Association


GLV Idun (Groninger levenswetenschappenvereniging Idun) is the study association for bachelor and master students in the Life Sciences at the University of Groningen. The association has 20 committees and organizes over 175 activities. The association has multiple purposes for its members; support in education, organizing social events, providing insights in future career paths, etc. The members of a study association are characterized by their study program, contrary to a student association of which the members' study program is not relevant. Joining a study association gives an extra dimension to your student life in Groningen!

Association:

GLV Idun is the study association for the BSc:

  • Biology
    • Behaviour and Neurosciences
    • Biomedical Sciences
    • Ecology & Evolution
    • Integrative Biology
    • Molecular Life Sciences 
  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Life Science & Technology

GLV Idun is the study association for the MSc:

  • Behavioural and Cognitive Neurosciences
  • Biology
  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Biomedical Sciences
  • Biomolecular Sciences
  • Ecology and Evolution
  • Marine Biology
  • Molecular Medicine and Innovative Treatment
  • Behavioural and Cognitive Neurosciences

​History

The establishment of GLV Idun

GLV Idun was established while signing the merger contract on the 1st of June 2006. After this moment, Biology and Life Science & Technology no longer had their separate associations but had a study association together. 

Merge of associations

The 'Groninger Biologen Club' (GBC) was the study association for Biology. It existed since 1919 and was a broad association with seventeen committees. The GBC was located in Haren, where they organized a drink every Thursday in their members' room, called 'De Suite'. This tradition still exists in the new Suite located in the Linnaeusborg. At the beginning of GBC, they mostly organised excursions. When they got more members, they got more committees and activities. In this time some familiar names arose like the InNatura (excursion committee). 

Groningen started with the study Life Science and Technology in 2002. Soon there were students wanting a study association of their own. This is when S.V. Melior Vita came into existence on April 4th 2003. The main point of this year was expanding the association, like recruiting members, starting up committees, first GMAs and the first dies. In this year, the first edition of 'Idioot op de boot' took place in cooperation with Lugus and FMF. This party later became 'Prominent in de Tent'.

After a few years, the studies Biology and Life Science and Technology were combined by the university in a broad bachelor. Both study associations decided to adapt and prepared a merger. In the year preceding the merge, both associations organized some activities together, like the symposium and some socials to get to know each other. At the end of the merge, there was a closing party in May. The theme of this party was: ‘Neanderthalers, back to the beginning’. 

The start of Idun

The first Board of GLV Idun was installed after the merge on June 8. They had the task to start creating a unity of the association. Several committees from GBC and Melior Vita were combined. Some of them got a new name. The first big activity was organized by the new introduction committee, the 'EI'. They organized the introduction camp for all new first year life sciences students. In this year, the first IduNacht took place in the Troubadour. This is still the monthly party of Idun. Every committee did their best to keep old activities, but also thought of new activities. 

The continuation

In the years after the birth of GLV Idun, the association grew every year in members, activities and committees. There came even more active 'disputen' to the association. Time flies. In 2010-2011 GLV Idun celebrated its first lustrum with a lot of big activities, a beautiful lustrum book, and a magnificent lustrum week. Several committees worked together to celebrate this fifth anniversary extensively. 

Royal Medal of Honour

On the 21st of September 2019, GLV Idun received a Royal Medal of Honour from the deputy mayor of Groningen in the name of His Majesty the King. This Medal is awarded to study associations, foundations, institutions and other types of associations. It symbolizes the respect and appreciation of the King for the exceptional merits of the association to their community. We are honoured to receive this medal as the successor of the "Groninger Biologen Club", which has significantly contributed to their members and their environment in the past 100 years. Idun is very proud to have received this distinction and we would like to thank everyone who contributed to this royal renown. This Medal was awarded to the association during 'GBC 100 jaar', this was a day full of activities organised by the GBC committee. This committee was established to organize activities around the 100 year existence of GBC (Groninger Biologen Club).

The myth of Iduna

In Norse mythology, Iðunn is a goddess associated with apples and youth. Iðunn is attested in the Poetic Edda, compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, and the Prose Edda, written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson. In both sources, she is described as the wife of the skaldic god Bragi, and in the Prose Edda, also as a keeper of apples and granter of eternal youthfulness.

The Prose Edda relates that Loki was once forced by the jötunn Þjazi to lure Iðunn out of Asgard and into a wood, promising her interesting apples. Þjazi, in the form of an eagle, snatches Iðunn from the wood and takes her to his home. Iðunn's absence causes the gods to grow old and grey, and they realize that Loki is responsible for her disappearance. Loki promises to return her and, in the form of a falcon, finds her alone at Þjazi's home. He turns her into a nut and takes her back to Asgard. After Þjazi finds that Iðunn is gone, he turns into an eagle and furiously chases after Loki. The gods build a pyre in Asgard and, after a sudden stop by Loki, Þjazi's feathers catch fire, he falls, and the gods kill him.

A number of theories surround Iðunn, including potential links to fertility, and her potential origin in Proto-Indo-European religion. Long the subject of artworks, Iðunn is sometimes referenced in modern popular culture