Having lectures on sustainability when you're a first-year student of Law, or a course on climate change when you're studying Public Administration may sound odd, but that is just what Associate Professor in Environmental Sciences Thijs Bosker wants to see happening. Together with his colleague Paul Behrens, he has been awarded a subsidy by the Leiden University Fund (LUF) to develop lesson plans that introduce environmental and climate issues into other disciplines. Thijs Bosker answers five questions.

They were pleased enough to receive a grant from the LUF International Study Fund (LISF). That the same research internship would also win them a prize is beyond their wildest expectations. Phebe van Langevelde and Nynke Anna van der Mark won, respectively, the Janneke Fruin-Helb Grant for the best application and the LISF prize for the best report.

A special event took place at the Academy Building on Thursday 11 December: the establishment of the new Leiden Egyptology Fund, which the LUF will administer. An alumnus who wishes to remain anonymous has endowed this named fund to support Dr Miriam Müller’s historical and archaeological research on the earliest periods of Egyptian civilisation.

Once a year the Committee for Academic Expenditure (CWB) of the Leiden University Fund (LUF) awards grants for research and teaching projects, ranging from € 5,000 to € 25,000.

The winner of the Leiden University Thesis Prize has made an original and substantial contribution to argumentation theory. This is what Annetje Ottow, President of the Executive Board and member of the LUF board, said at the online ceremony for the University’s thesis prizes. The winner of the first prize is Charlotte van der Voort. She received her Master’s degree in Dutch Discourse Studies with the summa cum laude distinction.

Shelley van der Veek has received a LUF Gratama grant for a research project that aims to help parents teach their toddlers healthy eating habits by promoting sensitive feeding in the phase when toddlers become fussy about food.

The effects of encephalitis, inflammation of the brain, are varied but have a huge impact. With the aid of the LUF, Dr Jutte de Vries, a medical microbiologist at the LUMC, is working on a solution.

Once a year the LUF Committee for Academic Expenditure (CWB) awards grants to scientific projects of Leiden University researchers. The grants vary from €5,000 to €25,000.

Sustainability has undeniably acquired greater importance in our society. LUF also has a role to play in this context, and, in addition to our grants, we can impact sustainability themes through our investments. In recent years, we have improved our sustainability policy and focused our portfolio on SFDR Article 8*.

Disruptions to the gut flora can affect our mental health. How could this connection be used to prevent stress-related disorders? This is what psychologist Laura Steenbergen will investigate with the aid of a project grant from the LUF and, on the basis of a partnership between the two funds, the Gratama Foundation.