Joint programme of two major European research universities

A number of factors influenced the decision of the Executive Boards of the VU University Amsterdam and the University of Amsterdam to found a University College in Amsterdam:

• The globalisation of our society and the need, in a globally competitive environment, to nurture, develop and attract talent internationally.
• The need to widen choice in Dutch higher education, and create more avenues for excellence.
• The increasing demand for study programmes that are intellectually challenging and call for broad academic, cultural and social interests.
• The need for more opportunities for students to major in science and science-related fields in a liberal arts and sciences context.
• Developments in bilingual and international education at Dutch secondary schools.
• The multicultural character of Amsterdam and the presence of many international companies and institutions, offering the perfect environment for connecting excellence and diversity in an academic context.

As a joint programme, AUC greatly enhances the cooperation between the two Amsterdam universities. Both Executive Boards are convinced that AUC will have a positive effect on the existing programmes of their universities, as AUC's innovative approaches to undergraduate education can be shared widely to the benefit of all students.