan Brabers on the history of a university that emerged from the Catholic idea of emancipation.

Radboud University was founded on 17 October 1923 and was called the Catholic University Nijmegen back then. The main building was situated at the Keizer Karel square, on the site where the ABN Amro bank building was later constructed.