182nd Dies Natalis & Delta week

Redesigning deltas is the theme for our 182nd anniversary week, culminating in our traditional Dies Natalis celebration on 12 January 2024.

Sea level rises and salt intrusions, an ever-growing population and planning issues, urban flooding and summer droughts: the earth’s water – be it fresh or salt – is not just a lifeforce but increasingly poses threats and challenges. To keep Deltas around the world safe and livable in the future, we urgently need to rethink them, and plan and design them differently.

These complex and intertwined delta challenges can only be solved with an integrated and interdisciplinary climate adaptation approach. Already, we are joining disciplinary forces within our university, Dutch engineering alumni are renowned the world over for their knowledge on water safety and management, and we are educating future generations of engineers, instilling them with a mindset of integral thinking.

Yet much remains to be done. Our birthday celebration, including the preceding Deltaweek programme, is the perfect occasion to share best practices, hone our methods and shape our knowledge. Let’s discuss the way forward.

Register here for the Dies Natalis Ceremony on Friday 12 January from 15.45 to 17.00 hrs.

Delta Week activities

We invite all students, employees, alumni, partners and peers to take part in the Delta week leading up to our birthday, from 8 to 12 January. With student hackathons, a design session for policymakers and our Delta Innovation event, there should be something to meet your needs.

Tuesday 9 January: Student hackathon ‘Crafting flood resilience’

Wednesday 10 January: Redesigning Deltas – Student perspectives unveiled (join the conversation!)