Hanze University of Applied Sciences (Hanze UAS or the Hanzehogeschool Groningen in Dutch) is the largest university of applied sciences in the northern Netherlands. Located in Groningen, it was founded in 1986 as the result of a merger of several institutes for professional education, the oldest of which was the Academy Minerva, founded in 1798.
Hanze UAS offers bachelor and masters programmes in Dutch, English and German and works with several international partner institutes. It was the first university to found its own international business school in the Netherlands and the only large higher education institution in the country to feature an arts academy and conservatoire. As a university of applied sciences, students should expect to gain plenty of practical experience, through integrated internships and practical research. On both a regional and global scale, Hanze UAS is known for its strong links with industry and entrepreneurship. The student body is 27,000-strong, and from over 80 different nationalities.
It has locations in Assen (the Hanze Institute of Technology), Leeuwarden (Pop Culture) and in Amsterdam (the Dance Academy), while the remaining 16 faculties are in the centre of Groningen. Most of these buildings are located on the super modern Zernike complex, which is a 15 minute bike ride away from the city centre.
Groningen is one of the university’s greatest assets, as the city is the youngest and one of the most loved cities for students in Holland. It is the youngest city in the Netherlands, with half its citizens under 35 and a quarter of the population made up of students. The nightlife scene is constantly buzzing and it has an excellent, affordable range of sports, cultural and educational facilities.
