VAKKANJERS program celebrates 25 years and goes into space

This year, the Vakkanjers curriculum celebrates its 25th anniversary. Beatrice Boots, director of the executive organization “Platform Talent voor Technologie” explains: ‘Vakkanjers was created as an initiative by technical sectors to interest more young people in technology. Fun, wonder and challenge are paramount. Thanks to Vakkanjers, thousands of students have already come into contact with the world of technology and innovation in a playful way early in their school career. With our 25th anniversary, we look back on all the successes achieved and the enormous impact that the program has had on the lives of young people and the contribution to the technical industry in education.’

André Kuipers will be ambassador of Vakkanjers for the coming school year. Like many of his fellow astronauts, he saw the vulnerability of our planet from space. Kuipers: ‘Space travel plays a fundamental role in understanding and protecting our planet. With insights from space, we can ensure that the earth is preserved. The earth needs the youth. I therefore challenge all young people to come up with ideas on how we can improve our planet with technology from space.’

This year, the Vakkanjer challenges vary from building a satellite to designing a research vehicle on earth, or a combination of a human and machine that can be used for a more sustainable and social planet. On October 2, during the XXXV Planetary Congress of the Association of Space Explorers, the anniversary edition of Vakkanjers will be launched by André Kuipers at Space Expo in Noordwijk.