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| Utrecht University | |
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| Latin: Universitas Rheno-TraiectinaorUniversitas Ultraiectina | |
| Motto | Sol Iustitiae Illustra Nos |
| Motto in English | Sun of Righteousness, shine upon us |
| Established | 1636 |
| Type | Public, general |
| Rector | Bert van der Zwaan |
| Admin. staff | 5,295 |
| Students | 30,449 |
| Location | Utrecht, Netherlands |
| Website | www.uu.nl |
Utrecht University (Dutch: Universiteit Utrecht, formerly Rijksuniversiteit Utrecht) is a university in Utrecht, Netherlands. It is one of the oldest universities in the Netherlands and one of the largest in Europe. Established March 26, 1636, it had an enrollment of 30,449 students in 2012, and employed 5,295 faculty and staff. In 2011, 485 PhD degrees were awarded and 7,773 scientific articles were published. The 2013 budget of the university was €761 million.[1]
The university is rated as the best university in the Netherlands by both the Times Higher Education World University Ranking 2011 and the Shanghai Ranking of World Universities 2012, and ranked as the 12th best European university and the 68th best university of the world by the former ranking and 12th best European university and 53th best of the world by the latter.
The university's motto is "Sol Iustitiae Illustra Nos," which means "Sun of Justice, shine upon us." This motto was gleaned from a literal Latin Bible translation of Malachi 4:2. Utrecht University is led by the University Board, consisting of Yvonne van Rooy (President), prof. dr. Bert van der Zwaan (Rector Magnificus) and Hans Amman.
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Utrecht University was founded on March 26, 1636. The inaugural speech was given by influential professor of theology Gisbertus Voetius, and Bernardus Schotanus (professor of law and mathematics) was the university's first rector magnificus. Initially, only a few dozen students attended classes at the university. Seven professors worked in four faculties: philosophy, which offered all students an introductory education, and three higher-level faculties (theology, medicine and law).
Utrecht University flourished in the seventeenth century, despite competition with the older universities of Leiden (1575), Franeker (1585) and Groningen (1614) and the schools of Harderwijk (1599; a university since 1648) and Amsterdam (1632). Leiden, in particular, was a strong competitor and made further improvement necessary. A botanical garden was built on the grounds of the present Sonnenborgh Observatory, and three years later the Smeetoren added an astronomical observatory. The university attracted many students from abroad (especially Germany, England and Scotland). They witnessed the intellectual and theological battle the proponents of the new philosophy (René Descartes lived for a few years in Utrecht) fought with the proponents of the strict Reformed theologian Voetius.
In 1806, the French occupants of the Netherlands downgraded Utrecht University to an école secondaire (high school), but after the establishment of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in 1813 it regained its original status. Leiden, Groningen and Utrecht were the three universities (Dutch: hoge scholen) of the new state, and Leiden received the title of eerste hoge school ("first university"). Utrecht played a prominent role in the golden age of Dutch science. Around 1850 the "Utrechtian School" of science was formed with Pieter Harting, Gerardus J. Mulder, Christophorus H. D. Buys Ballot and Franciscus C. Donders among the leading scientists. They introduced the educational laboratory as a practical learning place for their students. The University is represented in the Stichting Academisch Erfgoed, a foundation with the goal of preserving university collections.
The university consists of seven faculties:
There are three interfaculty units:
De Uithof (Utrecht University modern campus)
University College Utrecht
University College Utrecht
The two large faculties of Humanities and Law are situated in the inner city of Utrecht. The other five faculties and most of the administrative services are located in De Uithof, a campus area on the outskirts of the city. University College is situated in the former Kromhout Kazerne, which used to be a Dutch military base.
Juridische Bibliotheek (Law Library)
Student life in Utrecht
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This section may contain wording that promotes the subject in a subjective manner without imparting real information. (September 2012) |
If the old city of Utrecht offers both medieval and contemporary surroundings, the reputation of the university is a growing factor in the decision of its students to enroll. Indeed, prospective students consider the academic excellence of the teaching and the highest Research standards more than any other factor. In 2009, 92% of surveyed students said that "Utrecht University has an excellent reputation" against 72% only in 2007.[citation needed] The collaboration between students and academic staff, the excellence in Research and the curriculum played a strong role in the decision to apply for 48% of prospective students against 7% in 2007. Compared to previous surveys, the reputation is of growing importance for the choice of the study programme as opposed to the attractiveness of the city.
In September 2007, Utrecht University proposed:
In this regard, Utrecht proposes the widest range of English-taught programmes in the Netherlands. Finally, Utrecht reinforces its international status each year. In 2007, the university welcomed 1900 international students from 125 different countries (6.5% of the total student population).
Utrecht University counts a number of distinguished scholars among its alumni and faculty, including 12 Nobel Prize laureates and 13 Spinoza Prize laureates:
| University rankings | |
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| Global | |
| Times[3] | 67 |
| QS[4] | 85 |
| Europe | |
| Times[5] | 17 |
On the 2011 Academic Ranking of World Universities list, the University of Utrecht was ranked 48th in the world and the highest in the Netherlands. It was among the top 50 universities for six consecutive years starting from 2003. In the 2011 QS World University Rankings,[6] Utrecht was ranked 80th.
| Year | Rank (Change) |
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| 2003 | 40 |
| 2004 | 39 ( 1) |
| 2005 | 39 ( ) |
| 2006 | 40 ( 1) |
| 2007 | 42 (2) |
| 2008 | 47 (5) |
| 2009 | 52 (5) |
| 2010 | 50 (2) |
| 2011 | 48 (2) |
In 2010 QS World University Rankings[7] ranked Utrecht University 83rd in the world.
On the 2009 THE–QS World University Rankings, the University of Utrecht was among the top 150 universities for the sixth consecutive year, and among the top 100 universities for the fourth consecutive year.
| Year | Rank (Change) |
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| 2004 | 120 |
| 2005 | 120 () |
| 2006 | 95 (25) |
| 2007 | 89 (6) |
| 2008 | 67 (22) |
| 2009 | 70 (3) |
Human Resources & Labor Review, a human competitiveness index & analysis published in Chasecareer Network, ranked the university 50th internationally in 2010 as one of 300 Best World Universities.[8]
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