On Thursday, December 15, 2016, Their Majesties King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands accompanied by Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands, Their Royal Highnesses Prince Constantijn and Princess Laurentien of the Netherlands and Her Royal Highness Princess Mabel of Oranje-Nassau attended the 2016 Prins Claus Prijs held at the Koninklijk Paleis in Amsterdam.

The Prins Claus Prijs is awarded annually to individuals and organizations based mainly in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean for their outstanding achievements in the field of culture and development and the positive effect of their work on their direct environment and the wider cultural or social field.

Traditionally, the Fund has presented one Principal Award and ten additional Awards. On this 20th anniversary year, the Fund is taking a somewhat different approach. It has selected a smaller number of Laureates than usual and, in addition to the Award, which is given in recognition of their excellent achievements, the Fund has created the opportunity for each of the five Laureates to support a project that they feel expands and enhances creativity in their own environment.

The winner of the Prins Claus Prijs went to writer and director, Mr. Apichatpong Weerasethakul, for his:

“…visual richness, spiritual lyricism and intellectual depth of his provocative works; for his subtle yet powerful examination of Thai realities that resonates beyond his own society; for inventing an original cinematic language that evokes a live experience of the animist sense of being, reinstating a way of connecting paralyzed by western mechanisms that disrupt the body’s ability to evaluate what is good for life and what isn’t; for transforming filmmaking into something far more complex and far-reaching, clearly demonstrating that artistic excellence creates experience and is inseparable from the social and political; and for inspiring others by remaining uncompromisingly true to his own vision and principles…”

On the morning of Tuesday, December 6, 2016, His Majesty King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands officially opened a new building at the Leidse Instrumentmakers School (LIS) in Leiden.

Established in 1901 by Leiden professor and Nobel laureate, Mr. Heike Kamerlingh Onnes, the new building was constructed due to “…increased demand for graduate Research Instrument Makers. The school can now train more students, a maximum of 400, while still retaining its small-scale education feel…” according to RVD.

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On Thursday, December 1, 2016, Her Majesty Queen Maxima of the Netherlands officially opened the Jheronimus Academy of Data Science (JADS) located in the former Mariënburg convent in Den Bosch.

JADS focuses on analyzing and interpreting big data. Data sets have become so large that organizations and companies can not analyze them themselves and turn to universities for scientific expertise. The results of big data analysis can for example be used for policy-making and innovation of business and society.

The Jheronimus Academy of Data Science is a partnership of the Province of North Brabant, ‘s-Hertogenbosch, Eindhoven University of Technology and Tilburg University. Science education, scientific research and innovation come together through cooperation with the (international) business community in the region of Brabant and beyond.

The collaboration of the two universities is unique since big data are studied from technological as well as economic, legal and social perspectives.

During today’s event Her Majesty was given a tour of the new center and met with students as well as staff.

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