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About Leiden University

Leiden University, a world-renowned comprehensive research university, one of the world’s top 100 universities, and one of the most prestigious universities in Europe, was founded on February 8, 1575, and was the first university in the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Leiden University is one of the 12 founding members of the European Union of Research Universities (LERU) and a member of the Coimbra Group, Europaeum and other university alliances.

School Profile

Leiden University is one of the most comprehensive universities with the highest academic reputation in Europe. Adhering to the motto of “The Bastion of Liberty”, she is one of the first universities in Europe to practice freedom of religion and belief. Its open and inclusive school spirit has attracted countless top international scholars since the golden age of the Netherlands, and devoted themselves to studying in a free academic environment, making it a European center for science and humanities.

Descartes, “the ancestor of modern science”, completed and published “Meditations on the First Philosophy” during his visit at Leiden University; “one of the greatest European artists” Rembrandt broke through the landmark light technology in the history of oil painting art in the Leiden era (light and variety of paint application); Einstein left research manuscripts such as “Bose-Einstein Condensate” during his nearly 20-year visiting professorship at Leiden University.

History

In 1575, Prince William ran one of the few regions in Europe without a university. By this time the Renaissance had begun to underscore the importance of academic research; to reward the valour of the citizens of Leiden against the Spanish army in 1574, Prince William established a university here. Legend has it that Prince William gave the citizens of Leiden two choices, one is tax exemption, and the other is the university; the citizens believed that the tax exemption order could be revoked, but the university could last for a hundred years, so they chose the latter.

After the independence of the Netherlands, with the rapid economic and political rise, it also created the necessary conditions for the development of university education. However, if Leiden University at that time wanted to rank among the world’s first-class universities, it had to spare no expense and recruit the first-class universities. scholars to teach at the school.

City

Leiden is a typical university town. The colleges and universities of Leiden are all over the city. The students of Leiden University also make the atmosphere of Leiden, a classical and beautiful European town, more relaxed and vibrant. The famous Japanese haiku writer Hiro Kamahara once sang: “Leiden University City, the moonlight is as cool as ice”. The university mentioned in the poem is the oldest university in the Netherlands and the birthplace of the famous painter Rembrandt.

In Europe, Leiden and Oxford can be called twins. The former is the seat of the most prestigious and academically recognized universities in continental Europe, and the latter is the seat of Oxford University, the oldest university in England. There are regular official exchanges between Oxford and Leiden every year.

China cooperation

Leiden University has signed cooperation agreements with many famous universities around the world. Lai University has signed academic exchange agreements with Peking University, Beijing Language and Culture University, Beijing Normal University and Beijing Medical University in China. In 2003, the presidents of Leiden University met with the presidents of Peking University to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the establishment of academic exchanges between the two universities.

ranking

The Millennium Ranking of Global Universities ranked Leiden University 29th in the world and 4th in the world in the Dutch Golden Age in the 17th century.

Leiden University ranks 80th in the ARWU World University Academic Ranking, 70th in THE World University Rankings, 128th in the QS World University Rankings, and 86th in the US News World University Rankings. The number of Spinoza Prize winners at Leiden University ranks first among Dutch universities all year round. As of 2017, the number of Nobel Prize winners ranks 29 in the world.