About us 2016

About us - 2016

Our vision

AN INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH UNIVERSITY Innovative, intercultural, international. Leiden University plays a leading role in scientific research and teaching, and has been making a prominent contribution to creating a secure, healthy, sustainable, prosperous and just world since 1575. The University strives for excellence in an open academic community where teaching takes place in small-scale groups with the focus on the individual. Freedom of spirit and the free development of research are among our core principles. Our academics are motivated by the highest ambitions of quality and integrity, and our innovative teaching is interwoven with our high quality research. We focus on motivated and talented students, excellence programmes and successful student performance. Our University welcomes all those who wants to achieve their full potential.

OUR CORE VALUES: • FREEDOM OF SPIRIT, THINKING AND EXPRESSION • THE FREE DEVELOPMENT OF SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE • RESPONSIBILITY TOWARDS SOCIETY • INTEGRITY IN OUR WORK AND CONDUCT

OUR VISION

• DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION: EVERYONE IS WELCOME

Our teaching CHALLENGING AND PERSONAL Our arts, humanities, science and health programmes in Leiden and The Hague attract both Dutch and international students.

Our teaching is characterised by small-scale classrooms, contact with diverse cultures and innovative teaching methods. We offer students personal supervision and binding study advice in the first two years to help them succeed in their studies. In our teaching we offer extra opportunities to talented students. The Honours Academy is an extra-curricular programme for highly motivated and ambitious school pupils and students: • Pre-University College for high school pupils • Honours College for bachelor’s students • Leiden Leadership Programme for master’s students

BACHELOR’S PROGRAMMES MASTER’S PROGRAMMES

44 78

OUR TEACHING

Our research CUTTING-EDGE RESEARCH Our researchers are inspired and determined in seeking new knowledge within a broad range of scientific fields. They maintain close contacts with society and are motivated by scientific and societal challenges that they translate into fundamental research questions. Their pioneering and innovative work makes the unknown known. Whether sooner or later, our research always has impact.

OUR RESEARCH

Our researchers OPPORTUNITY TO EXCEL Scientists are given the freedom and resources to excel. This is why Leiden University scores highly in international rankings. The University is also successful in securing personal research funding and prizes. Researchers at Leiden University have won the most (19) Spinoza Awards.

Collaboration with national and inter足 national partners is essential for scientific development. Our scientists are respected and reliable authorities in societal and political debates.

PHDS PER YEAR: 400 INDIVIDUAL NWO GRANTS PER YEAR: 30-40 INDIVIDUAL EUROPEAN GRANTS PER YEAR: 5-10

OUR RESEARCHERS

Our students

ACTIVE AND ENGAGED We are an international research university with students from over a hundred different countries. An increasing number of bachelor’s programmes and almost all our master’s programmes are taught in English. Many students spend a period of time abroad studying or doing an internship. Students can get to know the University and the city during the EL-CID week, Leiden’s introduction week for first-year students. In addition, we have 23 student associations and 58 study associations that offer opportunities for students to relax or to enhance their knowledge outside the lecture hall. The cities of Leiden and The Hague are located centrally in the Randstad area of the Netherlands, close to the beach. Both cities offer many opportunities for sports, culture and relaxation.

OUR STUDENTS STUDENTS

25,800

OF WHOM:

16,400 MASTER’S 9,400 INTERNATIONAL 3,100 NATIONALITIES 105 BACHELOR’S

Our history

BASTION OF FREEDOM Leiden University was the first university in the Netherlands. William of Orange gave Leiden the Academia Lugduno Batava in 1575 in gratitude, as the story goes, for the city’s courageous resistance during the Spanish Siege. Our motto is Praesidium Libertatis – Bastion of Freedom. Well-known and clear demonstrations of this commitment to freedom were the protest speeches given during World War II by Professors Cleveringa, Barge and Van Holk in which they publicly defended their Jewish colleagues who were under threat of dismissal. To this day, Leiden University still commemorates these brave acts of resistance in the annual Cleveringa Lectures held on or around 26 November at venues both in the Netherlands and abroad. Freedom continues to be what binds all those who are part of the University.

OUR HISTORY Princess Beatrix was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in 2005 for her dedication to the cause of freedom.

FOUNDED IN 1575 MOTTO

Praesidium Libertatis Bastion of Freedom

Our organisation COLLABORATIVE GOVERNANCE The Executive Board is responsible for governing and managing the University. Members of the Board are appointed by the Board of Governors.

• Professor Carel Stolker, Rector Magnificus and President • Professor Simone Buitendijk, Vice-Rector Magnificus • Willem te Beest, M.Sc., Vice-Chairman The Executive Board works in close collaboration with the deans of the seven faculties: • Archaeology • Governance and Global Affairs • Humanities • Law • Medicine/LUMC • Science • Social and Behavioural Sciences Our research is grouped in 30 research institutes, each headed by an Institute Director.

LOCATIONS

MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD

2

3 FACULTIES 7 RESEARCH INSTITUTES 30 STAFF 5,500 TURNOVER 558

MILLION EUROS

OUR ORGANISATION

Our alumni AMBASSADORS AND ENGAGED PARTNERS Alumni are our most important ambassadors in society. We strive to maintain and strengthen their connection with us, and to build an informed and engaged alumni network. We communicate regularly with our alumni via the magazine Leidraad and the digital newsletter. We also organise events catering to the interests expressed by our alumni and use social media to keep them informed and to support their career and personal development.

96,000 ALUMNI, OF WHOM 5,000 LIVE ABROAD GRADUATES PER YEAR 3,500 MASTER’S 3,400 BACHELOR’S

OUR ALUMNI The first graduates of International Studies celebrating at their award ceremony.

Our partnerships

COMBINING FORCES LUMC is a modern university medical center for research, education and patient care with a high quality profile and a strong scientific orientation.

The University works closely with the Bio Science Park. With 170 businesses and institutions is this the Netherlands’ largest life sciences knowledge cluster in this field. We have also joined forces with Delft University of Technology and Erasmus University Rotterdam to create multidisciplinary research centres and to offer a number of joint teaching programmes. LeidenGlobal brings together the knowledge of languages and cultures held by the University and by museums and other partners. Leiden University is one of the partners in Medical Delta, the South Holland consortium of knowledge institutions, businesses and government in the field of life sciences and medical technology. We are a member of LERU, together with 21 other European research universities, and are involved in many other collaborations, both in the Netherlands and internationally.

• LEIDEN BIO SCIENCE PARK • LEIDEN GLOBAL • TU DELFT AND ERASMUS UNIVERSITY ROTTERDAM • MEDICAL DELTA • LEAGUE OF EUROPEAN RESEARCH UNIVERSITIES (LERU) • LEIDEN UNIVERSITY FUND • LEIDEN MUSEUMS

OUR PARTNERSHIPS

• LEIDEN UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER

Our impact INFLUENCE ON SOCIETY All our research sooner or later has an influence on society.

An analysis of the economic impact of Leiden University and the LUMC has shown that every euro we invest gives a fourfold return. Leiden is the best broad-based university in the valorisation list*: we disseminate knowledge, take part in debates, collaborate with the public and business sectors as a service provider, and as an entrepreneurial university we are keen to promote innovation. The Leiden region has the most favourable business climate of all the economic regions in the Netherlands. Our researchers make regular appearances in the media as experts in their field, to give their views on current developments within society. *By Elsevier and Science Works, 2015.

Direct and indirect contribution by Leiden University and LUMC to the economy:

40,000 JOBS 3 BILLION EUROS GROSS ADDED VALUE

OUR IMPACT Student entrepreneurs made a micro-3D image the size of a grain of salt.

This technique can be used in a multitude of medical applications.

Our strategy FREEDOM TO EXCEL Leiden University is an internationally oriented research university.

Our research is driven by curiosity and meets the highest international standards. We encourage our students from diverse cultures to develop their talents to the full and to complete their studies successfully.

We are at the forefront of teaching innovation and online higher education and we actively promote knowledge sharing and academic entrepreneurship. Our students and academics study and work in an international environment. Our teaching and research in The Hague play a role in resolving urban problems and issues relating to The Hague as City of Peace, Security and International Law.

Strategy 2015-2020 • AN ENVIRONMENT FOR EXCELLENT RESEARCH • ACTIVATE TALENT • INNOVATION IN TEACHING AND LEARNING • INCREASE IMPACT AND INNOVATION • RESEARCH AND TEACHING IN AN INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENT • EXPAND OUR CAMPUS IN THE HAGUE

OUR STRATEGy

For more information: www.leiden.edu Sign up for the newsletter: www.universiteitleiden.nl/newsletter

Twitter.com/UniLeidenNews Facebook.com/UniversiteitLeiden Youtube.com/UniversiteitLeiden

Production: Strategic Communication and Marketing Directorate, Leiden University February 2016