Spinoza prize for Leiden astronomer Xander Tielens Leiden astronomer Xander Tielens has been awarded a Spinoza prize, the highest scientific prize in the Netherlands. Tielens is Professor in the Physics and Chemistry of Interstellar Space. He studies large and complex, often organic, molecules found in interstellar space. The Spinoza prize carries a cash award of 2.5 million euro.  Read more

			Student maps Chinese language variation When Daan van Esch, master’s student in Chinese Studies, travelled through China last summer, he noticed that he often did not understand what the inhabitants of the different villages and cities were talking about. There turned out to be huge differences within the language. He decided to map this linguistic diversity.  Read more

			A group is also a ‘self’ We might well believe that we each have our own unique 'self' but, according to Professor Naomi Ellemers, we would be wrong. The fact that we are part of different groups has an influence on our 'self'. Wittingly or unwittingly. But what is a group? What effect do groups have on us, and what effect do we have on groups? Review in Science .  Read more

			How cuteness dominates Japanese culture Modern Japanese culture can best be described in one word: cute. Hello Kitty, the most important symbol of cuteness, can be found in all layers of society. Leiden Japanologists Ivo Smits and Kasia Cwiertka put together a volume of articles on this curious phenomenon.  Read more

			‘A difficult youth is a stress factor for life’ In her inaugural lecture, Professor of Stress-related Psychopathology Bernet Elzinga calls for more attention for the effects of a difficult youth on the development of disorders. Freud had a point, even though he did not work it out very well.  Read more

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	International students ISN Cultural Festival 2012 Iryna Ievdokymova wins the Ars Aequi Prize 2011 Come to the Master's Symposium on 29 August New enrolment regulations and deadline from September 2012 Announcing the Global Asia Series (GLASS) for visiting scholars Dealing with the Dutch language Summer School 2012 at the Academic Language Centre

	International staff P&O News 5 June 2012 Leiden Visitor Centre offers Holland Pass for sightseeing Custom-made language courses at the Academic Language Centre

	Coming events 20-22 June: Leiden Law Festival 21 June: Midsummer night in the Hortus Botanicus 26-29 June: The John Donne Society 27th Annual Conference 27 Juni: Organ concert by Casper de Jonge 30 June: Museum Night in Leiden 16-27 July: Leiden Summer School in Languages and Linguistics     More events

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