Opening Academic Year 2025-2026

Wageningen University & Research's Opening of the Academic Year 2025-2026 took place on Monday 1 September 2025 from 16:00 - 17:30hrs. The theme of this year’s opening was ‘Food for Health: what really works’.

Watch the Opening Academic Year 2025-2026

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Opening Academic Year 2025-2026

On Monday 1 September 2025 from 16:00 - 17:30 hrs, Wageningen University & Research celebrated the Opening of the Academic Year 2025-2026 in Omnia at Wageningen Campus and online.

In a world full of problems, Wageningen is full of solutions. As a global leader in nutrition research and education, our organisation plays a vital role in exploring how healthy diets, food intake and informed food choices contribute to better health worldwide.

During this opening academic year, we shared our latest insights on how nutrition, food choices and sustainable food systems can contribute to better health and a balanced future for people and planet. We presented findings on nutrition and technology, explored how food texture influences intake, and examined the impact of our environment on eating behaviour.

Programme Opening Academic Year 2025-2026

15:00 Welcoming reception and registration

15:55 Start live stream

16:00 Food for Health: what really works | In a world full of problems, Wageningen is full of solutions

Welcome and introduction by dr. ir. Sjoukje Heimovaara | President
Prof. dr. Ciarán Forde, researcher Human Nutrition & Health
Dr. Guido Camps, researcher Human Nutrition & Health
Dr. Maartje Poelman, researcher Consumption and Healthy Lifestyles
Official Opening of the Academic Year by prof. dr. Carolien Kroeze | Rector Magnificus

17:30 Drinks

Speakers

Prof. dr. Ciarán Forde

Ciarán Forde is Professor and Chair of the Sensory Science and Eating Behaviour group at Wageningen University & Research, one of five chair groups within the Division of Human Nutrition and Health. His aim within the chair is to bridge the gap between food technology, nutritional science, and eating behaviour. One of his research projects is the long-term multi-partner project Restructure, which focuses on the level of energy intake from ultra-processed foods.
Dr. Guido Camps

Guido Camps is a senior researcher and Associate Professor at Wageningen University & Research and the OnePlanet Research Center, specialising in nutrition and Artificial Intelligence, sensor development for determining food intake, and MRI imaging of digestion. He studied Veterinary Medicine in Utrecht, Artificial Intelligence in Nijmegen, Data Science/Information Technology at Harvard University, and completed his PhD in nutrition at Wageningen University & Research.
Dr. Maartje Poelman

Maartje Poelman is Associate Professor in the Consumption and Healthy Lifestyles group at Wageningen University & Research. She studied Health Sciences at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and obtained her PhD in the Department of Prevention and Public Health. Her research focuses, among other things, on the influence of the living environment on food choices and the resulting health outcomes.

WUR connects with the city: scientists on the market

Scientists on the market
03 September 2025 - On Wednesday, 3 September, WUR is organising 'Scientists on the market’. An activity in which WUR connects with the city as part of the opening...

Relevant programmes

Opening Academic Year 2024-2025 | The Water-Food Connection: Ensuring Future Food Security

On Monday 2 September 2024 from 16:00 - 17:30 hrs, Wageningen University & Research celebrated the Opening of the Academic Year 2024-2025 in Omnia at Wageningen Campus and online.

The availability of water for agriculture is jeopardised by our changing climate. Globally we increasingly see that droughts or flooding threatens food production. In large parts of Asia, for example, agriculture strongly relies on irrigation using meltwater from Himalayan glaciers. In the long term, the effect of climate change on these glaciers may affect the food security of two billion people, but where exactly and to what extent? How can legislation and policy address this, not only there, but also here in Europe and other parts of the world? Two Wageningen researchers demonstrated how the answers to these questions are interconnected and how water plays a crucial role in ensuring food security.

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