Campus The Hague presents ambitious plans to Mayor Van Zanen
Leiden University’s Campus The Hague has published its new strategy for the next ten years. Martijn Ridderbos, Vice-Chairman of the Executive Board, and Erwin Muller, Director of Campus The Hague, presented this today to Jan van Zanen, Mayor of The Hague.
Leiden University is a university in two cities, thus combining the best of two worlds. Leiden is our long-established scientific basis and The Hague our young, vibrant Campus. The Campus has grown dramatically over the past 20 years and will continue to make significant advances with its research, teaching and impact in the years to come.
Wide range of programmes directly linked to the city
An important objective of the new strategy is a responsible increase in the bachelor’s and master’s programmes and training for professionals at the Campus. While developing these new programmes, the University will take account of the city’s needs and the Campus The Hague strategy. One example of innovation is the planned Academy for Professionals in The Hague, which will offer a range of courses especially for professionals. The University also wants to stimulate and expand the research in The Hague. The emphasis will lie on collaboration with a range of organisations. The research at Campus The Hague is always directly linked to the city’s urban character and international reputation as City of Peace, Justice and Security, and aligns with our partners’ current agendas. In order to expand our teaching and research, we will need new facilities over the next few years, and the University and the Municipality signed a letter of intent pertaining to this on 6 November.
Wealth of opportunities
Mayor Jan van Zanen: ‘Leiden University’s new plans in The Hague will foster the development of The Hague as an international student city. The Campus also provides opportunities to the residents of The Hague – school students and professionals. And the University possesses a wide range of knowledge that can be applied to research into urban and international issues.’ Vice-Chairman Martijn Ridderbos agrees: ‘The city of The Hague offers the University a wealth of opportunities for new forms of research and teaching. I’m pleased that the Municipality of The Hague and Leiden University will collaborate intensively to improve the University’s teaching and research in The Hague.’
Impact on the city
It is with its teaching and research that Campus The Hague has the greatest impact on society, but it hopes to make a difference in other ways too. The Campus is consequently in permanent contact with local parties and stakeholders to discuss how the University can be of most help to the city. Erwin Muller: ‘We think it is important to make talent development possible for all population groups in The Hague. We want to promote equal opportunities, inclusion and a greater sense of community in the city.’ The Campus plans to invest in making higher education attractive and accessible to school students who would not usually go to university. Over the next few years, the Campus aims to assist in the educational emancipation of these groups and hence indirectly in reducing segregation in the city.
Picture: from left to right Martijn Ridderbos, Jan van Zanen en Erwin Muller.
Photographer: Nicole Romijn