Saturday, November 28th – The Annual Society Dinner: Special 20th Anniversary Edition

Date: Saturday, November 28th
Time: 18.30 onwards
Place: Hotel Arena, ‘s-Gravesandestraat 55, 1092 AA Amsterdam

Dress Code: Black tie is preferred.

The venue. Located in In Amsterdam’s beautiful Oosterpark, the monumental, intimate Hotel Arena is the stunning venue of year’s event. Yet, it is more than just a hotel. Its showpiece is the Chapel, built in 1886, which provides a unique athmosphere. We will dine between frescos and marble columns, in a setting suitable for our 20th anniversary. Before the dinner, drinks will be served on the mezzanine, which lets us take in a stunning view of the chapel from higher up. 

As every year, we welcome alumni and their guest(s) to join us for our traditional society dinner. This year, however, the dinner will also be a celebration of the society’s 20th anniversary. The evening will therefore be extended – following the welcome reception and a delicious three-course meal, a second drinks reception and a dance floor will provide ample opportunity for mingling and/or dancing the night away.

As every year, we welcome alumni and their guest(s) to join us for our traditional society dinner. The event will comprise pre-dinner drinks followed by a delicious three-course meal including a special wine arrangement within the splendour of KIT’s Marble Hall with 12 special types of Marble from Tuscany and a keynote speaker. 

Guest Speaker – Judge Phoebe Okowa

Judge Phoebe Okowa is a Kenyan international lawyer who has served as a Judge of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague since 2025. She studied law at the University of Nairobi before undertaking the Bachelor of Civil Law (BCL) at the University of Oxford, Wadham College, then completing her doctoral thesis (D.Phil.) at Oxford under the supervision of Sir Ian Brownlie. 

Prior to her election to the Court, she was Professor of Public International Law and Director of Graduate Studies at Queen Mary University of London. Alongside her academic career, she served as counsel and legal adviser to governments and non-governmental organisations in matters of public international law and international dispute resolution. She was the first African woman to serve on the United Nations International Law Commission and is a member of the Institut de Droit International. Her expertise spans public international law, state responsibility, environmental law and international dispute resolution.

Agenda

18:30 – 19:30: Networking and Opening Drinks

19:30 – 22:30: Three-course meal including a special wine arrangement

Speaker remarks

22:30 – 00:30: Post-dinner drinks & dancing

No need to rush out after the dinner. Continue your conversations, mingle with other guests.

This year we have rented to venue past midnight, allowing everyone to stay a bit longer if they wish. Drinks can be purchased from the cash bar. For those daring, music will invite us to some (optional) dancing.

Imporant information:

Please note that the drinks consumed at the post-dinner reception are not included in the price of the ticket (cash bar). The pre-dinner drinks are, of course, included. All attendees will be required to bring a valid I.D. with them, which will be checked against the guest list ahead of entry. Hence, please state your full name as on your I.D. document. Please also note that changes to the programme may occur. We do encourage early booking given the venue capacity.

00:30: Carriages await

Menu Choices & Tickets

Menu. This year we operate on a main menu. 

  • Starter – Smoked duck with horseradish, honey and macadamia nuts
  • Main Course – Guinea fowl suprême with parsnip, mushrooms and poultry cream sauce
  • Dessert – Dark chocolate mousse with blackcurrant coulis, pomegranate and hazelnuts

Individuals who are vegetarian, vegan or have other dietary requirements can indicate this at the check-out. An alternative menu will be served.

Ticket prices & guest limit. Ticket prices & guest limit. There will be a price advantage for those booking your ticket(s) before October 31st. Prices depend on time of booking. So, do make sure to get your tickets early, if you wish to attend. Members may bring guests.

Early Booking Pricing (until October 30th):

Society Member – 119,00 EUR | Guest of Society Member – 129,00 EUR | First-time Attendee – 129,00 EUR | Student – 70 EUR | Sister Society Member (& Guest) – 139,00 EUR

Regular pricing will apply for tickets booked after October 30th:

Society Member – 136,00 EUR | Guest of Society Member – 146,00 EUR | First-time Attendee – 146,00 EUR | Student – 70 EUR | Sister Society Member – 156,00 EUR

Ticket Categories. 

  • Society Member. Requires current membership for 2026 (get membership here)
  • Guest Ticket. Guest of current member who is attending. State the name upon check-out.
  • Sister Society Ticket. If you are a member of a sister society (e.g. Oxford Belgium), please also use this category and clearly state your sister organisation.
  • First-time Attendee . If this is your first time attending an OxBridge NL Event, use this category (NL-based alumni only).
  • Student. Student members can choose this category. 

Transport. Hotel Arena and its Chapel are easily accessible by public transport, only a 20 min tram ride away from Amsterdam Centraal. There are also parking garages in proximity. 

Booking deadline & cancellation policy. The last day for obtaining tickets is November 12th 2026. Please note that ticket cancellation is also only possible until this date.*Tickets may well be cancelled after, however, there will be no refund. We will operate a waitlist, so these types of cancellations may be refunded if a suitable replacement is found.

Sunday, July 5th 2026 – Annual Society BBQ

Date: Sunday, July 5
Time: 1-6pm
Place: Noordmeer 3, 1151 CW Broek in Waterland
Price: €25 members, €30 First Time attendees and guests of members, Children under 10 free

We are delighted to invite you to the annual garden party, which, this year, is a special one: We are celebrating the 20th anniversary of our society! For 20 years now has the Oxford and Cambridge Alumni Society of the Netherlands connected people, minds and ideas, who have kept the spirit of Oxbridge alive even after leaving the universities. In order to celebrate this accordingly, we are hosting a garden party in the beautiful landscapes of North Holland. 

In addition to the inspiring conversations which will certainly take place, you will be offered delicious food and drink. A Mexican food truck will provide freshly made tacos on site, offering: 

  • Nachos with homemade guacamole.
  • Taco tinga de res: Tortilla with pulled beef in a mildly spicy tomato/chipotle sauce, and onion.
  • Taco de pollo: Tortilla with marinated chicken strips with bell pepper and onion.
  • Taco de champiñones: Tortilla with mushrooms in homemade bbq-sauce and dried onions (vegan).

The event location, which was kindly offered by one of our alumni, can be reached by bus from Amsterdam Centraal. If you are travelling by car, there is a chance to park your car close to the property. Please note, however, that both the travel by bus and by car involve a 10-20-minute walk to the house. If this is impossible for you due to accessibility reasons, please contact us at secretary.ocnl@gmail.com.

Families are welcome. This is a perfect opportunity to meet old friends, other alumni and a great way to enjoy a lovely summer day by celebrating our society!

Prices: Member 25 EUR | First Time Attendees and Guest of Member 30 EUR | Children under 10 free

There are limited tickets available so please make sure to sign up by 28th June! For further questions feel free to contact us via info@oxbridge-nl.com

We hope to see a lot of you there 🙂

Tickets are limited and booking closes eight days in advance of the event. Hence, early booking is recommended! Cancellations with a refund are only possibly up to eight days in advance. Past this date only possible ticket swaps may be possible. 

Tuesday, May 19th – Pub Quiz and Drinks – Grand Cafe De Burcht, Leiden

Date: Tuesday, 19th May
Time: 19:45 onwards
Place: Grand Cafe Burcht, 2312 JS Leiden

Are you someone who enjoys quizzing, maybe you represented OxBridge at University Challenge and itching to relieve the same (minus the cameras plus some drinks and lovely company). If so you are invited to this join us as we enter teams into a Pub Quiz organised in Leiden. Don’t miss this opportunity to do OxBridge and the Society proud. We hope to be able to enter multiple teams to also have some friendly competition.  

Every Tuesday the Grand Cafe de Burcht hosts a pub quiz for Teams with a maximum size of 6 members. The quiz is in English and consists of a photo round, six general knowledge rounds, and a music round. The Society will cover the entry costs (€3.50 per person) for existing Society Members, while tickets for Guests and First Time attendees are priced €3.50. Drinks are not included in the Ticket Price. 

Date & time:  Tuesday, May 19th | 7:45pm

Location: Grand Cafe de Burcht, Leiden

Ticket Prices: Society Members: FREE; Guests and First Time Attendees: €3.50

Booking closes a week in advance of the event to register teams for the quiz. Hence, early booking is recommended! Members and First Time Attendees are limited to 1 Guest ticket. Cancellations with a refund are only possibly up to a week in advance. Past this date only possible ticket swaps may be possible.

For any questions, please email us at secretary.ocnl@gmail.com

Sunday, May 17th – Spring Walk with Wicher – Veluwezoom

Date: Sunday, 17th May
Time: 11:30 – 16:00
Place: Veluwezoom; meet at Dieren Station

Join us for a refreshing 15 km walk through Veluwezoom National Park!

We’ll gather at Dieren train station at 11:30 before setting off on another one of our relaxing, alumni-led walks. Take this perfect opportunity to connect with fellow alumni while enjoying the beauty of Dutch nature.

To recharge during the walk, we’ll stop at Pavilion De Posbank for drink at and a light snack, before finishing the walk at Station Velp. The society will cover one drink per person. If you’d prefer a shorter walk, you’re also very welcome to take a slightly shorter route from here (so around 11km in total) by heading from the cafe to Rheden station instead. Just to be sure to bring a phone with navigation, such as Google Maps.

Practical information:

  • Wear comfortable walking shoes.
  • Bring water and some snacks or lunch for the walk.
  • The total distance is about 15 km and will take several hours at a moderate pace.

This is a wonderful chance to get some fresh air, enjoy good company, and catch up with friends old and new, and we hope to see you there!

  • When: Sunday, May 17th at 11.30am
  • Where: Veluwezoom
  • Meeting Point: Dieren Station