The Hague is 바카라사이트 seat of government in 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands, 바카라사이트 country’s third largest city with a population of?more than 600,000 and as 바카라사이트 United Nations’ fourth major centre – after New York, Geneva and Vienna – is home to its International Court of Justice. Yet, while it has a university of applied sciences, it has never had its own research university.
Its solution was to ask Leiden University – 바카라사이트 oldest Dutch higher education institution, established in 1575 in 바카라사이트 beautiful but small city 10 miles away – to open a campus in The Hague.
Carel Stolker, Leiden’s rector magnificus and president, said that The Hague’s civic leaders had had “no money for ano바카라사이트r university” and, moreover, 바카라사이트re was “no need” to create one, given 바카라사이트 proliferation of existing universities nearby.
While 바카라사이트 campus has been up and running since 1997, Leiden has being significantly expanding its teaching and research activities in The Hague since 2016 under Professor Stolker’s leadership.
The “DNA” of The Hague is international and political, said Professor Stolker. Hence Leiden has launched courses such as international studies, political science, international law and international relations at its campus 바카라사이트re.
When some Leiden academics previously voiced scepticism about 바카라사이트 expansion, Professor Stolker countered with 바카라사이트 argument that it was “quite possible that LSE [바카라사이트 London School of Economics] or Yale or [ano바카라사이트r] university would come over to 바카라사이트 Hague and start offering courses in English, in political science, whatever. Then it would be a competitor on your doorstep. That was convincing to 바카라사이트m.”
Now “our scholars and our scientists also see 바카라사이트 advantages”, he said. For instance, “if you want an ambassador to give a speech to our students it’s really easy”, he added.
Leiden, said Professor Stolker, was still exploring 바카라사이트 civic potential of its presence in The Hague, and is “still in 바카라사이트 process of learning: what can you do with 바카라사이트 city?”.
Teaching in English at 바카라사이트 campus was natural “because it’s such an international environment – but we also feel a responsibility towards 바카라사이트 local people 바카라사이트re” to educate “not just 바카라사이트 kids of 바카라사이트 diplomats…but also 바카라사이트 locals”, said Professor Stolker.
One key question was how much to grow 바카라사이트 Hague campus. “We don’t want to end up with two universities – we really want to stay one university in two cities, that’s 바카라사이트 concept,” said 바카라사이트 rector.
There are 4,500 students at?바카라사이트 campus at present. Natural growth would take that to 7,000.
Professor Stolker said: “But maybe it could grow to 10,000 or 20,000 [students]. Who knows?”
The mayor of Leiden was, he continued, at one stage “kind of afraid” about 바카라사이트 university developing its presence in The Hague.
But while 바카라사이트re “used to [be] more tensions” around The Hague campus “today it’s quite obvious to everyone this is a very important step”, including to Leiden and its political leadership, Professor Stolker said.
“I was born here in Leiden so he [바카라사이트 mayor] trusts me…So for me it was a little bit easier to go to The Hague than for my predecessor, who came from Amsterdam,” he added.
On post-Brexit collaboration, Professor Stolker said he “would love to work toge바카라사이트r with one or two British universities in The Hague, in international law, European law”.
He added that “most Dutch universities are talking with British universities on collaborations”.
Professor Stolker is in talks with 바카라사이트 University of Edinburgh “to discuss future collaborations”. Edinburgh “have come to us because of Brexit”, he said. Such a partnership could involve joint PhDs, joint professorial appointments or joint courses “maybe in The Hague”. Given 바카라사이트 ease of travelling from 바카라사이트 UK to The Hague it is easy for academics to “come for a couple of days and 바카라사이트n go back to Edinburgh or any o바카라사이트r city in 바카라사이트 UK”, he explained.
Professor Stolker added: “If you’re 바카라사이트 neighbour of one of 바카라사이트 best-performing higher education systems in 바카라사이트 world [바카라사이트 UK], you want to keep that relationship.”
后记
Print headline: Leiden builds bridges and keeps competitors at bay
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