Woudestein building Birgemesster Oudlaan, 50 3062 PA Rotterdam
The university is named after Desiderius Erasmus (1469-1536), a philosopher, theologian and humanist born in Rotterdam whose books had a major impact on the cultural and intellectual climate in the tumultuous times between the Middle Ages and the Renaissance
A city university with a global perspective
Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) is an internationally-oriented city university that is closely associated with the city of Rotterdam and the region. Due to the university’s close ties to its urban environment, EUR has a claim to the highest international standards of science in a number of specific fields, ranging from medicine and health care to economics and econometrics, as well as management. Cosmopolitan Rotterdam with its major metropolitan issues is our academic laboratory; there are no limits to how the scientific knowledge developed here can be put into practice. Our education and research is divided into three areas of expertise: • Economics and Management • Medicine and Health • Law, Culture and Society
Rooted in the business community
The history of the Erasmus University Rotterdam dates back to 1913, when Rotterdam merchants founded the Netherlands School of Commerce, a university of professional trade education. They regarded the proper education and development of the generations to come as essential to ensure that the port and city would continue to flourish. In the twentieth century Rotterdam grew to become the largest port in the world.
Expertise focused on society
Scientific research at Erasmus University Rotterdam is traditionally grounded in a strong focus on society, drawing on the city and its surroundings as sources of inspiration. Research relevant to society is increasingly conducted in multidisciplinary teams, geared to such themes as:
• Economics of Health • Social Innovation • Transport and Logistics • Cognitive Psychology • Corporate Engagement • Early Modern Studies • Sustainability
Research Schools
Approximately 80% of our research activities take place within research schools where researchers from different universities work together. The core business is PhD training and PhD research programmes. Research standards are guaranteed by an internal performance appraisal of the academic staff every six years. The research schools themselves are accredited every six years by the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW). International peer reviews are part of the procedure
Research University
Giving highly-promising researchers room to manoeuvre — that is what Erasmus University Rotterdam sees as its priority. The university deliberately seeks to attract talented scientists at the top of their field. In addition to its one-year Master’s programmes our university has also developed two-year Research Master’s intended to stimulate students, or a select group of them, and provide them with training to become researchers.
A flexible career and employment policy, intensive support for PhD-programmes and inclusion of tenure tracks (individual agreements about career development) offer talented staff the opportunity to work toward a flourishing academic career at EUR. In 2006, more than 250 PhD-students defended their dissertations before the review committee, and that number grows each year. These excellent conditions for allowing talent to excel have earned our university the title of ‘Research University’.
High quality education
Erasmus University Rotterdam offers a wide range of Bachelor’s and Master’s programmes in both Dutch and English, modern study facilities, extensive student support and an exciting and challenging university city. The education offered at EUR is simultaneously academic and practical, focusing on the transfer and exchange of knowledge at the highest standards, designed to teach students to analyse and solve economic, social, legal and medical problems in society, both now and in the future.
The university continues to invest in maintaining the quality of its education. This involves continuous education for lecturers, periodic assessments in the form of both internal (self-evaluation) and external reviews (national and international accreditations, international peer reviews), as well as satisfaction surveys among the student body.
More and more of the degree programmes bear international certificates of quality. This draws students and lecturers from all corners of the world to EUR. Another strong educational offer that elicits considerable interest are the 80-some post-initial programmes. The combination of high-quality knowledge and training and its application regularly results in excellent scores in national and international rankings.
Honour for talented students
Besides its regular programmes, EUR offers an exclusive programme each year to talented Bachelor’s students from all fields. The Erasmus Honours Programme gives excellent students the opportunity to encounter fascinating and highly relevant themes in an interdisciplinary way. Prominent professors challenge these students to look beyond the boundaries of their own field.
Worldwide scope, international classroom
Erasmus University Rotterdam traditionally maintains close ties with universities, faculties and research schools in Europe, North America and the Far East (Indonesia, Japan). Nowadays, Erasmus University supports its international ambitions by making considerable investments in its global network, primarily targeting South-East Asia (China, Thailand, Vietnam, and Korea).
Delegations of scientists and administrators regularly visit the university for shorter or longer periods of time. The number of foreign students and lecturers arriving grows steadily each year. The atmosphere on campus confirms the university’s international allure. The number of students from abroad who come to EUR increases every year. In 2006 we counted more than 3,000 from 114 different countries.
Once they graduate with a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree, they are well-equipped to work in every part of the world, due to our excellent international reputation. Visits to educational fairs in ‘new’ foreign countries and the increasing numbers of English-language courses and exchange programmes also reinforce the international character. EUR has an excellent reputation throughout the world, and its appeal in foreign countries accordingly.
Students
Erasmus University Rotterdam has 19,781 students.
Distribution by faculty: Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University 5702 Erasmus School of Economics 4213 Erasmus School of Law 3669 Erasmus MC (Medicine and BMG*) 2961 Faculty of Social Sciences 2353 Faculty of History and Arts 679 Faculty of Philosophy 204
(* Health Sciences, Health Policy and Management)
Students that hold a foreign passport 2607 Diplomas 4789
Course participants
Approximately 4,500 people attend courses each year:
Scientific and Support Staff
The scientific staff is headed by 189 professors at the Woudestein campus, as well as 168 professors in Erasmus MC. The university is proud of the 35 women among its professors. EUR employs a total of 2090 people (1165 men and 925 women).