Leiden University

Leiden University is the oldest university in the Netherlands. The university was founded in 1575 by William, Prince of Orange, leader of the Dutch Revolt in the Eighty Years' War. The royal Dutch House of Orange-Nassau and Leiden University still have a close relationship. The Queens Juliana and Beatrix and crown-prince Willem-Alexander studied at Leiden University. In 2005 Queen Beatrix received a rare honorary degree from Leiden University.

The Dutch University has six faculties, over 50 departments and more than 150 undergraduate programmes and enjoys an outstanding international reputation e.g. Shanghai Jiao Tong University's 2010 Academic Ranking of World Universities ranks Leiden University as the 70th best university worldwide.

Leiden University has opted to concentrate its research activities in 11 research profile areas that transcend the traditional boundaries between specialist fields and faculties. These research profile areas offer opportunities for top-level fundamental research, but also reflect key areas of debate in contemporary society. Our aim in focusing on these themes is to enhance the visibility of crucial research areas, as well as to increase the cohesion between these areas. This strategy is designed to create and maintain a stronger basis for acquiring research funding.

Teaching at Leiden University is closely integrated with research. We believe that a complete educational programme comprises a bachelor's and a master's stage. The master's stage has a one-year master's programme and a challenging two-year research master's variant. These constitute the preparation for the following stage: the PhD. 

The University collaborates in a wide range of partnerships, through which we are able to amass expertise across the borders of disciplines and academic fields. Interdisciplinary collaboration is not restricted to scientific fields within the University; we also have partnerships with other research institutions, non-profit organisations, government authorities and the business sector. 

Facilities

Leiden University offers a wide range of facilities:

• Library
• Sport centre
• Café
• Print shop
• Restaurant

Other courses at Leiden University

• Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology

  Subject: Anthropology

• Applied archaeology

  Subject: Archaeology

• Archaeological Science

  Subject: Archaeology

• Archaeology

  Subject: Archaeology

• Archaeology

  Subject: Archaeology

• Archaeology (Research)

  Subject: Archaeology

• Global archaeology

  Subject: Archaeology

• Heritage and Museum Studies (Research)

  Subject: Archaeology

• World Archaeology

  Subject: Archaeology

• Art and Architecture before 1800

  Subject: Architecture

• Arts and Culture

  Subject: Arts

• Arts, Literature and Media (research)

  Subject: Arts

• Arts, Media and Society

  Subject: Arts

• Contemporany art in a global prospective

  Subject: Arts

• Museums and Collections

  Subject: Arts