NewsUniversity of Leiden
Academy of Creative and Performing Arts, Institute for Cultural Disciplines
Leiden is a typical university city, hosting the oldest university in the Netherlands (1575). The University permeates the local surroundings; University premises are scattered throughout the city, and the students who live and study in Leiden give the city its relaxed yet vibrant atmosphere.
Leiden University is the oldest university in the Netherlands. It was founded in February 1575, as a gift from William of Orange to the citizens of Leiden after they had withstood a long siege by the Spanish.
It was the first university in the Netherlands to practise freedom of belief and religion, as reflected in the university's motto, Praesidium Libertatis, Bastion of Liberty. It was this atmosphere of freedom of speech that provided the right environment for philosophers such as Spinoza and Descartes to develop their ideas.
In Leiden there are approximately 17,000 students and 4,000 staff members. The University consists of 6 faculties, a School of Education (teacher training), and a Campus in The Hague. The University houses the faculties of Archaeology, Humanities, Law, Medicine/LUMC (Leiden University Medical Center), Mathematics and Natural Sciences and Social and Behavioural Sciences.
The faculties offer a varied range of bachelor's, master's and PhD programmes. In addition, three other units offer post-academic training: the Institute for Environmental Sciences (CML), the School of Education (ICLON) and Campus The Hague. The latter specialises in post-academic training in the field of law and political science for those working in the public sector, the legal sector or the corporate world.
The three guiding principles of the University are:
1. an international orientation;
2. the research-intensive character of the University;
3. maintaining the quality of education and research.
Central to these principles is the issue of talent. In the coming years, the University intends to make major contributions to society in the areas of prosperity, well-being and culture. Talent is indispensable to the realisation of that ambition. To this end, the University is committed to both recruiting and developing talent. This will involve secondary school pupils, university students, and young researchers and academics
Academy of Creative and Performing Arts, Institute for Cultural Disciplines
P.O. Box 9500
Leiden
2300 RA
Netherlands
Phone: +31 (0)71 527 27 27
Email: info@leidenuniv.nl
Web: www.leiden.edu/
