Leiden University, University to Discover 

Leiden University (est. 1575) is the oldest university in the Netherlands. Leiden is a fully accredited classical university a founding member of the “EUROPAEVM” network, the Coimbra Group and the League of European Research Universities (LERU). There are nine faculties: Archaeology, Arts, Creative and Performing Arts, Law, Medicine, Philosophy, Religious Studies, Science, Social and Behavioural Sciences.Together they offer over 80 degree programmes.These include a diverse range of legal specialisations as well as areas such as Astronomy, Bio-Pharmaceutical Sciences, Political Science, Western Languages, (Art) History and numerous Asian, African and Amerindian languages and cultures.  

Most (post)graduate programs (MA/MSc, LL.M., MBA and MPhil/PhD research programs) are taught in English. In addition, several Language and Culture programmes are taught in the language of their subject such as French, German, Italian and Spanish. This allows students from all over the world to study in Leiden and obtain a degree in one of the many areas of excellence of the University. Presently over 18,000 students are enrolled, including approx. 1,700 international students.  

The University has a Science Park for the faculties of Medicine, Mathematics and Natural Sciences, and the Social Sciences. The other faculties and the libraries are spread throughout the city. The University Library contains more than 3 million books and periodicals, including a unique collection of manuscripts and maps.

Leiden is the place of fundamental discoveries: modern scientific medical research and teaching (Herman Boerhaave ), refraction of light (Snellius), electrical capacitor the "Leyden Jar" (Van Musschenbroek), molecular basis of thermodynamics (Van der Waals), electron theory (Lorentz), superconductivity (Kamerlingh Onnes), electro-cardiography (Einthoven), structure of the galaxy and the origins of comets (Oort), the expanding universe (Einstein & De Sitter). The university is one of Europe's most prominent scientific centres for more than four centuries and has produced many outstanding scholars and scientists, including several Nobel Laureates.