History, Affiliations & Rankings
Since its foundation, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam has stood for scientific and value-driven education, research and knowledge transfer. We are free thinkers with expertise and A Broader Mind. It was founded in 1880 and is affiliated with Aurora, EUA, Santander, AACSB. VU Amsterdam is a unique university with faculties in the humanities, STEM, social sciences and medical sciences. Our education and research are closely linked. They combine the university’s top position in research with a strong social orientation, which has resulted in an excellent international reputation. Education and research are distinctly multidisciplinary. It ranks at the #214 position in the QS University Ranking 2023 and is at the #115 spot in THE Rankings 2022.
Infrastructure, Campus & Courses
The university's main campus and medical center are situated in the Buitenveldert neighbourhood, part of the southern district of Amsterdam. The campus occupies about 0.4 km2 (0.15 sq mi) and is built along the 'De Boelelaan', a large east-west thoroughfare. Initially, a fairly isolated location surrounded mostly by fields, the campus is now adjacent to the modern Zuidas business district housing some of the largest banks, accounting and law firms in the Netherlands. Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam offers over 175 English-taught courses at all levels of study- Bachelor’s, Masters and Doctorate. There are over 21,000 students including 4,123 international students who are presently studying here.
Accomplishments & Alumni
The alumni network of the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam is very extensive with over 10,000 alumni across the globw. Frans Kaashoek, Eberhard van der Laan and Christine Aaftink are notable alumni who have graduated from VUA.
Student Diversity & Visiting Companies
Individuals differ from each other when it comes to their ethnic, cultural or religious background, gender identity, sexual orientation, nationality, abilities or disabilities, previous education and academic discipline. Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam is home to over 18,000 undergraduate and more than 11,000 graduate students.
The Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam believes that all members of the VU community should be able to bridge these differences. This would lead to greater creativity and talent development. Some of the leading visiting companies include Deloitte, Rabobank, KPMG, EY and Microsoft.
