- 3 min read

Overseas university spotlight: Erasmus University Rotterdam (Netherlands)

For more than 100 years, Erasmus University Rotterdam has been known for its programs in business and economics.

Founded by a Rotterdam businessman in 1913, EUR nowadays has programs for students interested in studying the four main themes of wealth, health, governance and culture.

In the classroom, students can expect lots of debate, discussion and interactivity.

Here are some of the highlights from my visit!

Campus and academics

EUR is located 15 minutes by bike from the centre of Rotterdam, Europe's largest port and the second largest city in the Netherlands (624,000).

Unfortunately, more than one-third of the port’s facilities and much of the city centre were destroyed by the Germans during World War II.

Since then, however, it has undergone a rebirth.

Like the city, EUR has also invested a lot of money in renovating its buildings, many of which may seem grey and unordinary from the outside.

On the inside, they are marvelous, with tons of study spaces, greenery and a sustainable design.

Its mission is to create a positive impact, and sustainability is a key aspect.

With 39,000 students (25 percent international), EUR is one of the largest Dutch universities.

Its programs are three years except for double degrees, such as the unique dual degree in arts and sciences at the Rotterdam Arts and Sciences Lab (RASL), which is five years.

This degree is in collaboration with Willem de Kooning Academy (WdKA) and Codarts, and students take courses from two different programs simultaneously -- one academic and one practical.

In the Erasmus University College, students enjoy a small-scale intensive study experience in the centre of Rotterdam with guaranteed first-year housing.

They build their own liberal arts curriculum centered on interdisciplinarity, critical thinking and problem-solving.

But EUR is perhaps best known for the Rotterdam School of Management, one of the best business schools in Europe.

This school has the Triple Crown accreditation -- one of only 74 in the world to have accreditation from all three of EQUIS, AMBA and AACSB.

Its bachelor's degree in International Business Administration is therefore highly competitive and a Numerus Fixus program, accepting only about 600 students per year.

After speaking with students, however, it's worth noting that this program is very intense, and students should be prepared to put in lots of extra independent study time.

In fact, for all EUR programs, students need to pass every class in the first year in order to be allowed to continue on the program (Binding Study Advice); there is no getting around this.

EUR does offer a lot of support for students though, which starts before they even arrive.

In the summer program for commencing students, they'll learn university study skills to help ease the transition to campus.

The Living Room is another initiative, a space which requires students to detach from their laptop and relax in the presence of others, which is important to avoid burnout.