Together with the twelve other university funds in the Netherlands, we are once again joining forces to launch a nationwide campaign highlighting the opportunity to leave a legacy to science. With this campaign, we aim to raise awareness of leaving a legacy to science and bring the subject to people’s attention in a personal and accessible way. The campaign shows that a legacy can be more than a financial contribution: it can also be a way of passing on personal ideals and a commitment to society to future generations.
More and more people in the Netherlands are including a scientific institution in their will. At the same time, not everyone is aware that university funds are charitable organisations with recognised ANBI status. Those who wish to leave a legacy to a university can choose to donate part or all of their estate, thereby contributing to science.
That is why the university funds are once again joining forces for a joint awareness campaign centred around ‘leaving a legacy to science’. The campaign highlights the value a legacy can have for research, education and talent development – and, in turn, for society today and in the future.
Seven people share in the campaign why they have chosen to donate (part of) their estate to a university fund. Their stories show that a range of personal motivations can lie behind such a decision. The legacies contribute to a variety of societal issues, including innovation, medical research, talent development, democracy and sustainability.
The personal stories are quite literally given a face. Cardboard silhouettes represent the people who have chosen to continue supporting science after their lifetime. Each silhouette features their personal motivation. In this way, the campaign makes it clear that a legacy is not only a financial contribution, but also a way of passing on something that is deeply meaningful to someone.
Through these seven stories, the university funds hope to inspire people in the Netherlands, alumni and current and former employees to consider the possibilities of leaving a legacy to science. The stories show how varied the reasons for leaving a legacy can be, as well as the societal impact such a contribution can have.
The campaign builds on a first joint campaign about leaving a legacy to science in 2024. At the time, the university funds developed, among other things, a magazine providing information about the different ways of leaving a legacy to a university.
As part of the nationwide campaign, we are organising an information session on leaving a legacy to UM on Thursday 15 October. During this session, anyone interested can find out more about the options for including UM in their will and about the tax implications of donating and leaving a legacy.
Note: the session will be held in Dutch.
