Leporis Fund opens doors for international students
A signing ceremony took place in the Academy Building on Thursday 11 December to confirm a new endowment to the Leporis Fund, a named LUF fund. This celebrated a special moment in the continued legacy of Ruurt Hazewinkel, an alumnus and ardent advocate of research and teaching.
The fund enables students from the Central European University (CEU) to continue their studies at Leiden University. ‘The scholarship for CEU students was created in 2001 by Leiden alumnus Ruurt Hazewinkel. It aims to foster awardees’ academic and personal development and encourage them to protect and support democratic principles in the EU and its neighbouring countries,’ said Hester Bergsma, scholarship coordinator at Leiden University.
Following Ruurt Hazewinkel’s death at the start of 2023, his legacy passed to the Tabernaleporis Foundation, which has now endowed the Leporis Fund. Leporis is Latin for ‘of the hare’. [Haze from the name Hazewinkel means hare.] Roelant Hazewinkel, Ruurt’s son and chair of the foundation, stressed the importance of continuity: ‘It’s important that promising and motivated students have the freedom and opportunity to pursue a master’s degree under Leiden University’s wing.’
To illustrate this, one of the students from the current academic year, Tinatin Inauri from Georgia, said a few words about her background, her studies in Leiden and what the scholarship has meant to her.
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Pancras Hogendoorn (from the Tabernaleporis Foundation board), Nanda de Bruin and Tinatin Inauri -
Hester Bergsma and Lilian Visscher (LUF Director) -
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Luc Sels and Roelant Hazewinkel -
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Also present was Nanda de Bruin, the coordinator for the very first scholarship students. She has fond memories of her work with Hazewinkel. ‘What made the scholarship programme so special was Ruurt’s personal involvement with the students. He not only financially supported them but also organised all sorts of trips to Keukenhof, the theatre and museums. His house at Rapenburg 60 was a home for many of them during their time in Leiden. This was the star of a long relationship.’ Interestingly enough, Hazewinkel bequeathed the house at Rapenburg 60 to his alma mater, Leiden University, in 2021.
Concluding the ceremony, Luc Sels − LUF board member and President of the university’s Executive Board − expressed his appreciation for the gift and emphasised the lasting impact of the Leporis Fund. The new endowment will not only support exceptional talent but will also maintain a long-standing international relationship, thus continuing the fund’s invaluable tradition.
Read more about setting up a named fund or donating to an existing one. If you have any questions, please contact Eliane Cohen at e.c.cohen@luf.leidenuniv.nl.