Day 1: Going to Ghent

The excursion began on a rainy, windy morning when we all met at Science Park early to catch the bus to our fi rst destination: Ghent, Belgium. Upon arrival, we had a few hours to explore the city which is famous for its three towers. We enjoyed the views, Belgian chocolate, fries, and waffles. After soaking up some culture and fi lling our stomachs, we headed to the Faculty of Law and Criminology at Ghent University, where we had the opportunity to gain insights from the Institute for Social Drug Research (ISD). The presentation was engagingly led by Prof. Dr. Tom Decorte.

After a fruitful discussion on social drug research, we boarded the bus again for our second destination: Lille, France, with a lively round of music bingo along the way. Once we arrived, we checked into our hostel and enjoyed some free time to try the French cuisine (even lamb’s head was bravely tasted!). It turned out to be a wonderfully cheesy vening for most of us.

Day 2: The Murder Mystery

After enjoying some croissants and pains au chocolat at the hostel, we started the day with a fun logic game: A murder mystery that needed to be solved. Students could collect clues and evidence in exchange for points, and the team whose scenario came closest to the true story, while using the fewest points, won the game.

After lunch, we headed to the police headquarters of Lille for a presentation by Le Laboratoire de Police Scientifique de Lille. There, we learned about standard procedures in French forensic institutes, including forensic DNA analysis and various branches of forensic chemistry.

Later that evening, we had dinner together at a cozy tapas restaurant with lively Latin music. Some of us went to bed early after the busy day, while others explored Lille’s nightlife. We were lucky to visit the city during the final days of the Lille Amusement Fair, so we all took the chance to explore the fair and enjoy many of its attractions. It was a truly
fun experience, some even rode the big Ferris wheel and got to admire the beautiful city of Lille illuminated by the fair’s colorful lights.

Day 3: Lille

With some energy still left, the students took part in a treasure hunt that gave them the opportunity to explore all the highlights of Lille while completing fun teamwork activities. They solved mini-games, took photos at specific spots, and even recorded videos, such as performing together with a street musician. By the end of the afternoon, everyone made it back to the bus to return to Science Park. During the ride, the winners of the treasure hunt were announced and rewarded with beautiful posters of Lille, thoughtfully purchased by the Excursion Committee. Afterwards, the committee could finally rest after all the hard work they had put in over the past three days (along with the students, of course!). It was a pleasure to host this trip, and we’d like to thank everyone who joined, as well as the guest speakers and all others who contributed to making it such a memorable experience.

The Excursion Committee of 2025,

Amina, Jaana, and Jens