The Akademy Lectures (formerly the frouljuslêzingen) is a series of six public lectures spread over the winter season. Every year, the Akademy Lectures working group manages to organise an attractive series in cooperation with women's organisations in Fryslân.

The lecture series is held at two locations: De Koperen Tuin in Leeuwarden and It Haske in Joure. The topics are current, educational, scientific and general-societal themes, to which speakers can each contribute in their own way.

Founding year

1957 (working group since 2008)

Board and contact

Chair: Akkie Lindeboom (e-mail)
Secretary: Anneke de Vos
Board members: Fenna Stoel, Aukje Dijkstra, Jantsje Kalsbeek and Froukje Swierstra-Luimstra

The Academy Lectures will be held on three separate days: Tuesday, November 18, 2025, Friday, January 23, 2026, and Tuesday, March 10, 2026. The first lecture of the day will be held in the morning from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM (with a coffee break and time for questions/discussion), and the second lecture will be held from 1:30 PM to 3:30 PM (with a tea break and time for questions/discussion).

A ticket for the Academy Lectures grants admission to six lectures over three days, in Leeuwarden or Joure. It is not possible to purchase a ticket for a single lecture.

LEEUWARDEN
Restaurant/Grand Café De Koperen Tuin

Friday 13 November 2026

1. Dr. Jacob Klimstra - 'Boek René van Stipriaan - Ofskie fan it âlde Nederlân: is ús demokrasy noch te rêden?’
2. Ds. J. Vonk - ‘Socrates en Plato. Vroedvrouw en grotbewoner’

Tuesday 26 January 2027

1. Drs. Mark Raat, promovendus - ‘Skiednis fan it Fryske Feangreidegebiet yn hjoeddeistich perspektyf ‘
2. Drs. Froukje Santing - ‘Pake en zijn vee. Een reis naar Zuid-Afrika in 1911’

Friday 19 March 2027

1. Dr. Marije Elferink-Gemser - ‘Foarsizzen ûntwikkeling talinten yn de sport'
2. Prof. dr. Theunis Piersma, RUG - 'Wat fûgels elkoar oer ús lân fertelle'

TICKETS LEEUWARDEN >>>

JOURE
Party- en Zalencentrum 't Haske

Friday 13 November 2026

1. Ds. J. Vonk - ‘Socrates en Plato. Vroedvrouw en grotbewoner’
2. Dr. Jacob Klimstra - 'Boek René van Stipriaan - Ofskie fan it âlde Nederlân: is ús demokrasy noch te rêden?’

Tuesday 26 January 2027

1. Drs. Froukje Santing - ‘Pake en zijn vee. Een reis naar Zuid-Afrika in 1911’
2. Drs. Mark Raat  - ‘Skiednis fan it Fryske Feangreidegebiet yn hjoeddeistich perspektyf '

Friday 19 March 2027

1. Prof. dr. Theunis Piersma, RUG - 'Wat fûgels elkoar oer ús lân fertelle'
2. Dr. Marije Elferink-Gemser - ‘Foarsizzen ûntwikkeling talinten yn de sport'

TICKETS JOURE >>>

In 2025/2026, the Academy lectures were held on Tuesday, November 18, 2025; Friday, January 23, 2026; and Tuesday, March 10, 2026. In November, the lectures were given by Rev. Herman de Vries: “Levie Leeft,” and Notary Anna de Vries: ‘Living Will and Digital Legacy.’ In January, Johannes Boonstra of Wetsus and Paul ter Heyne, former advertising executive, spoke on ‘The Many Negative Consequences of Marketing and Advertising.’ In March, Prof. Dr. Mart van Lieburg presented ‘Dr. Banga: Obstetrics and Gynecology in 19th-Century Franeker,’  Prof. Dr. Nelleke IJssennagger-van der Pluijm, Fryske Akademy: ‘Frisia and the Viking Age’ (Joure) and Hilbert Vinkenoog, 'Viking and Medieval Studies, Oslo: ‘Pre-Christian religion of Friesland in the early Middle Ages’ (Leeuwarden) as speakers at the Academy Lectures.

Dr. Nelleke IJssennagger-van der Pluijm, Fryske Akademy and dr. Nynke Boonstra, Lecturer NHL Stenden will account for the first day, Friday, November 22. IJssennagger-van der Pluijm's lecture is on 'Frisia and the Viking Time'. Boonstra's lecture is on 'Nursing in the Mental Health Care'.

On Tuesday 21 January 2025, Dr. Johanneke Liemburg will speak on 'Geertje Lycklama à Nijeholt, 1938 - 2014 - Feminist Strategist'. Prof. Dr. Marien de Jonge, Radboud University Nijmegen, will speak on 'Infection and immunity, defense and protection'.

The series will conclude on March 14, 2025. Dennis Voeten, curator of Natuurmuseum Fryslân, talks about: 'Frisian Dinosaurs in a nutshell. The origin and evolution of birds' (morning lecture in Leeuwarden). Director of Natuurmuseum Fryslân, Froukje Hernamdt, talks about 'The future of Natuurmuseum Fryslân' (afternoon lecture in Joure). Mr. M.W.P.M. ter Berg, Senior counsel at the Arnhem-Leeuwarden Court of Appeal will speak in the morning in Joure and in the afternoon in Leeuwarden. The title of Ter Berg's lecture is: 'If you were a judge, would you.... or not?

In 2018, the Akademylêzingen were organised for the 60th time. The jubilee edition took place on 13 March 2018 in De Harmonie in Leeuwarden, with a lecture by sociologist Evelien Tonkens and music by Tet Rozendal.

• Photo report of the anniversary program (Flickr)
• Short film about 60 years of Akademylêzigen by NHL students