In the coming years universities in the Netherlands cannot expect any new funding. For Leiden University, the TU Delft and Erasmus University Rotterdam the best strategy for remaining among the world's top players is to combine forces.
Similarly to Leiden University, Erasmus University and the TU Delft are strong universities, each with its own individual profile, located centrally in the Netherlands.
The three universities already share best practices and collaborate on different fronts, and all three have the will to continue along the path of further collaboration. In the coming months working groups will be set up within the three universities to explore the opportunities for more intensive co-operation.
The universities have already been working closely together for many years in a number of different areas.
One example is the Medical Delta, where the focus is on Health, Science and Technology. Scientists, healthcare professions, companies and other parties bring knowledge to the Medical Delta that contributes to finding solutions for healthcare issues.
This co-operation also involves partners from the business sector in an industry that has an annual turnover in excess of 6,5 billion euros.
Further examples of co-operation are the shared professorships at the three institutions, such as that of the Leiden Spinoza winner Professor Rien van IJzendoorn who has since been appointed as Professor of Child and Family Studies in Rotterdam.
There are also shared teaching programmes, such as Molecular Science Technology and Life Science and Technology in Delft and Leiden. The Chinese Economy specialisation, offered by the Leiden Humanities Faculty together with the Rotterdam School of Management, is a further example.
Champions League
Professor Paul van der Heijden, Rector Magnificus and Chairman of the Executive Board of Leiden University comments: "By formulating a common strategy rather than competing with one another, we are creating the basis for a financial model that will be necessary in order to play in the Champions League of academia.
"Researchers, students, the business sector regionally and nationally, the economy and society will all benefit."
Source: Leiden University