About us 2023

About us

Our vision

The climate crisis, pandemics, war, refugees and poverty. These are just some of the global issues that Leiden University aims to address in its research and teaching. Leiden has been developing, disseminating and applying pioneering academic knowledge in the social and behavioural sciences, humanities, law, archaeology, and the natural and medical sciences since 1575. The University has a presence in Leiden and The Hague, and works intensively with a wide range of partners. We are the voice of reason in the societal and political debate.

People are at the heart of our organisation. We work to create an open and learning organisation in which our students and staff can get the best out of themselves: from lecturers to IT staff and from facilities staff to PhD candidates.

The Executive Board – Hester Bijl, Annetje Ottow and Martijn Ridderbos (l-r) – are engaged with connecting and innovating on a daily basis.

OUR CORE VALUES

Connecting: listening, to one another and to society.

Innovative: seeking new knowledge and understanding, pushing boundaries, being curious.

Responsible: taking responsibility for academic integrity, an inclusive community and how we interact with one another.

Free: offering scope for different perspectives and ideas, open discussion and curiosity-driven research.

We value our university’s position on sustainability, diversity and inclusion, internationalisation and digitalisation.

‘By working intensively with partners, we are able to maintain our position as an innovative and pioneering institution, while at the same time increasing our research impact.’

Our teaching

Small classes, contact with different cultures and innovative learning methods are what characterise our teaching. Exploratory learning and personal supervision are central to this. We use innovative teaching methods, including digital and hybrid methods if they will benefit our students and staff, and offer scope for talent, individual choices, and both in-depth and broad-based learning.

Academic and societal challenges are integral to our teaching. Our aim is to train students as academic professionals and engaged, responsible citizens who will help resolve the challenges of our time. We also encourage lifelong learning in our training for professionals.

Emily Strange, the winner of the Leiden Teaching Prize 2022, links her research with her teaching.

‘For me, research and teaching are one and the same. My research feeds into my teaching, and my teaching and experiences in the classroom, inspired by students from different backgrounds, feed into my research.’

Our research

6 research clusters:

• Fundamentals of science

• Life sciences

• Health and well-being

• Law, politics and administration

• Languages, cultures, arts and societies

• Artificial Intelligence

8 interdisciplinary programmes:

• Society, artificial intelligence and life sciences

• Museums, collections and society

• Social resilience and security

• Citizenship and global transformations

• Population health

• Drug discovery and development

• Regenerative medicine

• Liveable planet – Sustainable futures

In our groundbreaking research, we work on gaining a better understanding of the world around us. At the same time, society looks to universities for answers to current issues and problems. Our researchers therefore work both on research that takes societal issues as a starting point and on free, independent and fundamental research that can generate new knowledge. We continue to strengthen the disciplines while also encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration in our research.

Behavioural scientists Dietsje Jolles, Rachel Plak and Kiki Zanolie (l-r), work with young people on new forms of science communication.

‘When young people talk together and inspire and spark off one another, a new form of science communication emerges, for and by young people.’

Our researchers

29.5% of our professors are women

450 PhDs

7,088 academic publications

Our researchers are the driving force behind new knowledge. They work intensively and increasingly across disciplinary boundaries, with one another, with colleagues at home and abroad and with partners in society or industry. This collaboration is essential to academic practice. Our researchers are good at securing academic grants and prizes, and have received the most Spinoza Prizes (26), the country’s highest academic award, of any institution in the Netherlands. Many of our researchers actively participate in societal and political debate, in the media and at public events where they share their knowledge with society. Researchers at Leiden University are given every opportunity to develop their talents; teaching and leadership skills are a key part of this.

Joanne van der Leun, Dean of Leiden Law School, wants to bring disciplines together and make a joint impact.

‘Together we can contribute to a just society. It is important to work together at the interface between law, ethics and technology, on such issues as health, sustainability and security.’

Our impact

19 patent applications

17 licences

16% of our revenue from third parties comes from contract work for businesses

11% of our revenue from third parties comes from contract work for national government

We want our research and teaching to help make the world a better place. Our researchers influence society, for example through publications and PhDs, policy advice, collaboration with industry and NGOs, advisory boards, lectures, and media appearances. Our knowledge contributes to resolving the challenges of today and tomorrow, and our research leads to patents, start-ups and innovation. We also work together with businesses, such as those at the Leiden Bio Science Park, and promote entrepreneurship. Our students have an impact through internships, projects, voluntary work and other activities – and of course after they graduate. Together with universities of applied sciences and vocational training colleges, we promote student entrepreneurship at PLNT, the Leiden Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

Mario van der Stelt, Professor of Molecular Physiology, conducts innovative research into drug development.

‘My ambition is to develop new drugs to treat cancer and brain disease, to do that faster and cheaper, and to get these drugs to patients sooner.’

Our students

Our students are the professionals of tomorrow who will use their knowledge and skills to make our world a better place. At our university, they develop into independent members of the academic community and take an active part in research projects. Alongside promoting knowledge acquisition and critical thinking, we encourage our students to reflect (and self-reflect) and work on their personal development, and to participate in activities outside their own degree programmes. Many of our students are members of a student, sport or study association, which makes a positive contribution to their development and well-being. We promote an inclusive and diverse study environment and provide space for diverse, cultural and international perspectives and input.

Students Hawra Nissi, Chiraz Hassoumi and Talisha Schilder (l-r), who were nominated for the ECHO award bring people together.

‘Different life experiences have inspired our efforts to make work and learning environments a better reflection of society. Diversity and inclusion are key to this.’

Our alumni

139,270 registered alumni

10,346 alumni abroad

4,780 master’s graduates in 2022

4,531 bachelor’s graduates in 2022

Our alumni find employment in a variety of roles at home and abroad, and make a valuable contribution to society with their knowledge and experience. They often continue to be involved with the University and help our students, for instance by giving guest lectures, being part of our mentor network and sharing information about the job market. As a university, we invest in the personal and professional development of our alumni, for example by providing knowledge and information, offering opportunities for career and network development and organising events. Leiden alumni and others who feel a strong affinity with the University contribute with donations to our research and teaching, for example through the Leiden University Fund (LUF). Their support enables the University to conduct groundbreaking research on relevant societal themes.

Graduate Aniek Moonen ensures young people’s voices are heard in the climate debate.

‘My mission in life is to stop climate change and at the age of 25 I am already able to make a huge impact, for example by holding talks with members of the Dutch parliament.’

Our collaboration

FOR EXAMPLE WITH:

• Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC)

• Leiden Bio Science Park (LBSP)

• Leiden Global

• Leiden-Delft-Erasmus Universities

• Medical Delta

• Leiden University Fund (LUF)

• Leiden museums

• Municipalities of Leiden and The Hague

• League of European Research Universities (LERU)

• UNA Europa

• NVIC Cairo

• KITLV Jakarta

Sharing knowledge, joining forces and collaborating strategically are more important than ever for accumulating knowledge and attracting research funding. Research and teaching are teamwork. It is only by working together that we can achieve our ambitions and contribute to society with innovative knowledge and teaching. Leiden University therefore has many knowledge and educational partners close to home, in Leiden and The Hague, for instance, but also in Europe and the rest of the world, in Brussels and Indonesia, for example.

Ecologist Maarten Schrama develops methods to improve agriculture, together with farmers and agricultural organisations.

‘In the Polder Lab farmers, researchers and citizens are doing bold experiments together in search of new forms of agriculture.’

Our organisation

Our university is more than teaching and research alone. The incredible achievements of our students and researchers are only possible with the support of our administrative and professional staff. It is thanks to their motivation, inspiration and enthusiasm that the quality of our teaching and research remains high.

Our renowned collections and excellent research facilities also contribute to this. These collections can be found at Leiden University Libraries (UBL), a treasure trove of heritage for researchers, students and visitors. We also have high-tech instruments and a Hortus botanicus.

The University has a presence in two cities – Leiden and The Hague – and is governed by the Executive Board whose members are appointed by the Board of Governors.

• President Professor Annetje Ottow: strategy, knowledge transfer, alliances and external relations

• Rector Magnificus Professor Hester Bijl: research and teaching

• Vice-Chairman Martijn Ridderbos: HRM, finance, real estate, ICT and research infrastructure.

The Executive Board intensively discusses strategy and policy with the deans of the seven faculties:

• Archaeology

• Governance and Global Affairs

• Humanities

• Law

• Medicine/LUMC

• Science

• Social and Behavioural Sciences.

The University Council, which comprises elected students and staff, is the University’s co-participation body.

Chris Suijker, a project manager at the Real Estate directorate, works on operational innovation.

‘The University gives me plenty of opportunity to develop. I’m involved with the campus development in Leiden city centre and with making our buildings more sustainable.’

Our history

HIGHLIGHTS FROM OUR HISTORY:

• Rembrandt van Rijn studied at our university (1620)

• Sophia Antoniades was our first female professor (1929)

• Rudolph Cleveringa gave his protest speech (1940)

• King Willem Alexander graduated (1993)

• Nelson Mandela received an honorary doctorate (1999)

Leiden University was founded in 1575 and was, as the story goes, a gift from William of Orange to the city of Leiden for its people’s courage during the siege by the Spanish. Our motto is praesidium libertatis, bastion of freedom. For our university, open debate that welcomes different opinions is a key part of our philosophy. Freedom of speech and thought unites us every single day.

Our historical buildings in the centre of Leiden, our collections at the Hortus botanicus and the University Library and our ties with the many museums in Leiden are all witness to our rich history.

University historian Pieter Slaman links the University’s history with the world of today.

‘It is important to keep our history alive. There are valuable constants in our past that we can fall back on, like being open to new ideas and to outsiders.’

Our strategy

OUR AMBITIONS (2022-2027) FROM OUR STRATEGIC PLAN INNOVATING AND CONNECTING:

• Space for innovation

• Pioneering interdisciplinary research and teaching

• Future-proof student development

• A healthy, engaged and learning community

• More value through strategic collaboration

• Ample scope for talent and development

Leiden University intends to be a trailblazer and to remain relevant now and in the future; our continuing commitment to innovation is key to this. Our aim is to increase the impact of our research and teaching on society and academia. We particularly want to strengthen our connections, for example between academic disciplines and between researchers. We work with existing and new partners with a view to identifying new opportunities for research and teaching. At the same time, we are intensifying the interaction between our university and society, and are building a strong university community where the professional growth of our staff and the development of our students are given every opportunity to flourish. We create knowledge and value in partnership with one another and with the world around us.

Bastiaan de Roo, the director of PLNT Leiden, encourages students in Leiden and The Hague to develop entrepreneurial skills.

‘It’s great to see how motivated our students are to change the world through entrepreneurship and innovation.’