What a strange year have we experienced. From the beginning, the enthusiasm could not be unseen, because of the exciting things that were coming our way.
End of the year
ESVision
Looking back on online education
During the last period, a lot of flexibility of universities, teachers and students was necessary. Suddenly, students no longer had to go to the campus, because there was only online education.
Overconfidence on the financial markets?
On the 8th of June, De Nederlandsche Bank (the Dutch central bank) released their prognosis for 2020 in which they expect the Dutch annual Gross Domestic Product to shrink by 6.4 percent.
The love-hate relationship between farmers and nature
The Amazon forest is the world’s biggest rainforest. It covers a large part of South-America, and hundreds of thousands of plant species and animal species inhabit the forest.
Terraces are opening again!
For many the 1st of June will be marked as the day terraces will reopen. Another relaxation of measures that gives us back part of our freedom.
Innovation in Corona-times: Not business as usual
In mid-March I gave a lecture to a group of Master students about innovation policy. We discussed, among other things, ‘frugal’ innovation and how this type of innovation is often driven by adversity and a lack of resources.
Compensation for students?
Alex Tess Rutten, the chairman of the National Student Union, is worried about the financial situation of students during the Corona crisis. Since the introduction of the loan system, many young people became financially dependent on their jobs.
Shell undergoes a drop in dividends
On the 30th of April Shell announced it would reduce its dividends for the first time in 75 years. The dividend will be reduced from € 0.48 to € 0.16. Shell follows the Norse oil giant Equinor which also reduced its dividend by 66%.
Chinese takeovers lurk
These are hard days for most of us. Many people are at home instead of at the university, and while we might be able to study, there are also people who are not able to work because of the Coronavirus.