UVA FEB Master

2009 | 2010

Economics and Business Master’s programmes

Cover photo: Economics and Business students Margarita Stoichkova and Vasil Stefanov

Word of welcome Enrolling in a Master’s programme is a big decision that can have a profound impact on your future. Since the quality of Master’s programmes available in the international market varies widely, it is important you make the right choice.

It will probably come as no surprise that as Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Business at the University of Amsterdam (UvA), I have no hesitation in recommending our programmes. We have an interesting portfolio of programmes backed by a prestigious University and taught by a faculty that is internationally renowned. The high quality of our programmes reflects the reputation of our University. Moreover, our courses are truly international in respect of staff, students and content. We also realise that the quality of our programmes is determined to a large extent by the quality of our student body.

We therefore take great care in assessing all applications for admission. Quality is further monitored by means of internal and external assessments and accreditation procedures, ensuring a top-quality and demanding curriculum as well as official recognition of your degree in both the Netherlands and abroad.

Finally, we are located in the fascinating, cosmopolitan, cultural and business centre that is Amsterdam. Our location gives students excellent opportunities for developing contacts and finding internships, as well as for finding employment after graduation. Students also enjoy living in Amsterdam because of its tolerant and multicultural environment and vibrant cultural life.

This brochure provides information about the UvA, the Faculty of Economics and Business and the Faculty’s Master’s programmes. Additional information can be obtained from our website and our staff. The information presented here is intended to assist you in making your choice of a Master’s programme.

If you find the programme that is right for you and we think you are right for us, we will be most pleased to welcome you to the UvA. Professor Tom Wansbeek Dean, Faculty of Economics and Business

University of Amsterdam | Faculty of Economics and Business

Contents Word of welcome

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University of Amsterdam

5

One Faculty, two Schools

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General information

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Accountancy & Control

10

Actuarial Sciences

12

Business Economics

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Economics

16

Econometrics

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Business Studies

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Master of Philosophy in Economics

21

International Finance

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The Amsterdam MBA

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Independent Executive MBA

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international Executive Master of Finance and Control

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Practical matters

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www.feb.uva.nl/education

University of Amsterdam University of Amsterdam The University of Amsterdam (UvA) is a modern university with a rich history. Its predecessor, the Athenaeum Illustre, was established in 16 2 by the Amsterdam city council. Today, the Athenaeum Illustre has grown into a world-class research and teaching university.

The UvA offers a broad range of Bachelor’s and Master’s programmes.

It now has more than 170 Master’s programmes covering almost every academic discipline, from Accountancy & Control to Philosophy, many of which are taught in English. The UvA is thus able to attract a large number of international students, and has countless nationalities represented in its student population. The wide selection of courses available allows students to design a programme to suit their personal ambitions and talents. Students are also given the best support possible both during and after their studies in the form of extensive academic and career coaching.

Many of the Master’s programmes reflect the top international research being conducted in a specific field, thus exposing students to groundbreaking research during their studies. Amsterdam is an inspiring city for students and

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scientists alike. The close proximity of scientific institutes such as SEO Economic Research and the Tinbergen Institute facilitates and enriches research and independent study.

The UvA is a research university with a city as its campus. Many of the UvA’s facilities, such as the University Library and the student cultural organisation CREA, are located in the heart of Amsterdam.

With the cultural and scientific institutes and UvA facilities spread across the city in this way, Amsterdam itself can be said to be the UvA’s true campus.

In the field of academic research, the UvA has a reputation to uphold.

The UvA is ranked 5 rd in the World University Rankings (THES, 2008).

Furthermore, the UvA is the highest ranked university in the Netherlands.

Since the UvA is in contact with universities across the globe, virtually every student can do part of the curriculum abroad or meet students from all over the world in their Amsterdam classroom. The UvA is a member of LERU, a network of renowned European research universities, including the universities of Oxford, Cambridge, UCL, Zurich, Leuven, Leiden and Edinburgh.

University of Amsterdam | Faculty of Economics and Business

City of Amsterdam Amsterdam, famous for its historical buildings and canals, is a multifaceted city bustling with knowledge, commerce, creativity and innovation.

The tolerant atmosphere and the open-mindedness of its inhabitants form an inviting setting for scientists, entrepreneurs and artists alike. They frequently work together, inspiring and stimulating one another, with surprising discoveries, enterprises and creations as the result. It is this dynamic and challenging environment that attracts many national and international students to the city.

The capital of the Netherlands, Amsterdam is an exuberant smallscale metropolis where you quickly feel safe and welcome. The city of Rembrandt van Rijn, H.P. Berlage, Anne Frank and Johan Cruijff, it has a unique cultural and intellectual life.

Countless museums, festivals and artistic groups stage exhibitions and performances all year round. In 2007 Amsterdam was deemed one of the top 15 cities worldwide in terms of quality of living. And with Schiphol, one of Europe’s major airports, a mere 20 minutes away, the world is just around the corner.

Named after the Amstel River, Amsterdam expanded rapidly from the thirteenth century onwards due to a thriving maritime industry,

to become the largest city of the Netherlands in 1500. During the seventeenth century, the so-called Dutch Golden Age, it grew into one of the wealthiest and most powerful cities in the world. It was then that its famous crescent-shaped canals were built. With its tradition of intellectual tolerance, Amsterdam attracted scholars and writers from abroad who were unable to find the same level of freedom in their own countries. Baruch Spinoza and RenĂŠ Descartes flourished here, alongside Dutch painters, poets and scientists such as Johannes Vermeer, Constantijn Huygens and Antonie van Leeuwenhoek. Intellectual and cultural curiosity have prevailed in the Netherlands ever since. This same rich and diverse culture can be found in Amsterdam today, amid a more modern climate of forwardthinking professionalism. Education has always played a vital role in the development of Dutch culture. The UvA, as one of the largest centres of study and research in the Netherlands, continues to be one of its key players.

Studying in an international environment In an effort to create an international environment in which learning and creativity can flourish, the UvA has always encouraged international

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cooperation. It attracts students from all over the world, and presently has more than 2,500 international students and researchers from over 100 countries among its ranks. The UvA currently has one of the largest numbers of international study programmes of any university in Europe.

Most classes at the Master’s level include students with different nationalities and cultural backgrounds. In an era of globalisation and an increasingly international labour market, such an environment helps prepare students for their future careers.

It also allows faculties to seek international standards of excellence.

The curriculum is constantly being developed and today comprises more

than 80 study programmes taught entirely in English. As well as developing new programmes, the UvA constantly strives to improve the quality and efficiency of existing programmes.

Amsterdam now has a broad-based economy, but the most important sectors, with over 120,000 jobs, continue to be business and financial services. The Amsterdam Stock Exchange, the Dutch Central Bank and the global and regional head offices of numerous Dutch and international firms are what make Amsterdam the financial and business heart of the Netherlands, as well as a prestigious international business centre. Master’s programmes at the FEB reflect Amsterdam’s

Faculty of Economics and Business The Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB) was established in 1922 and currently has around ,000 students. The FEB provides a high-level business curriculum with a strong academic basis for national and international undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate students.

The Faculty has an excellent reputation both in the Netherlands and internationally.

international, entrepreneurial, intellectual and socially responsible traditions.

Internationalisation is a keyword at the FEB. The staff, student body, degree programmes and research all have a strong international focus.

The Faculty has also developed a worldwide network of academic partnerships, offering both a wide range of opportunities for our students and a global platform for the exchange of knowledge.

Selection of FEB partner universities

Studying at the FEB also means studying in Amsterdam, a city that is a leader in finance and trade.

International business was born in Amsterdam; the world’s first public stock exchange was founded in Amsterdam and served as an example for stock markets all over the world. The first multinational – the Dutch East India Company, or VOC – was also established here, providing further evidence of the entrepreneurial spirit of the Netherlands in general and Amsterdam in particular.

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■ E scola de Administração de

■ U niversity of Vienna

Empresas de São Paulo da Fundação Getulio Vargas ■ P ontificia Universidad Católica de Chili ■ T ech de Monterey ■ U niversidad del Pacífico ■ U niversidad Torcuato di Tella ■ N ational ChengChi University ■ C hulalongkorn University ■ U niversity of Arizona ■ T echnological University ■ S tern Business School (NYU) ■ B oconni Business School ■ N orwegian School of Management ■ U niversitat Pompeu Fabre ■ C openhagen Business School ■ U niversity of Warwick ■ U T1 Toulouse ■ N anyang Technological University

■ I ndian Institute of Management

Ahmedabad ■ L euven University ■ I nstitute de Politique Sociales:

Science Po, Paris ■ A thens School of Economics and

Business ■ W arsaw School of Economics ■ U niversité de Lausanne ■ C harles University in Prague ■ A cademia de Studii Economice

Bucaresti ■ I ndian Institute of Management

Calcutta ■ P eking University ■ T singhua University ■ F udan University ■ V ietnam National University

Ho Chi Minh City

University of Amsterdam | Faculty of Economics and Business

One Faculty, two Schools Amsterdam School of Economics

Master’s programmes

Master’s programmes

■ M Sc

■ M Sc

Economics ■ M Sc Econometrics ■ M Sc Actuarial Sciences ■ M aster of Philosophy in Economics (MSc)

The Amsterdam School of Economics (ASE) offers several excellent Master’s study programmes in Economics, Econometrics, Actuarial Sciences and Operations Research and Management, all with a strong focus on research. ASE aims to train students for careers in research and leading positions in the public or private sector. Its educational programme fosters the academic ideal of integrated research and teaching. In addition to the regular Master’s programmes, ASE also offers a two-year Research Master of Philosophy in Economics hosted by the Tinbergen Institute, which was positively assessed in 2005 by an international peer review committee of leading scholars chaired

by Prof. Dale W. Jorgenson of Harvard University. Faculty members in the research programmes work on various topics in the broad field of economics and econometrics and publish in top economics journals such as the American Economic Review, Quarterly Journal of Economics, Review of Economic Studies, Journal of Political Economy and Econometrics and in various specialised journals, such as Experimental Economics and Labour Economics.

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Accountancy & Control Business Economics ■ M Sc Business Studies ■ M Sc

Advanced Master’s programmes ■ T he

Amsterdam Business School

Amsterdam MBA of International Finance ■ I ndependent Executive MBA ■ i nternational Executive Master in Finance and Control ■ M aster

Accreditation The Amsterdam Business School (ABS) is responsible for all of the FEB’s business programmes, ranging from Bachelor’s and Master’s to postgraduate, MBA and Executive Master’s programmes. All of the Master of Science programmes are taught in English with the exception of Fiscal Economics, which focuses on topics specific to the Dutch situation. The Bachelor’s programmes are taught in both Dutch and English. The degree programmes have a strong international perspective and are taught by an international staff of lecturers and researchers. The ABS educational philosophy is characterised by small-scale interactive seminars and workshops and case-based programmes designed to stimulate active student participation.

www.feb.uva.nl/education

All of our Master’s programmes have been positively assessed by the Accreditation Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders (NVAO).

Upon completion of their Master’s programme, students receive an accredited Master’s degree. For more information please visit www.nvao.net.

In 2007, the European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD) awarded EQUIS accreditation to ABS. ABS is one of around 100 elite schools, including the London Business School, INSEAD and IMD, that have been awarded this accreditation worldwide.

EFMD

General information International Master’s programmes in Economics and Business Programme Degree Accountancy & Control MSc Actuarial Sciences MSc Business Administration MBA Business Administration MBA Business Economics MSc Business Studies MSc Econometrics MSc Economics MSc Economics (Research) MSc Finance and Control EMFC (RC) International Finance MSc

Mode of study Full-time/Part-time Full-time Full-time/Part-time Part-time (modular) Full-time Full-time/Part-time Full-time Full-time Full-time Part-time Full-time/Part-time

Teaching

Credit system

Students at the UvA are exposed to diverse teaching methods.

Assessment for participation in a course can be based on a written examination, a test, a paper or a combination of all three.

Semesters are composed of units called courses. Each course yields 5 to 10 ECTS credits, in accordance with the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS). This makes it possible to transfer credits more easily between European academic institutions. A full-time study for one academic year yields 60 credits, corresponding to 1,680 hours of study.

The academic year The academic year of the UvA runs from 1 September to mid-July and is divided into two semesters of 21 weeks each. The first semester runs from early September to early February, the second from early February to mid-July. The duration of individual programmes can be found in the specific programme descriptions at www.uva.nl/isp.

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Duration 1 year/1.5 years 1 year 1 year/2 years 1.5 years 1 year 1 year/1.5 years 1 year 1 year 2 years 2.5 years 1 year/2 years

Grading system 10 excellent 9 very good 8 good 7 satisfactory (above average) 6 pass 1 to 5 fail

University of Amsterdam | Faculty of Economics and Business

‘All my classes were small in size, interactive in nature and taught by renowned professors with real-world experience.’ Matthias Kowalsky

Accountancy & Control

The Master’s programme in Accountancy & Control is an intensive and selective programme with a high standard of academic education. The programme has a strong international focus in terms of its content, academic staff and student body. Graduates of the programme are qualified for financial positions not only in auditing and consultancy, but also in industry, banking and government. The programme consists of an Accountancy track and a Control track.

Title: Master of Science (MSc) Duration: 1 year full-time, 2 years part-time Credits: 60 ECTS credits Language: English Programme director: Dr Sander van Triest

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www.feb.uva.nl/education

Programme structure and curriculum

The Accountancy track is intended for students with an interest in financial information flows from and within organisations. Students learn to analyse and satisfy the information needs of senior managers and other stakeholders, both internal and external.

Courses in the Control track provide a multidisciplinary perspective, integrating insights from economics, psychology and organisation theory.

Brendan O’Dwyer from Ireland Professor of Accounting ‘The Master’s programme in Accountancy & Control aims to provide students with a strong analytical knowledge base, combining academic rigour with practical applications. This combination is aimed at instilling in students an intellectual curiosity fostering the life-long learning competencies that are essential to any career in business and accounting. The academic programme relies on the most up-to-date international research to give students a thorough, contemporary understanding of how accounting information can be used to manage and evaluate real-world organisations. High quality, committed, award-winning lecturers guide students through the programme. This guidance enables students to conduct and deliver excellent independent research in their Master’s thesis.’

Graduates therefore have a unique knowledge base of specialised insight into the fields of finance and accounting, as well as a thorough understanding of how accounting information can be used to manage real-world organisations.

The UvA offers intensive programmes in Accountancy & Control for students who wish to combine their Master’s programme with a four-day work week.

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Career prospects

Accountancy & Control Master’s students learn to look at various types of organisations from both a financial and an economic perspective, giving them valuable knowledge, understanding, professional experience and expertise. Job prospects are therefore excellent. In addition to careers as accountants, either under contract or self-employed, Accountancy & Control graduates are qualified for a variety of other positions, including as controllers, financial directors and financial and general management professionals.

Matthias Kowalsky from Germany Alumnus, Accountancy & Control (Accountancy track) ‘After having worked for a few years, I decided that it was time to go back to school and get my Master’s degree.

I was looking for a university with a business school that offered advanced programmes in accounting that were taught in English. The Master’s programme in Accountancy & Control at the UvA proved to be an ideal fit for me.

Even though the UvA is a large university, the quality of services and teaching is good. All my classes were small in size (20-30 students), interactive in nature and taught by renowned professors with realworld experience. The content of classes is relevant to a career in accounting, control or auditing and is internationally orientated, which makes the Master’s programme in Accountancy & Control an excellent option for international students.’

University of Amsterdam | Faculty of Economics and Business

‘My current work is an extension of my thesis research topic. I provide advice to pension funds in the area of policy.’ Martin Bakker

Actuarial Sciences

Title: Master of Science (MSc) Duration: 1 year Credits: 60 ECTS credits Language: English Programme director: Prof. Rob Kaas

The Master’s programme in Actuarial Sciences is the only stand-alone programme of its kind in the Netherlands. One of the features that makes it unique is the wide range of courses in which students can learn about the latest international developments, for example in Fair Value Techniques, Market-Consistent Embedded Value and Solvency II. The programme is taught by leading academics in the field of Actuarial Sciences. In addition, by employing several teachers who work in the industry, we make sure that our students are taught the most up-to-date techniques, practices and insights.

Programme structure and curriculum

Actuarial Sciences is a multidisciplinary Master’s programme that provides balanced and rigorous training in the financial and mathematical analysis of complex issues in insurance.

It focuses on mathematical modelbuilding in the various specialised fields of insurance: life insurance,

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non-life insurance and pension funds. Since the programme as a whole is aimed at developing a scientific attitude and approach, it places a great deal of emphasis on the theoretical foundations of various methods and techniques.

The Master’s programme in Actuarial Science is divided into two semesters, each consisting of

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two terms. Students take three core courses and three electives during the first semester, and one core course and two electives during the second. Students conclude their studies with a Master’s thesis, carried out under the supervision of an actuarial researcher within the Department of Quantitative Economics. Upon successful completion of the programme,

students receive a Master’s degree in Actuarial Sciences and the title Master of Science (MSc).

Career prospects

The Master’s programme in Actuarial Sciences is a one-year programme intended for those who wish to work as an actuary, i.e. an insurance mathematician. An actuary designs and monitors financial security systems. The actuarial profession is currently in a period of transition and has also come to encompass financial risk management outside the insurance sector.

Graduates with a Master’s degree in Actuarial Sciences have excellent career prospects. Many find employment as actuaries or risk managers with insurance companies, actuarial consultancy firms or pension funds. The Master’s programme in Actuarial Sciences also provides a good foundation for pursuing a PhD degree.

Prof. Antoon Pelsser (The Netherlands) Professor of Actuarial Science

Professor Pelsser’s research interests focus on the pricing and marketconsistent valuation of insurance contracts, Asset-Liability Management (ALM) for insurance companies and pricing models for interest rate derivatives. From 2001

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until 2006, Prof. Pelsser held a parttime position as Professor of Mathematical Finance at Erasmus University Rotterdam.

In addition to his academic career, he has also worked in the financial industry. From 200 until 2007, he worked in ING Group’s Corporate Insurance Risk Management department, where he was involved in implementing a new internal model for measuring economic capital for ING-Insurance. From 2000 until 200 , he worked as Head of ALM for Nationale-Nederlanden.

Prior to this, he worked in the dealing-room of ABN-Amro Bank in Amsterdam for seven years, where he was responsible for the development of pricing models for derivatives.

Martin Bakker from the Netherlands Alumnus, Actuarial Sciences ‘The Master’s programme in Actuarial Sciences made a good impression on me when I attended the open day at the UvA. The excellent quality of the programme was emphasised, along with the fact that it enjoys a good reputation in the business world. Although the programme is quite demanding, your efforts are rewarded. In a short period of time, you learn a great deal and this is very satisfying. Some extremely good courses were given in ALM (Asset Liability Management) and I have to say that these were my favourites. In fact, after my studies, ALM became my profession.

I’m now working at a company called ORTEC. This is a company that provides advanced software solutions and consultancy services in the area of planning and optimisation. My current work is an extension of my thesis research topic. I provide advice to pension funds in the area of policy: how can the risks of an economic downturn be managed for employees, retired employees and sponsors? This involves process of collecting data, creating models and calculations, analysing and presenting the findings. You can definitely say that my programme is strongly related to my work.’

University of Amsterdam | Faculty of Economics and Business

‘By quantifying business cases, you learn the reasoning behind human behaviour within organisations.’ Mijke van Ballegooijen

Business Economics

The Organisation Economics track examines the economic performance of organisations in broad terms, staff motivation, allocation of decisionmaking powers, investment decisions, corporate governance and corporate functioning in various types of markets. The course in Economics of Organisation and Management forms the foundation for this track. Students then choose between four further specialisations: Industrial Organisation, Microeconomics, Management Accounting and Corporate Finance.

The Faculty of Economics and Business is one of the few economics faculties in Europe offering a specialisation in Organisation Economics.

Title: Master of Science (MSc) Duration: 1 year Credits: 60 ECTS credits Language: English Programme coordinators: Dr. Alessandro Beber (Finance), dr. Jeroen Hinloopen (Organisation Economics), drs. Gerjan Vos (Real Estate Finance)

Would you like to learn how organisations work? Do you want to know how they make the right investment decisions and how management and staff can be motivated to create as much value for the company as possible?

The Master’s programme in Business Economics gives you the tools and knowledge you need to work for a wide range of organisations in both the commercial and governmental sectors. It is a specialised programme for students with a background in business economics who want to focus on organisational and financing issues.

Programme structure and curriculum

The Master’s programme in Business Economics has three tracks, each with its own professional profile: ■ F inance ■ O rganisation Economics ■ R eal Estate Finance.

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The Finance track concentrates on the workings of financial markets, the financial and economic management of organisations and the use of financial tools by companies and investors. The programme is built around specialised modules, for example, on commercial banking, corporate finance, investment theory, managing bond portfolio risks, financial markets, international finance and so on.

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The Real Estate Finance track is designed to provide advanced insight and training in the financial and economic aspects of commercial real estate. This specialised real estate programme draws on the UvA’s established history of conducting real estate research in Amsterdam in conjunction with the real estate industry itself.

Career prospects

The Finance track opens up a wide range of career opportunities, for example, as an all-round financial analyst, an investment adviser at a merchant bank or perhaps eventually a financial director of a company.

The Real Estate Finance track is ideal for students seeking a career in the real estate industry and related finance. The Organisation Economics track prepares students for management or research positions requiring a knowledge and understanding of economic perspectives with respect to organisations and strategy.

Prof. Enrico Perotti (Italy) Professor of International Finance Chair, Finance Group

After obtaining his PhD in Finance from MIT in 1990, Prof. Enrico Perotti taught at Boston University and the London School of Economics. His research interests are: corporate finance and governance, international finance, political economy and innovation.

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He publishes regularly in top academic journals. Prof. Perotti is a Research Fellow at the Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR), Director of the Amsterdam Center for Research in International Finance (CIFRA), Fellow of the Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan and a member of the National Bureau of Economic Research’s (NBER) research group on Entrepreneurship. He has acted as a consultant for the IMF, the World Bank, the EC and the New York Stock Exchange, amongst others. In the last two years he has been a guest at the IMF research department, the London Business School and the London School of Economics, and has given seminars at Harvard, MIT, Yale, Brown, Berkeley and NYU.

Mijke van Ballegooijen from the Netherlands Alumna, Business Economics ‘When I started to think about what I was going to study, I was unsure whether to choose Business Studies or Business Economics. Even after I enrolled at the UvA, I still hadn’t made up my mind which track to take. It was only when I had the choice of taking Economics of Organisation and Management that I decided to finish my degree in Business Economics. Finally, things fell into place for me. In examining the economics of organisations, certain situations become more concrete. By quantifying business cases, you learn the reasoning behind human behaviour within organisations.

You find out how to base decisions about corporate policy on economic models.

During the course, we had to solve a couple of business cases, which was not only challenging but also illustrative of the kind of work you can expect to do after graduation.’

University of Amsterdam | Faculty of Economics and Business

Economics

Title: Master of Science (MSc) Duration: 1 year Credits: 60 ECTS credits Language: English Programme director: Dr Jeroen Hinloopen

The Master’s programme in Economics teaches students to become the creative and versatile economists our labour market needs today.

It provides both an effective framework and a set of tools for systematically analysing a great variety of economic issues. Students choose courses from an extensive course list. The courses combine training in economic theory with application of economics tools used for practical implementation. The precise proportion of theory and application depends on the courses selected. Students can opt for a theoretical approach and focus on courses such as Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, Game Theory and Experimental Economics.

They can also choose for an emphasis on application and take courses such as Development Economics, Industrial Organisation and Labour Economics.

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Programme structure and curriculum

The Master’s programme in Economics is a one-year programme divided into four blocks (two semesters of two blocks each), in which students must attain a total of 60 ECTS credits to complete the degree.

Students can choose between a general Master’s programme in Economics or a Master’s programme in Economics with a Major specialisation. Majors are offered in the following nine fields: ■ M acroeconomics ■ M icroeconomics ■ H istory of Economic Theory and Methodology of Economics

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■ P ublic

Economics Organisation ■ I nternational Economics ■ D evelopment Economics ■ M onetary Economics and Financial Institutions ■ I nternational Financial Economics.

■ I ndustrial

Career prospects

Graduates of the Master’s programme in Economics have skills that will enable them to work in a variety of occupations. They can work in the Ministries of Finance, Economic Affairs and Social Affairs, government agencies such as the Netherlands Competition Authority, the Dutch Central Bank, various private banks and international organisations such as the IMF,

‘The programme attracted me because of the option of a pure economics degree with various options for specialisation and the fact that it is an international programme with students from all over the world.’ Tally Eldor

OECD and World Bank, as well as in organisations in eastern Europe.

Prof. Lex Hoogduin (The Netherlands) Professor of Monetary Economics

Prof. Lex Hoogduin combines his post as Head of IRIS with his position as Robeco’s Chief Economist. In addition to his functions at Robeco and IRIS, Prof. Hoogduin also holds the chair in Monetary Economics and Financial Institutions at the UvA.

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He earned his Master’s degree in General Economics and completed his PhD at the University of Groningen. He has served in senior positions at the Dutch Central Bank for a number of years and was the former adviser to the President of the European Monetary Institute.

He is a Fellow of the Netherlands Network of Economics (NAKE) and a member of the Advisory Council of the Tilburg Center of Finance.

Tally Eldor from Israel Student, Economics ‘As soon as I finished my army service I left Israel and went travelling. Living in various countries with different standards of living was my first life lesson in economics. I later expanded this with academic experience by doing my Bachelor’s degree in Economics in Tel Aviv, where I graduated in 1998. The day after my last exam I left for Australia, where I continued my adventures for another two years before coming to the Netherlands in 2000. The Master’s programme at the UvA attracted me because of the option of a pure economics degree with various options for specialisation and the fact that it is an international programme with students from all over the world. The programme is very good and has interesting courses.’

University of Amsterdam | Faculty of Economics and Business

‘The econometrics programme at the UvA has an excellent reputation.’ Daniel Ilyas

Econometrics

Title: Master of Science (MSc) Duration: 1 year Credits: 60 ECTS credits Language: English Programme director: Dr Kees Jan van Garderen

The Master’s programme in Econometrics is a multidisciplinary programme that provides balanced and rigorous training in quantitative analysis of problems in economics and finance.

If you choose the free track, a flexible mixture of the three tracks is also possible.

E-Views and OX - to the exploration and analysis of problems in economics and finance.

By the end of the Master’s programme, students will be able to apply advanced mathematical and statistical methods - using such modern software packages as

Career prospects

Programme structure and curriculum

The programme has four tracks: ■ E conometrics ■ F inancial Econometrics ■ M athematical Economics ■ F ree track.

The Econometrics track emphasises statistical techniques for micro-economic and macroeconometric analysis. Financial Econometrics focuses on mathematical and statistical techniques and their application to financial models and time series.

Mathematical Economics emphasises the mathematical modelling of economic and financial markets.

Each track offers electives and field courses from which students can choose.

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Graduates of the Master’s programme in Econometrics have a diverse range of excellent job prospects. Many graduates find

employment in economic policy research departments (e.g. central planning bureaus or governmental institutions) or in the financial sector (pension funds, investments banks, insurance companies).

Prof. Peter Boswijk (The Netherlands) Professor of Financial Econometrics

Prof. Peter Boswijk is also Head of the Department of Quantitative Economics. After obtaining his PhD from the UvA with a thesis on the econometric analysis of nonstationary time series, he received a five-year research grant from the KNAW. He is a Fellow of the Tinbergen Institute, was a Founding Editor of The Econometrics Journal and publishes regularly in such international journals as the Journal of Business and Economic Statistics, Journal of Econometrics and the Journal of Applied Econometrics and Econometric Theory. He has held visiting positions at the University of California in San Diego and at the Universities of Oxford, Aarhus and Trondheim. His current research focuses on efficient (likelihoodbased) inference methods for financial time series, taking into account non-normality and volatility clustering of returns. He has taught courses on intermediate and advanced econometrics, financial econometrics, asymptotic theory and stochastic calculus.

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Dhaniel Ilyas from Indonesia Student, Econometrics ‘I have always dreamed of studying in Europe because of its history, beauty and rich cultures. I have always been interested in studying in fields connected to my Bachelor’s degree in Economics.

Knowledge of econometrics is very useful for economic analysis and will surely help me advance my career. I was very happy to learn I had been accepted into the Master’s programme in Econometrics but I also realised how tough it was going to be, since the econometrics programme at the UvA has an excellent reputation.

I nonetheless wanted to take advantage of the opportunity, and applied for the STUNED scholarship. Fortunately I got the scholarship and started studying and living in Amsterdam. The lecturers are very helpful and supportive. Students have to put in a lot of hard work to understand the material thoroughly.

The courses are interesting and taught me a lot of new things that will be useful in my career.’

University of Amsterdam | Faculty of Economics and Business

‘The Netherlands attracted me because of its high level of education, widespread use of the English language and efficient national economy.’ Kristina Sabulyte

Business Studies

■ S trategy

Title: Master of Science (MSc) Duration: 1 year Credits: 60 ECTS credits Language: English Programme director: Prof. Deanne den Hartog

and Organisation Management ■ G overnance and Valuation ■ E ntrepreneurship ■ M arketing ■ H uman Research Management ■ C ultural Industries.

Core courses in Professional and Research Orientation (5 credits), Design Master Thesis (5 credits) and the Master’s thesis (20 credits) complete the curriculum.

■ I nformation

The Master’s programme in Business Studies trains students to analyse complex organisational issues and to produce practical solutions. This requires not only a thorough knowledge of specialist business literature, but also the ability to apply that knowledge in practice.

Business Studies takes a multidisciplinary approach to organisational issues in context.

Analyses and solutions that are perfectly rational when considered in the framework of any one given disciplinary area – for instance economics, psychology, sociology or political science – will almost always have repercussions in other areas of the organisation.

By viewing issues in a coordinated, plural and managerial way, their consequences can be mapped coherently.

Programme structure and curriculum

The programme allows students to choose three Master’s courses (10 ECTS credits each) from at least two of the following specialisations:

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Management. His research interests are cultural industries, strategic management and entrepreneurship and innovation. New scientific publications are published frequently. Besides his work as a Professor, Nachoem Wijnberg has written novels and poetry. His literary work has received numerous awards, and some of it has been translated.

Career prospects

A Master’s degree in Business Studies opens up a wide range of interesting career opportunities.

Graduates are ideally suited for positions that use business analysis and reflection to strategically and operationally enhance the functioning, improvement and renewal of commercial and non-commercial organisations.

Examples of such positions include organisational consultant, strategic analyst, project leader, HRM manager, information analyst, information manager, account manager, product manager and financial manager.

Prof. Nachoem Wijnberg (The Netherlands) Professor of Cultural Entrepreneurship and Management

Prof. Nachoem Wijnberg holds Master’s degrees in Law and Economics, as well as a PhD in

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Kristina Sabulyte from Lithuania Student, Business Studies ‘After I got my Bachelor’s degree in Business Management and Administration in Lithuania, I started the Master’s programme in Business Studies. The Netherlands attracted me because of its high level of education, widespread use of the English language and efficient national economy. I chose the UvA because I wanted to deepen my professional knowledge and skills, broaden my knowledge of English and acquire a more international perspective.

The programme provides an efficient way of learning, involving literature review focused on original publications, case studies, group work and research studies.

The lecturers are well-prepared academically and always willing to help the students.’

‘A remarkable feature, not always found at top-level universities, is the excellent atmosphere and collaboration among students.’ Prof. Wouter den Haan

Master of Philosophy in Economics

Title: Master of Science (MSc) Duration: 2 years Credits: 120 ECTS credits Language: English Programme director: Prof. Erik Plug

The Tinbergen Institute (TI) is the Research and Graduate School of the economics faculties of the UvA, Erasmus University Rotterdam and VU University Amsterdam.

The programme maintains its high standards by selecting teaching staff from amongst the best researchers of the TI’s three participating economics departments and by inviting internationally renowned experts as guest lecturers.

The programme’s high quality is also maintained by carefully selecting only the best students from the large, international pool of applicants.

Programme structure and curriculum

The first year of the Tinbergen Institute Master of Philosophy programme in Economics offers rigorous training in the core subjects and tools of economics, including: microeconomics, macroeconomics, mathematics, statistics and econometrics. In the second year, students choose a specialisation from among one of the TI’s many fields of

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research, and complete course fieldwork and research for their Master’s thesis. Students can participate in a wide range of related activities organised at the Institute, such as reading groups, seminars and conferences. From September 2008, the Tinbergen Institute will offer a new finance track sponsored by the Duisenberg School of Finance.

Career prospects

The Master’s programme is entirely dedicated to preparing students for PhD research in one of the TI’s three participating departments. Its courses are tailored to the needs and abilities of these students. The programme also gives students ample opportunity to become acquainted with the wide variety of potential PhD thesis supervisors and research fields before they commit to a PhD thesis research position. The PhD programme takes three years and leads to a PhD degree in Economics.

Prof. Wouter den Haan (The Netherlands) Professor of Macro-Economics

The structure of the TI’s programme resembles that of the best economics programmes in the world. Its core courses offer groundbreaking knowledge in the three main fields of economics and the programme offers a spectacular set of field courses. A remarkable feature, not always found at top-level universities, is the

excellent atmosphere and collaboration among students.

This, together with the huge pool of potential advisers that the three participating universities offer, may be an important factor behind the success of so many TI graduates.

Bernd Schwaab from Germany Alumnus, Master of Philosophy in Economics ‘Given that I had already done very well in the first two years of an Economics PhD programme at a decent US university, I expected my MPhil life to be smooth sailing. Gee, was I wrong. I had to severely adjust my learning habits and foster the self-discipline that it takes to understand material at a fundamental level. Of course the effort and long weekends of the first year have been worth it; I know a lot more now than I did back then. And fortunately, secondyear students also have considerable freedom to choose their fields of interest and can pick specialised courses and be creative in writing and presenting their first field papers. My take on good reasons to come to TI, beyond the obvious ones, are the collegial atmosphere among the students (no cut-throat competition whatsoever), virtually no hierarchy, good facilities and a management that really cares about the quality of the programme.’

University of Amsterdam | Faculty of Economics and Business

‘The MIF provided me with a wellbalanced curriculum, academically excellent yet approachable professors and a lively alumni network.’ Vasily Agapov

International Finance

Title: Master of Science (MSc) Duration: 1 year full-time, 2 years part-time Credits: 70 ECTS credits Language: English Programme director: Prof. Arnoud Boot

Since 1996, the Master’s programme in International Finance (MIF) has been providing students with highquality, thorough training

in the theoretical and practical aspects of international finance. This well-established programme draws on the FEB’s reputation as a centre of excellence in finance and financial econometrics.

The Master’s programme in International Finance is open to full-time and parttime students and has a truly international student body and approach to finance.

The programme is ideal both for those wishing to pursue a career in finance and for established finance professionals wishing to enhance their career prospects.

Courses are practice rather than academically oriented, though the programme maintains high academic standards and students learn about the latest research in relevant areas.

Programme structure and curriculum

The MIF programme takes one year (full-time) or two years (part-time) to complete. Students can choose from four tracks: International Finance, Law and Finance, Mathematical Finance and Real Estate Finance. During the first semester, all students complete a core curriculum designed to provide a firm foundation in finance. Halfway into the first semester, students choose the specialised track in which they wish to continue. Each track has four core courses and four electives. The second semester starts in January with an international study trip for all students. The final requirement of the programme is a thesis, which most students complete simultaneously with their internship.

The thesis is usually based on the application of concepts from one of the programme’s core areas to a

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Career prospects

The MIF programme is ideal for those seeking a career in finance and for established finance professionals looking to enhance their career prospects. Graduates go on to work in areas requiring a thorough understanding of the complexities of international finance, such as asset management, corporate finance, project finance and treasury.

Graduates often pursue careers in international organisations, such as international financial institutions, investment banks, multinationals, international consultancies and accounting firms.

Prof. Joost Driessen (The Netherlands) Professor of Financial Derivatives

practical project in the student’s work environment. The internship also gives students an opportunity to apply their academic knowledge to practical situations and provides invaluable professional experience.

In fact, a significant number of students have found jobs in this way.

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Prof. Joost Driessen has published empirical work on credit risk, the term structure of interest rates and interest-rate derivatives, in such journals as the Review of Financial Studies, Journal of Econometrics, Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis and the Journal of International Money and Finance. He has presented his research at many universities, financial institutions and international conferences. His research has been sponsored by a VENI grant from the Netherlands Organisation of Scientific Research (NWO).

Vasily Agapov from the USA Alumnus, MIF ‘I was looking for a programme with a personal approach in an international environment. The quantitative track of the MIF fit the bill precisely. It provided me with a well-balanced curriculum, academically excellent yet approachable professors and a lively alumni network.

Most importantly, the MIF gave me the chance to form lasting friendships with my classmates and to experience student life in Amsterdam. By the time I graduated I was able to secure a full-time offer to join the market risk group at Merrill Lynch in London.’

Prof. Driessen obtained his PhD at Tilburg University. He is currently a Research Fellow at the Tinbergen Institute and Senior Researcher at Netspar, the Dutch network for studies on pensions, aging and retirement. His current research interests include the empirical analysis of derivatives, corporate bonds and credit risk, portfolio choice and the term structure of interest rates. He teaches courses in Derivatives and Risk Management.

University of Amsterdam | Faculty of Economics and Business

‘The Amsterdam MBA provides the perfect training and is an ideal match for me in achieving my ambitions.’ Alexandra Fleschiu

The Amsterdam MBA

Title: Master in Business Administration (MBA) Duration: 1 year full-time, 2 years part-time Credits: 70 ECTS credits Language: English Programme director: Dr Willemijn van Dolen

The Amsterdam MBA is designed to incorporate three R’s: rigour, relevance and reliability. A multidisciplinary programme such as an MBA must be taught with academic rigour. Practicalities differ across industry, geography and time and are crucial to an understanding of underlying theories. We make theory relevant by linking it to practice, bringing the business world into the classroom and taking the student into the business world. The latter includes a study trip to a well-known business school.

Reliability is key to students’ confidence in their knowledge, and to their understanding of the limitations of that knowledge. A business manager needs to be able to talk to various specialists in their own language, but also to know when to defer to their expertise.

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Programme structure and curriculum

The MBA curriculum provides broad coverage of the main functional areas of management: accounting, finance, marketing, operations management, information systems management, law, human resource management, economics and quantitative analysis. The curriculum is highly integrative and includes an international study trip

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and courses in business policy and strategy. Extending beyond the mere acquisition of knowledge and technical skills, the curriculum puts theory into practice by focusing on the personal development of participants through such competencies as decision-making, teamwork, leadership skills, entrepreneurial potential, negotiation skills, communication and presentation skills. Students can

Dr Willemijn van Dolen from the Netherlands Programme director, Amsterdam MBA ‘Both the Amsterdam MBA and the city of Amsterdam have a distinctively international orientation. The Dutch capital is a key commercial and financial centre for international business today. Amsterdam’s central location is appealing to international companies wishing to establish a European base, as well as to entrepreneurs setting out on new and daring ventures. As such, Amsterdam is an inspiring backdrop for our MBA programme, providing an open, entrepreneurial and dynamic setting for a global business education.’

students the high-quality business and management training that will enable them to develop into effective leaders, leaders who convey what our MBA stands for - an international orientation - and characterised by a strong understanding of the importance of a genuine personal approach.

Students conclude the Amsterdam MBA by taking part in a real-life in-company consultancy project.

Some do this in small groups in projects arranged by the Amsterdam Business School, while others opt for individual projects arranged by the school or themselves. By dealing with a real business problem or strategic consultancy issue, students can show their ability to contribute to the development of a targeted solution.

Alexandra Fleschiu from Canada Student, Amsterdam MBA ‘The MBA provides the perfect training and is an ideal match for me in achieving my ambitions. I was attracted by the excellent faculty and international exposure in a great university setting.

In my professional career, which gave me the experience and practical knowledge of a financial setting, I had come to a point where I wanted more development and a boost to a higher level. The business knowledge and the exposure to different viewpoints that I gain from the student community, my peers and esteemed professors will prepare me to achieve my objective of becoming a successful business professional.’

Career prospects

Typically, graduates go on to careers in areas in which a thorough understanding of the complexities of international business is essential, such as in multinational organisations, international consultancy firms, international financial institutions and banks.

Our personal career service helps students to make sound career choices and assists them in areas such as writing a cover letter, preparing a professional CV and good interviewing techniques.

specialise in the following tracks: Finance, Entrepreneurship, Real Estate, Corporate Social Responsibility, Negotiations.

Our keen awareness of the importance of leadership competencies in personal professional development led the establishment of our Amsterdam Leadership Programme®. Through this programme we aim to give

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University of Amsterdam | Faculty of Economics and Business

‘I chose the Independent Executive MBA because it combines the strength of two excellent business schools.’ Dennis Onneweer

Independent Executive MBA

skills’ as entrepreneurship, leadership, team-building and negotiation is an important part of the programme.

Title: Master in Business Administration (MBA) Duration: 18 months Credits: 70 ECTS credits Language: English Programme director: Prof. Jacob de Smit

The Independent Executive MBA starts in January of each year and can be completed in 18 months. Classes take place every third weekend and are held alternately at the Amsterdam Business School and the Vlerick Leuven Gent Management School in Belgium. There are no classes during the week. In addition, two one-week residential blocks are organised in January and July of each year, of which the third week (in the second year) includes an international study trip to India, Russia or China. The programme can be completed without interrupting normal working life, meaning employer support is not essential. Approximately 0 students will be admitted to the programme starting in January 2009. Applicants will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. The Independent Executive MBA aims to have a highly international student body whose members have two things in common: the ambition and the capability to pursue a challenging business degree.

The Independent Executive MBA programme is jointly delivered by the Amsterdam Business School and the Vlerick Leuven Gent Management School. The programme combines the best of both institutions with a variety of the most successful teaching methods currently in use: lectures, group work, case teaching, games and simulations. It culminates in a major consultancy project.

Our Independent Executive MBA programme, with its multinational classes and faculty, make it a major cultural and learning experience both in and outside the classroom.

Programme structure and curriculum

Graduates of the programme are highly educated discussion partners in the main functional areas of management, such as strategic management, accounting finance, marketing, operations management, law, human resource management, economics and quantitative methods.

The development of such ‘people 26

Career prospects

Student’s career opportunities are enhanced in all areas where a thorough understanding of the complexities of international business www.feb.uva.nl/education

Dennis Onneweer from the Netherlands Student, Independent Executive MBA ‘Being a management consultant and programme manager, I felt the need to broaden my horizon and improve both my entrepreneurial and managerial knowledge and skills. I chose the Independent Executive MBA because it combines the strength of two excellent business schools in a fairly priced package of high quality education that is tailored to the needs of experienced fulltime professionals. Vlerick Leuven Gent Management School is renowned for its focus on entrepreneurship. The Amsterdam Business School is respected for its strength in finance. The schedule of weekend classes every three weeks, with the residential weeks and the international study week as an extra, is perfect for the working professional. You do need to take care to manage your time efficiently and make the proper arrangements with family and friends. Yet the reward is there after 18 months, after which you can join ranks of both Vlerick and Amsterdam alumni.’

is essential, e.g. multinationals, international consultancy and accounting firms, international financial institutions and banks.

Entrepreneurs will find themselves much more confident in doing business.

Prof. Joseph A. McCahery (USA) Professor of Corporate Governance and Business Innovation

Prof. Joseph A. McCahery is also a Research Fellow at the Institute of International Corporate Governance and Accountability at George Washington University and a Research Associate at the European Corporate Governance Institute (ECGI) in Brussels. In addition, he is Leo Goldschmidt Visiting Professor of Corporate Governance at Brussels University (ULB).

McCahery obtained his PhD in Law from Warwick University, where he taught until 1997. He serves on the editorial boards of several leading academic journals, and has written widely on banking and securities law, corporate law, corporate governance, the political economy of federalism and taxation. He is a consultant to the OECD, the Centre for European Policy Studies and a number of financial institutions and governmental agencies. In addition, he is currently co-Director of the Amsterdam Centre for Corporate Finance.

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University of Amsterdam | Faculty of Economics and Business

‘We continuously challenge our staff to improve our curriculum, our business processes and our teaching materials.’ Prof. Eddy Vaassen

international Executive Master of Finance and Control

Title: Executive Master in Finance and Control (EMFC) Duration: 2.5 years Credits: 60 ECTS credits Language: English Programme director: Prof. Eddy Vaassen

The international Executive Master’s programme in Finance and Control (iEMFC) is a joint programme of Maastricht University and the UvA. Two degrees are awarded: the Dutch Registered Controller (RC) degree and the Executive Master in Finance and Control (EMFC).

Programme structure and curriculum

The iEMFC programme is set up for university graduates employed in international financial practice who have at least two years of experience working in finance and a Master’s level background in finance, accounting or information management. The target group comprises employees from multinational corporations that either have their headquarters in the Netherlands or have important ties with Netherlands-based firms.

In view of the international focus of the programme, it is particularly appropriate for expats at these corporations. Typically, these are candidates rated as ‘high potential’

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www.feb.uva.nl/education

Prof. Eddy Vaassen from the Netherlands Programme director, international Executive Master of Finance and Control ‘Our mission is to offer high-quality education by specialised teaching staff to experienced practitioners with a university degree in order to enhance their practical performance and career opportunities in Finance and Control. In doing so, we wish to promote recognition of the Universiteit Maastricht Business School and the Amsterdam Business School as the providers of such education. We believe this can be accomplished by offering a programme that is innovative, focused, international, integrative, coherent, intensive and selective toward potential participants and potential teaching staff. To provide such education, we continuously challenge our teaching and support staff to improve curriculum, business processes and our teaching materials.’

by their employers, and supported as such. The benchmark for admission is a Master’s degree in Business Administration. Candidates are selected on the basis of this minimal requirement, which means that some applicants may require additional individual instruction and training prior to enrolment. In addition to these formal academic requirements, corporations employing candidates may have to give their official support. The programme includes six seminars of two weeks each, in March, July and November. The seminars are held alternately in Maastricht (twice), Boston (once), Shanghai (once) and Amsterdam (twice).

Career prospects

Students will enhance their career options by enrolling in this programme and successful graduates can expect to progress to CFO and possibly CEO positions in the short term.

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Emma Labas from France Alumna, Executive Master of Finance and Control ‘This Executive Master’s programme appealed to me because its content is perfectly in line with my current position as a junior controller for the retail company Albert Heijn and for the development of my career. Although I have lived in the Netherlands for three years now, my Dutch was not good enough to take classes in Dutch, so the English iEMFC programme was the logical step for me. The programme is very good for various reasons. The lecture topics are diverse and range from finance to supply chain management. This broad view really enhances the quality of a controller’s everyday business life. Not only is the programme itself very useful, it is also extremely beneficial because of the discussions with other students.

I have high expectations for my career now. There are always opportunities in the Ahold Group and having an international background in the Netherlands gives you lots of prospects.’

University of Amsterdam | Faculty of Economics and Business

Practical matters Amsterdam School of Economics

General admission requirements

■ Cambridge

Applicants must have at least a Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field (e.g. Business, Business Economics, Commerce, Economics). A Master’s degree is required for the international Executive Master of Finance and Control and desired for the other advanced Master’s programmes.

English language proficiency

International Examinations, with minimum scores of A/B+ for CAB, B for CPE or A+ for FCE (source: ISP brochure); ■ D utch students: pre-university (VWO) level of English.

Some programmes have additional requirements such as GMAT, a mathematical test, work experience, an interview or references. For more detailed information, see the individual programme websites.

Visa and residence permit

Non-native English speakers must pass an English-language proficiency test. Such English speakers are exempted from taking such a test provided they have earned their degrees in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom or the United States. The following tests are accepted: ■ T OEFL, with a minimum score of 600 (paper-based), 250 (computerbased) or 100 (Internet-based).

Students must have an official copy of the results sent directly by the TOEFL institute to the programme they are applying for.

The TOEFL reporting number for the UvA’s Faculty of Economics and Business is 0 98; ■ E LTS (academic module) with a minimum score of 6.5;

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The UvA helps students who need to apply for a visa or residence permit. Your programme manager or admissions officer will be able to assist you further.

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Amsterdam Business School Scholarships

Amsterdam Merit Scholarships

The UvA aims to attract the world’s brightest students to its international classrooms. Outstanding students from outside the European Economic Area can apply for an Amsterdam Merit Scholarship. Some programmes (e.g. Like MBA and MIF) have their own tuition waiver scheme. For more information on this and other scholarship programmes, see www.uva.nl/scholarships or www.grantfinder.nl.

Housing

Working during your studies

Rent for single rooms in Amsterdam varies from approximately € 00 to € 600 a month. Rent for shared accomodation is approximately € 00 a month. The UvA is able to guarantee housing for students of the Faculty of Economics and Business. www.studeren.uva.nl/housing

Living expenses In addition to the tuition fees and accommodation expenses, students need approximately € 00 to € 500 a month for other expenses. Insurance costs around € 50 a month. Overall living expenses in Amsterdam vary from between € 550 to € 1, 00 a month (including rent).

Students from EU countries or Norway, Liechtenstein and Iceland are not required to have a work permit in order to work in the Netherlands. Exceptions are the following EU countries: Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia. The same requirements apply to students from these countries as to students from nonEU countries. Students from nonEU countries require a work permit and may work either 10 hours a week year round or a maximum of 520 hours in a seasonal job during June, July and August.

Insurance Every resident of the Netherlands is required to have appropriate health insurance. This includes international students. General liability insurance is also recommended. Before you come to the Netherlands, please make sure your health insurance will cover the entire period of your stay. If your current healthcare insurance will not cover your stay abroad, you can choose to apply for either private student insurance or ‘basic’ Dutch healthcare insurance (basisverzekering), depending on your situation. www.uva.nl/insurance

Study materials Depending on the course, the costs of books and other study materials can vary, ranging from approximately € 500 to € 1,000 in total. For more information on finances, see www.uva/isp or www.student.uva.nl/eco (under ‘Practical matters’)

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University of Amsterdam | Faculty of Economics and Business

Health and well-being

applies in most cases. Student psychologists are available to help UvA students with psychological/ social problems. There is also a chaplaincy where students can get advice from a priest, rabbi or humanistic adviser on issues they

The UvA has its own medical and general health and welfare services.

Students with medical or dental complaints can see a University doctor or dentist; a reduced fee

might not feel comfortable discussing with other students. www.uva.nl/isp (see ‘Coming to Amsterdam’).

Computer facilities UvA students receive an UvAnetID upon enrolment. This provides access to a range of online services including student email, Blackboard and Studyweb. Students also receive a personal email account, a homepage, free Internet dial-up access and discounts on UvA-dsl cable internet access and various software products. In addition, 100MB of storage space is available for each student to use on the UvA network’s U-drive. www.student.uva.nl/english/facilities.cfm

Libraries The UvA’s library facilities comprise the University Library and an additional seven faculty libraries.

The UvA has an extensive collection that includes some four million titles, plus a large collection of rare manuscripts, letters and maps.

Students have access to the collections free of charge. The UvA also has an extensive Digital Library that is accessible to all UvA students and staff. www.uba.uva.nl

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University restaurants

Student organisations

Food in the two university restaurants, Atrium and Agora, is good and cheap.

Both restaurants also have a bar.

Most Faculty departments have their own student organisations.

These organisations advocate the protection and promotion of student interests, and organise such things as excursions, social activities and book discounts. They also play an important role in departmental and faculty committees.

University Sports Centre The University Sports Centre (USC) offers fitness facilities and a wide range of fitness classes for students, covering everything from aikido to swimming. The USC also has numerous gyms, an infrared sauna, sunbeds and a sports cafĂŠ. Students pay a small fee for the use of USC facilities, which are housed at various UvA locations. www.usc.uva.nl

CREA CREA, the cultural organisation of the UvA and the HvA, organises courses and workshops in theatre, music, dance, literature, the visual arts, video, radio, multimedia and photography. In the context of CREA Studium Generale, it often cooperates with student organisations to organise debates, lectures and film screenings. CREA also has its own cafĂŠ and theatre, in which around 100 performances, concerts, events and exhibitions are held annually.

International student network The International Student Network Amsterdam (ISN-A) takes care of the social and cultural integration of international students studying at the UvA. To this end, it organises a wide variety of activities, including movie nights, weekly drinks, cultural outings and excursions. www.isn-amsterdam.nl

www.crea.uva.nl

University of Amsterdam | Faculty of Economics and Business

Colophon Edition

University of Amsterdam October 2008 Photos

Henny Boogert, Dirk Gillissen, Jeroen Oerlemans, Ineke Oostveen Design

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Wherever commercial organisations are mentioned by name in this brochure, this is not because the University of Amsterdam favours or benefits from mentioning them in any way. No rights can be derived from the contents of this brochure. Š University of Amsterdam

University of Amsterdam Faculty of Economics and Business Roeterseiland - Building E Roetersstraat 11 1018 WB Amsterdam The Netherlands www.uva.nl/masters

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