AEGEE-Groningen is a students’ association which combines both social and intellectual activities. It is able to these activities by it’s membership of Europe’s largest students’ association: AEGEE-Europe. AEGEE is an abbreviation which stands for Association des Etats Généraux des Etudiants de l'Europe, in English: European Students Forum. AEGEE-locals are located in more than 40 countries and 250 cities in Europe. The total number of members is around 17.000, which enables AEGEE-Groningen to organize many interesting intercultural activities.

The largest and oldest project of AEGEE-Europe, the Summer Universities, makes a good example of the AEGEE-spirit. Every summer, groups of about 40 students from the whole continent come together in one of the many cities where a Summer University is held. During two weeks these students get to know each other, the local students and the hosting city by a social and cultural programme. By sleeping at the campus of a university or being hosted by local students, Summer Universities can be offered from about 60 euros per week. This includes hosting, meals, excursions and a social programme. This makes a Summer University a very good and cheap way to explore Europe! A Summer University is organized every year by AEGEE-Groningen centered around the topic ‘Water’.

AEGEE-Groningen organizes a lot of other activities, besides the yearly Summer University. These include debating nights, hitchhiking competitions, exchanges and lectures. During an exchange, members of AEGEE-Groningen meet students from other AEGEE-locals during one week. On top of that, AEGEE-Groningen also has an social aspect with a lot of activities located in Groningen. Summer Universities and other intellectual activities will bring you much joy, but there is more, like sporting events, cultural activities, parties and a weekly social meeting. Every one is welcome to the social meeting, held every Tuesday from 10.30 PM in café Van Diepen (Gelkingestraat 40).

The main goal of AEGEE-Europe is to promote the cooperation, communication and integration between European students. AEGEE-Europe aims at the unification of Europe with preservation of identity and culture. To reach this goal AEGEE-Europe has defined four pillars on which its strategy is based: Cultural exchange, Active citizenship, Higher education and Peace & Stability. To accomplish European unity and to discourage nationalism, there are no national levels within AEGEE. By maintaining a local and European level only, AEGEE has a unique structure. This structure is different from other (students’) organizations. Furthermore, AEGEE has no political or religious affiliations.

AEGEE is being supported by the European Committee, the World bank, the United Nations, UNESCO, the Council of Europe, Siemens, the Deutsche Bank and members of the European Parliament and the European Committee.