Data Science & AI, Biomedical Engineering, Biobased Materials
Maastricht University is a public research university in Maastricht, in the Dutch province of Limburg. It was established on 9 January 1976, when Queen Juliana signed the papers founding what was then the Rijksuniversiteit Limburg, with Medicine as its first faculty. The medical school had begun teaching in September 1974 without waiting for official recognition, using problem-based learning from the start, and the name Universiteit Maastricht followed in 1996 and the English name in 2008.
Problem-based learning remains the core of the Maastricht approach: small groups work on realistic issues with a tutor, instead of attending large lecture halls. The university has six faculties, among them Health Sciences, founded in 1980, Law, founded in 1981 with a Dutch law programme that already used this method, and Arts and Social Sciences, founded in 1994. The arts, humanities and social sciences faculties are in the city centre in buildings that mostly have monumental status, while medicine and health sciences are in the Randwyck district near the university hospital.
Maastricht has around 20,000 students and 4,400 staff, and more than half of the students come from abroad, representing over 130 nationalities. Research is organised around three main themes: quality of life, learning and innovation, and Europe in a globalising world. A satellite, University College Venlo, opened in 2015, and the university describes itself with the motto “Leading in Learning”.
Domains taught:
AI and Machine Learning, Bioengineering, Bioinformatics, Data Analytics, Engineering, Materials, Mathematics, Microbiology and Genetics, Nanotechnologies, Software Engineering, Statistics
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Doctor, Master
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
Worldwide Universities Network (WUN), Young European Research Universities Network (YERUN). High international student intake.
Research:
Health and life sciences, Learning and innovation, Europe and a globalising world, Sustainability and circularity.
Famous Alumnis:
Annemarie Jorritsma, Maxime Verhagen
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
4500
Current students***:
22000
Foreign students***:
50%
Cumulative former students***:
80000
Pros
Pioneer in Problem-Based Learning, highly international student body, located in a historic European city.
Cons
Younger university, science/engineering programs are newer compared to traditional tech universities.
Best For
International education with Problem-Based Learning, strong in data science and biomedical fields.
Universiteit Leiden has about 34,000 students and works in life sciences, natural sciences and data science.
Universiteit Utrecht enrolls about 37,000 students in earth sciences, life sciences and chemistry, a larger research university in the centre of the country.
Radboud Universiteit in Nijmegen has about 25,000 students and is known for neuroscience, artificial intelligence and chemistry, close to Maastricht in size.
Rijksuniversiteit Groningen counts about 37,000 students and works in astrophysics, nanoscience and chemical engineering in the north of the Netherlands.
Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam has about 39,000 students and is known for data science and health technology, a Dutch research university with a strong international profile.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
University of Copenhagen in Denmark has about 37,500 students and is strong in health and medical sciences and natural sciences, a large research university comparable to Maastricht’s medical side.
Aarhus University in Denmark enrolls around 38,000 students and works in natural sciences, bioscience and nanoscience.
Trinity College Dublin in Ireland has about 19,750 students and focuses on nanoscience, computer science and engineering, and it has almost the same size as Maastricht.
Lund University in Sweden counts about 44,000 students and teaches engineering, law and medicine, a combination that overlaps with Maastricht’s law and health faculties.
University of Helsinki in Finland has about 31,000 students and works in atmospheric science, life sciences and computer science, with a strong research orientation.
*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.
FAQ
When was Maastricht University founded?
It was officially established on 9 January 1976, when Queen Juliana signed the founding papers of the Rijksuniversiteit Limburg. It is one of the youngest universities in the Netherlands.
What is problem-based learning?
Students work in small groups on realistic problems, take responsibility for their own learning and develop skills such as critical thinking, collaboration and problem-solving. The method has been used at Maastricht ever since the first medical students started in 1974.
How is the university organised?
There are six faculties, including Health Sciences, Law and Arts and Social Sciences. The arts and social sciences faculties are in the city centre, and the medical and health faculties are in Randwyck near the university hospital.
How international is the student body?
More than half of the students come from abroad, and over 130 nationalities are represented. Many programmes are taught in English, in what the university calls its international classroom.
What are the main research areas?
Research is multidisciplinary and organised around quality of life, learning and innovation, and Europe in a globalising world. Many research institutes work across the faculties.
Does the university have a second location?
Yes, University College Venlo, a satellite of Maastricht University, opened in 2015 in Venlo. The main sites remain in the city of Maastricht.
What was the previous name of the university?
It was called Rijksuniversiteit Limburg until it was renamed Universiteit Maastricht in 1996. The English name Maastricht University was added in 2008.
*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.
**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:
known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications
***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.
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