WATERLOO, ON--(Marketwired - May 19, 2015) - Media wishing to attend any portion of the royal visit MUST register in advance by contacting Nick Manning (519-888-4451) at the University of Waterloo no later than 5 p.m. on Thursday, May 21, 2015. Space is limited for media for parts of the event program.
The king and queen will be joined in Waterloo by Bert Koenders, Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jet Bussemaker, Dutch Minister of Education, Culture and Science, and more than 20 Dutch higher education institutions and a business delegation from Eindhoven region to solidify the ties between Canada and the Netherlands.
The visit will include the announcement of an historic scholarship program celebrating the 70th anniversary of the liberation of the Netherlands. The Liberation Scholarship Program will award the first six Canadian students of 70 scholarships to study at a Dutch university or college.
The royal couple will also be present for the signing of memoranda of understanding between Delft University of Technology and the University of Waterloo -- with a focus on quantum information research -- and between Brainport Eindhoven region and the Region of Waterloo -- reinforcing a bilateral strategic alliance between two innovation communities.
Following formal ceremonies including a presentation on quantum information science, the king and queen will tour a laboratory in the Mike & Ophelia Lazaridis Quantum-Nano Centre at the University of Waterloo.
Prior to the arrival of Their Majesties, Feridun Hamdullahpur, president and vice-chancellor of the University of Waterloo, will host the delegation of Dutch higher education institutions and leaders from across the Canadian post-secondary education sector for formal seminars and networking.
Max Blouw, president and vice-chancellor of Wilfrid Laurier University, and Jet Bussemaker will host the delegation of higher education institutions to continue seminars and networking following the royal visit.
Date: Thursday, May 28, 2015
Location: Mike & Ophelia Lazaridis Quantum-Nano Centre, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3G1 (Map)
Photo identification will be required to gain admittance.
| Event details: | |
| 8 a.m. | Media registration and satellite truck parking opens. Note: media registration will close at 10:30 a.m. Latecomers will not be permitted entry. |
| 9:30 - 10:45 a.m. | Higher education seminars and roundtable discussions. |
| 10:50 a.m. | PHOTO OPPORTUNITY: Their Majesties King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima arrive outside the Mike & Ophelia Lazaridis Quantum-Nano Centre. NOTE: Space for media is reserved, but limited. |
| 11:05 a.m. | PHOTO OPPORTUNITY: Their Majesties are present during the signing of two memoranda of understanding in Lazaridis Centre boardroom. |
| Host: Jean-Jacques Van Vlasselaer, special advisor on strategic initiatives, University of Waterloo | |
| Delft/Waterloo MOU signed by: | |
| Feridun Hamdullahpur, president and vice-chancellor, University of Waterloo | |
| (pronounced: FEH-rid-un ham-duh-LOPP-er) | |
| Anka Mulder, vice-president for education and operations, Delft University of Technology | |
| Eindhoven/Waterloo MOU signed by: | |
| Rob van Gijzel, Mayor of Eindhoven | |
| Ken Seiling, Regional Chair, Region of Waterloo | |
| John Jung, CEO, Canada's Technology Triangle Inc. | |
| NOTE: Space for this opportunity is limited and media access may be granted for photographers and broadcasters only. | |
| 11:20 a.m. - 12: p.m. | Launch of the Liberation Scholarship Program in the Lazardis Centre seminar room. Speakers include: |
| Sandra Banks, vice-president, University of Waterloo | |
| Feridun Hamdullahpur | |
| Bert Koenders, Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs | |
| Jet Bussemaker, Dutch Minister of Education, Culture and Science | |
| 11:50 a.m. | PHOTO OPPORTUNITY: Their Majesties King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima present Liberation Scholarships to six Canadian students. |
| 12 p.m. | Raymond Laflamme, executive director of the Institute for Quantum Computing at the University of Waterloo gives keynote presentation. |
| 12 - 1 p.m. | Roundtable on higher education continues in the Lazardis Centre seminar room. |
| 12:20 p.m. | LIMITED PHOTO OPPORTUNITY: Their Majesties King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima tour the laboratory of Professor Kevin Resch of the Institute for Quantum Computing at Waterloo. Professor Resch is a Canada Research Chair in Optical Quantum Technologies and a member of Waterloo's Department of Physics & Astronomy. |
| NOTE: Space for media is extremely limited in this part of the visit and may be restricted to wire services only. | |
| 12:35 p.m. | Their Majesties King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima depart the University of Waterloo. |
| 2:30 - 4:45 p.m. | Max Blouw and Jet Bussemaker host the delegation of higher education institutions to continue seminars and networking in the Science Building Atrium of Wilfrid Laurier University (75 University Avenue West, Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3C5). |
| NOTE: Media wishing to attend this portion of the visit should contact Kevin Crowley at Laurier to register. | |
Media availabilities: Recipients of the Liberation Scholarships will be available for interview following the conclusion of the formal ceremony. Representatives from the University of Waterloo and Canada's Technology Triangle will be made available for interview on request. Please contact Nick Manning or Janet Grondin to arrange.
Parking: Limited satellite truck parking is provided adjacent to the Quantum-Nano Centre. Media must register for spaces with Nick Manning. Limited to one space per media organization.
Parking for reporters is available in Lot H (Map). A shuttle to the Quantum-Nano Centre will be provided.
Registration: Media wishing to attend any portion of the royal visit MUST register in advance by contacting Nick Manning (519-888-4451) at the University of Waterloo no later than 5 p.m. on Thursday, May 21, 2015. Space is limited for media for parts of the event program.
WiFi/Internet Access: Cell reception in the Quantum-Nano Centre can often be difficult due to the unique construction of the research facility. Media will have access to the University of Waterloo WiFi network. Details will be provided upon registration.
Contact Information:
Media Contacts
Nick Manning
University of Waterloo
519-888-4451
Cell: 226-929-7627
nmanning@uwaterloo.ca
Pamela Smyth
University of Waterloo
519-888-4777
Cell: 519-573-1663
psmyth@uwaterloo.ca
Janet Grondin
Canada's Technology Triangle Inc.
519-747-2541 ext 300
Cell: 519-729-0062
janet@techtriangle.com
Kevin Crowley
Wilfrid Laurier University
519-884-0710 ext. 3070
Cell: 519-573-1084
kcrowley@wlu.ca