December 2017 / Newsletter #38

Super exchange agreement turns out to be super!

Photo: Elin Bandmann photography

In April this year, a ‘super exchange agreement’ was signed between the University of Sydney and Utrecht University. It appears that already in the first year of the agreement, Utrecht University will reach its target of sending 100 Dutch students Down Under. The first of December was Utrecht University's deadline for registration of outgoing students in the academic year 2018-2019, and there has been an enormous interest for the University of Sydney. On a similar note, students of the University of Sydney have been very enthusiastic about studying in Utrecht. Therefore, it is safe to say the exchange agreement really turned out to be ‘super’.

In 2014, a small group of Dutch enthusiasts came together in Sydney because they saw opportunities to give Dutch-Australian academic cooperation a big impulse, given the fact that academic education in the Netherlands is almost completely in English and both Dutch and Australian universities perform well in international rankings. One of the members of this small working group was University of Sydney professor Frans Verstraten, who is also an alumnus of Utrecht University. Prof Verstraten was one of the driving forces behind the New Holland Scholarship Australia as well as this new super exchange.

Within the scope of this agreement, a similar number of Australian students will eventually come to study in Utrecht each year. Besides exchanging students, each university will annually allocate specific funds to finance joint research programmes. In combination with the exchange, this partnership will increase the quality of research, improve teaching and learning, and spark innovation.

Last year, Their Majesties of the Kingdom of the Netherlands visited the University of Sydney during their State Visit to Australia, accompanied by former Minister of Foreign Affairs Bert Koenders. At the University, Minister Koenders launched the New Holland Scholarship Australia, which aimed to further expand academic collaboration between Australia and the Netherlands. This specific agreement between the University of Sydney and Utrecht University is a great example of the way the academic partnership between our two countries has flourished since then.

An evening with Netherlands Ambassador to Australia, H.E. Erica Schouten

Dutchlink had a special guest speaker for their last regular lecture event of 2017 on the 28th of November in Sydney: The Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Australia, H.E. Erica Schouten.

It was an informative evening that attracted a large audience. During her presentation, Mrs. Schouten shared her story as a first time ambassador in a bilateral setting. By using the app Kahoot, her presentation was not only educational but very interactive as well. For instance, did you know that the largest Dutch population (in %) in Australia lives in Tasmania? And that worldwide, the Netherlands is the fourth largest investor in Australia?

Our two countries work closely together on issues of common concern. One of the unique aspects of being Netherlands Ambassador to Australia is the close connection with the Dutch community. Mrs. Schouten told the audience that she has noticed that migrants who came to Australia in the '50s, '60s or later always carry a bit of orange in their DNA.

Cleveringa lecture: ‘Smart Urban Solutions for the City of the Future’

On the 16th of November, our annual Cleveringa lecture took place at the Chau Chak Wing building of the University of Technology Sydney (UTS). This year, Netherlands Consul-General in Sydney, Willem Cosijn, invited Dutch born Professor Rob Roggema to give a presentation on ‘Smart Urban Solutions for the City of the Future’.

In the Netherlands and abroad, annual Cleveringa lectures are being held by academics and prominent figures in remembrance of the original lecture held by Professor Cleveringa in 1940. This professor from Universiteit Leiden / Leiden University played a prominent role in the protest against the dismissal of his Jewish university colleagues during the Second World War.

During the lecture, Prof. Roggema provided an understanding of possible threats and issues that cities have to deal with - now and in the future. He shared his knowledge on how cities can become more ‘resilient’ to unexpected changes and implement new urban and sustainable developments. This was done in a comprehensible manner, by showing examples of how, for instance, Dutch cities like Amsterdam and Rotterdam successfully implemented smart urban solutions.

Loan request for a portrait of Abel Tasman and his family

Last Sunday, a delegation from the Dutch municipality of Grootegast, the birthplace of Abel Tasman, met with representatives of the National Library of Australia and the National Gallery of Australia, Canberra to hand over a loan request for a portrait of Abel Tasman and his family.

The request regards the 17th-century portrait of Abel Tasman with his second wife, Janetjie Tjaers, and his daughter from his first marriage, Claesgen. It is believed to have been painted in 1637 by Dutch artist Jacob Gerritsz Cuyp (1594–c.1651). To honor Abel Tasman and his family, the municipality of Grootegast would like to borrow the painting to display it on Abel’s home ground from June 2018.

The history of Abel (Janszoon) Tasman starts in the protestant town Lutjegast (a village in municipality Grootegast) in the Dutch province Groningen where Abel Tasman was born in 1603. After having moved from Lutjegast to Amsterdam, Abel Tasman worked on merchant vessels as a simple sailor and ‘learned the ropes’. He switched careers as he joined the United East India Company (VOC) in 1634, and was the first European to land on Tasmania.

After visiting the NLA, the delegation continued their journey to Tasmania, to attend the commemoration of the 375th anniversary of the landing of Abel Tasman.

Amsterdam-based design studio participates in NGV Triennial

Starting tomorrow, the NGV Triennial will be open and Amsterdam-based design studio FormaFantasma is one of the four Dutch participants! The NGV Triennial in Melbourne is a major new exhibition featuring the works of 78 artists and designers from 32 countries.

For the exhibition, Formafantasma has created a new body of research-driven work entitled Ore Streams 2017, which presents a series of critical design objects made from various metals reclaimed from consumer electronic devices. It is an artistic approach to achieve circular economy; challenging the throw-away mentality. By 2050, the Dutch government wants its industries to run completely on reusable raw materials. Ore Streams 2017 shows how this could be achieved.

Design studio Formafantasma are amongst a handful of design practices shaping the future of design. The Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands has enabled crucial travel for Formafantasma designers Andrea Trimarchi and Simone Farresin to visit Melbourne for the opening week of the exhibition.

You can attend a free lecture by Andrea Trimarchi and Simone Farresin on Sunday 17 December 11.00 am at the Clemenger BBDO Auditorium.

Works of the renowned Dutch artists Olaf & Kerstens in Brisbane

After a successful exhibition at the ANU School of Arts in Canberra last October, the works of Olaf & Kerstens will be on display during the ''Portray and Play'' exhibition from 6 January to 4 February 2018 at the QUT Art Museum in Brisbane.

Besides the works of Dutch artists Olaf & Kerstens, the exhibition consists of powerful oil sketches of diverse 'village people' in Brisbane in the 1980s by Richard Dunlop, and some very unusual portraits drawn from the QUT Art Collection. Also, from 6 to 14 January the gallery is running an inaugural family holiday portraiture program, called '' Draw It. Code It.'', alongside the exhibition, presented in conjunction with QUT the Cube.

Erwin Olaf and Hendrik Kerstens are considered to be among the most internationally acclaimed and influential Dutch contemporary photographers. Their trademark is to address social issues within the framework of a highly stylised mode of imagery.

Boyd, Anne Frank exhibition & more than 200.000 visitors

Five years ago, Dutch Kiwi Boyd (Boudewijn) Klap brought the travelling Anne Frank exhibition to Australia after a very successful tour in New Zealand. On the 23rd of November this year, he stepped down as president of the board of the travelling Anne Frank Exhibition, after 5 years of service.

Boyd and his Australia based board brought the exhibition to many places, underlining the importance of Anne Frank’s message, not only in the big cities but in rural Australia as well. More than 200,000 (!) people visited the travelling Anne Frank exhibition; not bad for 91 year old Boyd and his small board of volunteers who’ve put their shoulders under this initiative. With a dinner at the residency of Netherlands Consul-General in Sydney, Willem Cosijn, Boyd was praised for his remarkable initiative, energy and achievement.

Bert Bardoel, who we all know as president of Dutchlink Sydney, took over as president of the board of the Anne Frank Exhibition, which was recently completely refurbished with the help of the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam.

Dutchlink's extra special End of Year reception

This week, Dutchlink held their End of Year reception at the Marble Bar at the Hilton Hotel in Sydney. Consul-General Willem Cosijn and his wife Heleen were surprised with a farewell gift, presented by the board of Dutchlink. Board members Jaap Sonnemans and Annerie van Maarschalkerweerd expressed their appreciation for the valuable and intensive cooperation, and the Dutch business community reflected enthusiastically on Cosijn’s contributions and achievements over the last 4,5 years. Willem Cosijn will be leaving his post early next year.

We wish you a festive holiday season and all the best for 2018!

Back home in the Netherlands, it's a cold December month with snow-filled landscapes. Meanwhile, here in Australia, the sun is shining bright. Whether you're in the Netherlands or Australia, most of us are getting a well-deserved holiday and the opportunity to spend time with our loved ones. The Dutch diplomatic missions in Australia wish you a festive holiday season and all the best for the year 2018!

As some of you will travel abroad, we have some important messages below concerning your travel documents. Furthermore, are you aware of our closing days this holiday season? Click on the button below to check the closing days of the Consulate-General in Sydney and the Embassy in Canberra.

Closing days

Dutch and Australian nationality?

If you are not in a position to visit the Netherlands Consulate-General in Sydney to renew your passport, you can apply for a Dutch Nationality Certificate. This might be especially interesting for people who also have Australian nationality and want to maintain their Dutch nationality.

A Dutch Nationality Certificate is not a travel document and can’t be used as such. Please be aware that if you hold Australian nationality you have to travel out and back into Australia on your Australian passport. The Dutch Nationality Certificate is valid for 10 years. You can apply for such a Certificate by sending the following documents to the Netherlands Consulate-General (P.O. Box 261, Bondi Junction NSW 1355):

- Legalised copy of your Dutch passport;
- Proof of legal residence in Australia, e.g. recent letter of the Australian Immigration Department or a legalised copy of your Australian passport;
- A copy of an official document containing your name and address, e.g. electricity bill, bank statement; and
- Payment of 46AUD (subject to exchange rates) by providing us with a credit card authorisation form.

If you are a minor or if this is the first application after becoming an Australian citizen, further documents are needed. Please click on the read more button to check our website for more information.

Please check your passport

Currently, our consular staff in Sydney are experiencing an enormous amount of phone calls and emails from people who realise that their passport is about to expire and they can’t travel on it anymore.

Please be aware that if you are travelling through or via most Asian countries your passport needs to be valid for at least 6 months after leaving the country. A lot of Asian countries (as well as New Zealand) do not accept handwritten emergency passports so the only solution is to apply for a new passport using the emergency fast track option. It will then take about 10 working days to issue a passport (not including the time needed by Australia Post to get the passport to you).

Therefore please check your passport and book an appointment to avoid disappointment. Please click on the read more button below to visit our website for more information.