Collaboration between Erasmus University Rotterdam, Delft University of Technology and Leiden University
World-class
The academic world is changing. International competition between universities is growing and the battle for top talent and financial resources is becoming ever more intense. In order to maintain their position in the world rankings, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Delft University of Technology and Leiden University are working hard on an intensive collaborative relationship.
This kind of alliance is just what State Secretary for Education, Culture and Science Halbe Zijlstra had in mind in his Strategic Agenda for Higher Education, Research and Science in which he asks the universities to work harder on their profile and choice of programmes. Leiden University, Erasmus University Rotterdam and TU Delft are strong, well-known universities with a good name and whose profiles fit well together, and they are located just a short distance apart in the Randstad conurbation.
Successful collaboration
The three universities are already working closely together in a number of areas. One of these is the Medical Delta, which is concerned with Health, Science and Technology and finding solutions for healthcare problems. Another example of collaboration can be seen in the shared professorships between the three institutions. 
Then there are the shared degree programmes, such as Molecular Science Technology and Life Science and Technology in Delft and Leiden and the Master's programme in Chinese Economy offered jointly by the Rotterdam School of Management (RSM) and the Faculty of Humanities at Leiden. Moreover, the three universities have joined together to stimulate entrepreneurship in HOPE, the 'Holland Program on Entrepreneurship'.
More opportunities
So actual collaboration and best practices are already in place and so is the willingness to continue along this path. The three institutions have identified a number of additional opportunities for collaboration where they can complement each other within a number of domains, such as Science, Engineering & Design, Medicine and Social & Behavioural Sciences.
Other opportunities for collaboration can be found in more multi-disciplinary themes in line with the 'Grand Challenges' of the European 2010 Agenda and in response to a number of socially-relevant issues, as in the case of the Society and Governance Network. By collaborating in a school of education, the universities are working directly on raising the quality of higher education. The three institutions are also investigating ways in which they can make their educational programmes more accessible to each other's students, as well as exploring possibilities for joint valorisation.
Joint strategic plan
In May of this year Erasmus University Rotterdam, TU Delft and Leiden University will be submitting a joint strategic planning document to State Secretary Zijlstra in addition to their individual profile documents. This joint document will describe in greater detail how the universities intend to realise their collaboration concretely. This plan still needs to be discussed by the employee representative bodies. More information on the strategic alliance between the universities of Leiden, Delft and Erasmus can be found here.
Presidents of the Boards |
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Pauline van der Meer Mohr, President of the Executive Board of Erasmus University Rotterdam:
Prof. Paul van der Heijden, Rector Magnificus and President of the Executive Board at Leiden University:
Dirk Jan van den Berg, President of the Executive Board of TU Delft:Documents
- Speech delivered by Pauline van der Meer Mohr at the opening of the Academic Year 2011-2012, Erasmus University Rotterdam
- Speech delivered by Rector Magnificus Prof. Henk Schmidt marking the Dies Natalis (anniversary) of Erasmus University Rotterdam
- Speech delivered by Paul van der Heijden at the opening of the Academic Year 2011-2012, Leiden University
- Speech delivered by Dirk Jan van den Berg at the opening of the Academic Year 2011-2012, TU Delft
