Dutch universities open shared campus in The Hague

Several Dutch higher education institutions have come together to open a shared university campus in The Hague, hoping to host 4,000 students and staff.

University Campus Spui is set to open its doors on 2 February, according to a press release by public authorities. It is a shared initiative between Leiden University, Delft University of Technology, Open Universiteit, Leiden University Medical Centre (LUMC) and Universities of the Netherlands, an association of 14 government-funded research universities in the Netherlands.

“This is an important development for the city centre. The campus is designed to connect research, education and society. It strengthens The Hague’s economic profile and reflects strong cooperation between partners in the city,” said Saskia Bruines, alderman for economic development for the City of The Hague.

The campus will focus on teaching and research in the areas of climate and energy, digitalisation and safety and security. It is a similar initiative to the Amsterdam University College, a joint liberal arts and sciences campus run by the University of Amsterdam and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam since 2009.

“With flexible teaching rooms, study areas, and open collaboration spaces, University Campus Spui supports interdisciplinary work across technical, social, cybersecurity, and policy domains,” said the press release.

The initiative is led by Leiden University, the Netherlands’ oldest university which has more than 33,000 students and 6,000 staff members. While its main campus is in the city of Leiden, it also has a base in The Hague.

University Campus Spui is housed in the former department store Vroom & Dreesman, which closed in 2015. The complex includes three buildings, including a protected art deco structure on the main street, Spui.

CBRE Investment Management, an international investment firm which acquired the site in 2017, partnered with Leiden University and public authorities to transform the space into a university campus. The Municipality of The Hague invested €10 million (£8.7 million) in the project as part of broader efforts to revitalise the city centre.

seher.asaf@timeshighereducation.com