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Medals all round! TopDutch higher education tops the leaderboards

TopDutch education institutes are digging out the champagne and preparing to climb the podium, as the Northern Netherlands comes out on top in the Elsevier Best Studies in the Netherlands rankings.

Elsevier magazine and the research agency ResearchNed comprise a yearly shortlist of the best Dutch study programs, based on the satisfaction of the students across a number of factors. The highest-rated study programs receive a bronze medal, if they maintain their position for another year they get a silver medal and if they keep it up for three or more years they’re awarded gold medals. The institutes with the most gold medals then compete for the title of ‘best comprehensive research university’, ‘best comprehensive university of applied science’, ‘best specialized research university’, ‘best specialized university of applied science’ and ‘best university of applied sciences for the arts’.

TopDutch a top choice for students

The Hanze University of Applied Sciences was named ‘best comprehensive university of applied science’ and gained the highest number of medals across all the categories, together with Wageningen University & Research, who have two specialized campuses in the TopDutch region, who were named ‘best specialized research university’. The Hanze was awarded no less than 9 gold, 6 silver and 6 bronze medals: Consistently excellent. 

Zernike campus, home to Hanze UAS and University of Groningen

Northern excellence was all-around, however, as following the Hanze in the ranking of ‘best comprehensive university of applied science’ in a close second was Windesheim UAS from our neighboring province of Overijssel and in third place was TopDutch’s very own NHL Stenden.

Not to be outdone, TopDutch’s University of Groningen also came in first in terms of ‘best comprehensive research university’, which shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that it is also currently standing proud in the world university tables at number 73, according to the Times Higher Education Ranking.

Small country, big brains

The Netherlands have a higher education system envied across the world, known for their high quality and focus on employability. Across the Netherlands, 11 of the 14 research universities, who focus traditional academic research skills, are in the top 200 worldwide. Complimenting research universities are universities of applied sciences, who focus on practical applications of knowledge, and prepare students for a certain profession after graduation. The TopDutch region is home to one research university, the University of Groningen, and three universities of applied sciences: Hanze UAS, NHL Stenden and Van Hall Larenstein UAS.

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