Leiden University

Leiden University
Universiteit Leiden
Former names
Rijksuniversiteit Leiden
Motto
Libertatis Praesidium (Latin)
Motto in English
Bastion of Freedom
TypePublic research university
Established8 February 1575 (1575-02-08)[1]
FounderWilliam of Orange
Academic affiliation
TPC
Budget777 million (2021)
PresidentAnnetje Ottow
RectorHester Bijl
Academic staff
1,862 (2021)[2]
Administrative staff
1,573
Students37,136 (2021–22)[3]
Undergraduates24,496 (2021–22)[3]
Postgraduates12,395 (2021–22)[3]
886 (2021)[2]
Location, ,
52°9′25″N 4°29′7″E / 52.15694°N 4.48528°E / 52.15694; 4.48528
CampusUrban and College town
LanguageEnglish, Dutch
(Additional languages for language programmes)
Colours  LEI Blue[4]
Websiteuniversiteitleiden.nl
Leiden University is located in Netherlands
Leiden University
Location in Netherlands
Leiden University is located in Europe
Leiden University
Leiden University (Europe)

Leiden University (abbreviated as LEI;[5][6] Dutch: Universiteit Leiden) is a public research university in Leiden, Netherlands. It was founded as a Protestant university in 1575[7] by William, Prince of Orange, making it the oldest institution of higher education in the Netherlands.

Known for its historic foundations and emphasis on the social sciences, the university came into particular prominence during the Dutch Golden Age, when scholars from around Europe were attracted to the Dutch Republic due to its climate of intellectual tolerance. During this time, Leiden became the home to individuals such as René Descartes, Rembrandt, Christiaan Huygens, Hugo Grotius, Baruch Spinoza, and Baron d'Holbach.

The university has seven academic faculties and over fifty subject departments, housing more than forty national and international research institutes. Its historical primary campus consists of buildings in multiple places in the college town of Leiden, while a second campus located in The Hague houses a liberal arts college (Leiden University College The Hague) and several of its faculties. It is a member of the Coimbra Group, the Europaeum, and a founding member of the League of European Research Universities.

The university has produced twenty-six Spinoza Prize Laureates and sixteen Nobel Laureates. Members of the Dutch royal family such as Queen Juliana, Queen Beatrix, and King Willem-Alexander are alumni, and ten prime ministers of the Netherlands including incumbent Mark Rutte. US President John Quincy Adams also studied at the university.[8]

  1. ^ "De Tachtigjarige Oorlog en het ontstaan van universiteiten in de Noordelijke Nederlanden". Historiek (in Dutch). 16 May 2017. Retrieved 19 May 2017.
  2. ^ a b "Facts and figures". Leiden University. Archived from the original on 2023-03-30. Retrieved 2023-12-28.
  3. ^ a b c "Universiteit Leiden in cijfers en grafieken". AlleCijfers.nl. Archived from the original on 2023-03-29. Retrieved 2023-12-28.
  4. ^ "Leiden University basic elements: Colours". Leiden University. Retrieved 2021-01-07.
  5. ^ Schrijfrichtlijnen: Afkortingen – website of Leiden University
  6. ^ Acronyms related to the Dutch universities – website of Rathenau Institute
  7. ^ The Great Emporium: The Low Countries as a Cultural Crossroads in the Renaissance and the Eighteenth Century. Rodopi. 1992. ISBN 9789051833638.
  8. ^ "John Quincy Adams | Biography, Facts, & Presidency". Britannica. 2023-07-07. Retrieved 2023-07-07.