More space for students and staff to share their opinions
DUB debuts two new sections with almost 20 columnists
Photos: Ivar Pel. Illustration: DUB
The columns Students' Viewpoint, Staff's Viewpoint, and their Dutch equivalents, Studentenblik and Medewerkersblik, will be shared by 18 students and employees. Every week, DUB visitors will find two columns written by students (one Dutch and one international) and two columns written by staff members (idem). They will write about UU, campus life, and current affairs. These columns will be published alongside the winners of the campus columnist competition, Samir Ben Tühami and Marisca Westerhof.
Rotating column
DUB is expanding the number of columnists to provide a clearer picture of what is happening inside and outside the university. Columnists add something extra to our site. Whereas our journalists search for news and facts, columnists offer opinions, feelings and ideas. Based on facts, of course, but coloured by their personal experiences.
DUB's journalistic articles primarily offer insight into what is going on, whereas op-eds and columns offer insight into how those events are experienced. They interpret the facts and fuel the public debate; they show what rubs people the wrong way, what brings them joy, and what makes them think.
Who are the new columnists?
Some of the columnists are already known to DUB's readers, such as the economic historian John Tang, who has been writing a blog for DUB since 2024. He will now share the Staff's Viewpoint section with Ceren Genç, Team Leader at International Student Admissions, and the PhD candidate Isabella Saccardi, one of the nominees in the 2026 edition of the campus columnist competition.
Among the students, the well-known faces are the master's student in Climate Physics, Hubert Matuszewski, and the two-time campus columnist nominee, Iren Şerbetcioğlu. They will share Students' Viewpoint with the third-year Media & Culture student, Connor Frame; the Philosophy, Politics and Economics student, Mary-Ellen Youtcheff; the Migration Master's student, Chiara Todesco; and the Law & Economics student, Nimorika Sekhri.
Sekhri debuts the students' column today, writing about grief. Genç will debut the staff's column on Thursday, 12 March, writing about work pressure.
Dutch website
On the Dutch website, you'll find the professor of Political History Annelien de Dijn, who recently wrote an op-ed on current threats to academic freedom. The student Annemarijn Haagsma (Liberal Arts and Sciences) is also making her debut after submitting excellent columns for the latest campus columnist competition.
Some beloved faces will continue writing for the Dutch website as well, such as the students Sara Niknam (Climate Physics), Merlijn van Leerzem (History), Lisa Schüssler (University College) and Emma Ravenhorst (Law), who have all contributed to DUB before as bloggers.
Apart from these columnists, the winners of the 2026 campus columnist competition, Samir Ben Tühami and Marisca Westerhof, will continue to publish on our website every three weeks. Last but not least, DUB is always open to receiving op-eds by staff and students. You can send one to us via email: dubredactie@uu.nl.
Enjoy reading, and don't hesitate to join in the debate with your comments!
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