Type state Rector Prof. dr. Arthur Mol Undergraduate tuition and fees 1,984 EUR (2016) Founded 1918 | Established 1918 Province Gelderland Phone +31 317 480 100 Number of students 10,380 (2015) | |
Motto To explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life Executive Board President Prof. dr. ir. Louise Fresco from July 1, 2014 Administrative staff 6500 total (including 185 full professors) Address 6708 PB Wageningen, Netherlands Student nationalities 106 (44% of the postgraduates) Notable alumni Louise Fresco, Jeroen Dijsselbloem, Simon Vroemen, Jan Just Bos, Marijke Vos Similar Radboud University Nijmegen, Utrecht University, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, University of Groningen, Delft University of Techno Profiles | ||
Wageningen University & Research (also known as Wageningen UR; abbreviation: WUR) is a Dutch public university in Wageningen, Netherlands. It consists of Wageningen University and the former agricultural research institutes (Dienst Landbouwkundig Onderzoek (DLO)) of the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture. Wageningen UR trains specialists (BSc, MSc and PhD) in life and social sciences and focuses its research on scientific, social and commercial problems in the field of life sciences and natural resources. In the field of life sciences, agricultural and environmental science, the university is considered world-class. According to the Times Higher Education World University Rankings it is the best university in the Netherlands and No. 1 worldwide, in agriculture and forestry for 2016 on the QS World University Rankings charts.
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Wageningen University
Wageningen University offers undergraduate and professional degrees, including doctorates. The university has about 10,000 students from over 100 countries. Its core focus is the life and agricultural sciences. It is a member of the Euroleague for Life Sciences (ELLS) university network.
Wageningen University was the first Dutch University or school that was allowed to use the ECTS label. This label is awarded by the European Commission and guarantees the quality of the study programme. An important consideration is that the University consequently applies the European Credit Transfer System; this promotes the mobility of students within Europe and prevents study delay. The label is an acknowledgment of the international character of the University. Out of 56 European applications in 2005, only 3 ECTS labels were awarded.
BSc programmes
Wageningen University offers 20 BSc programmes (2014-2015). The language of instruction is partly Dutch, partly English. For some BSc programmes the language of instruction is English. The programmes start each year in September, they last three years and consist of 180 ECTS credits. The programmes are in the field of economy & society, health, life sciences & technology, nature & environment, animals & plants.
The 20th BSC program consists of an introduction year into Life Sciences after which you enrol into the second year of one of seven bachelor programs. These bachelor programmes are Agro Technology, Biology, Biotechnology, Animal Sciences, Food Technology, Molecular Life Sciences and Plant Sciences.
MSc programmes
Wageningen University offers a 29 different MSc programmes (2014-2015) and 2 online master programs. The language of instruction is English. The programmes start each year in September, they last two years and consist of 120 ECTS credits. Most programmes offer various specialisations and possibilities for majors.
PhD programme
The PhD programme is a four-year programme which consists of a research component and a smaller education component. To apply for a PhD position, the applicant must contact one of the six Graduate Schools of Wageningen University. In order to guarantee adequate supervision, the research subject must fit in the research programme of a Graduate School. The four-year PhD programme consists of a research component (conducting research under supervision and writing a thesis) and a smaller education component (up to 15% of the total PhD time). Upon completion of PhD programme, the PhD student is expected to be:
History
In 1876 the Rijkslandbouwschool (National Agricultural College) was established in Wageningen. Due to the development of the training to a higher educational level it changed in 1896 to the Hoogere Land- en Boschbouwschool (Agricultural and Forestry College) and in 1904 in Rijks Hoogere Land-, Tuin- en Boschbouwschool (National Agricultural, Horticulture and Forestry College)
In 1918 the school became academic by law (Academic Education Act). The name changed to Rijks Landbouw Hoogeschool (National Agricultural College). The openings date and official Dies natalis is 9 March 1918.
In 1986 the "hogescholen" (comparable to scientific institute of technology) were renamed to University in a modification of the Academic Education Act. The new name became Landbouwuniversiteit Wageningen (LUW) (Wageningen Agricultural University (WAU)). The 1986 law changes resulted in the use of the name hogeschool in the Dutch system to be used exclusively for universities of applied science.
Over the years the research and teaching branched out into life sciences in general; while interest for agriculture as a career opportunity waned. In 1997, when the DLO institutes merged with the university, the new holding was rebranded as Wageningen UR (Wageningen University and Research Centre); with the University being renamed Wageningen University. Under the Dutch laws the University and the institutes had to remain separate legal entities.
In 2006, the university of applied sciences Van Hall Larenstein became part of Wageningen UR. The idea was to create better collaboration between applied teaching and research at Van Hall and the academic research at Wageningen University. This would also support students to continue with an academic program upon completing their applied degree. However, due to differences in organizational culture and incompatibility of procedures for the different types of higher education, collaboration between the two schools remained problematic. In 2012 it was decided that Van Hall Larenstein would leave Wageningen UR and continue as an independent school once more. In the spring of 2015 the separation was marked by the move of the final Wageningen-based Van Hall Larenstein studies back to Velp.
In 2009 it was decided that the University would consistently use the English name in its communication. In addition university research could be presented under the name of the university: Wageningen University (WU) (as an alternative of using the name of the holding Wageningen UR).
Research Institutes
The following research institutes are part of Wageningen UR:
International Rankings
National rankings
Student activities and associations
Notable alumni (including present or former employees)
See Category:Wageningen University alumni and Category:Wageningen University faculty.