UCL Diary Notice: HM the Queen of the Netherlands to visit UCL

HM the Queen will be presented with the first copy of a new English translation of "Young, inspired and committed - the chronicle of a European venture 1962-1968" - edited by Jane Fenoulhet, Senior Lecturer in Dutch at UCL. It tells the story of the European Working Group - a pan-European voluntary organisation for young people which was established and presided over by Queen Beatrix in an attempt to transcend national borders and benefit developing communities.

In addition to the presentation of the book, there will also be a mini lecture by Sir Stephen Wall (former adviser on Europe to the Prime Minister, European historian and Chair of UCL's Council) along with a presentation by current students from UCL's Department of Dutch who will provide an insight into the life of the department in the 21^st century (see Editors' Notes for details of the full programme).

UCL has a long-standing relationship with the Netherlands, hosting the UK's oldest and largest centre for the study of the culture and history of the Low Countries. Established in 1919, UCL's Department of Dutch is now uniquely placed to nurture innovative teaching and research in Dutch studies, hosting a concentration of resources which is unparalleled anywhere in the English-speaking world. With specialists in Dutch, History, and History of Art, a unique Dutch Writer-in-Residence Programme, outstanding library facilities and plans for distance-learning programmes at post graduate level from September, the department is recognised as a centre of excellence in both teaching and research.

"We're delighted and honored to welcome Her Majesty the Queen to UCL," says Professor Theo Hermans, Head of the Department of Dutch. "We have a number of collaborative research projects with Dutch and Flemish universities and this visit is yet another illustration of the strong relationship UCL enjoys with the Netherlands. We have exciting plans for the department and look forward to working closely with the UK Embassies of Belgium and the Netherlands and with the Flanders Representation over the coming years."

UCL's Department of Dutch was awarded a top rating of 5 in the 2001 Research Assessment Exercise carried out by the Higher Education Funding Council for England, and the most recent Quality Assurance Agency Subject Review assessed teaching quality as very high, awarding a total of 22 points out of a possible maximum of 24. Many aspects of the department's teaching provision were commended, including the design and content of the curriculum, the provision of language teaching for all abilities, and the support and guidance offered to students regarding careers.

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Notes for Editors

1. Journalists who wish to attend the event, or interview staff from UCL's Department of Dutch, should contact Dave Weston in the UCL Media Relations Office on tel: +44 (0)20 7679 7678, mail: d.weston@ucl.ac.uk, out of hours: +44 (0)7917 271 364.

2. The event will be held on Thursday 4^th December March 2008, 4:30pm, in the Jeremy Bentham Room at UCL. A map is available here: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/maps/ucl-maps/maps_2008.pdf (see Map 2, square D2).

3. Programme

4:30pm Journalists arrive at the Jeremy Bentham Room, UCL

4:45pm Guests take their seats

5:00pm Introduction by Professor Malcolm Grant, UCL President and Provost

5:10pm Short lecture by Sir Stephen Wall, European historian and Chair of UCL Council, about the European Working Group

5:25pm Copy of book presented to Her Majesty the Queen of the Netherlands

5:30pm Presentation by current students from UCL's Department of Dutch

5:45pm Closing remarks

5:55pm Drinks reception

About UCL:

Founded in 1826, UCL was the first English university established after Oxford and Cambridge, the first to admit students regardless of race, class, religion or gender, and the first to provide systematic teaching of law, architecture and medicine. In the government's most recent Research Assessment Exercise, 59 UCL departments achieved top ratings of 5* and 5, indicating research quality of international excellence.

UCL is in the top ten world universities in the 2007 THES-QS World University Rankings, and the third-ranked UK university in the 2008 league table of the top 500 world universities produced by the Shanghai Jiao Tong University. UCL alumni include Marie Stopes, Jonathan Dimbleby, Lord Woolf, Alexander Graham Bell, and members of the band Coldplay. www.ucl.ac.uk