Maastricht University

About Maastricht University

Maastricht University is a public research university in the Netherlands with a strong international orientation. Its website presents it as “the European university of the Netherlands,” and its academic offer spans bachelor’s, master’s, pre-master’s, professional and summer-school programmes across fields such as arts and social sciences, business and economics, health, medicine and life sciences, law, psychology and neuroscience, science and engineering, and interdisciplinary university colleges.

The university positions itself around an international learning environment and problem-based learning. It serves students from the Netherlands and abroad, and combines education with research, student support services, housing guidance, and a broad campus life infrastructure in Maastricht and other locations.

Beyond teaching, Maastricht University also presents itself as a research-intensive institution with themes, institutes, open science, and partnerships that connect it to societal and scientific challenges. Its public-facing materials emphasize quality assurance, diversity, sustainability, and student wellbeing as part of the university experience.

Core Values

• Problem-based learning: Maastricht University highlights problem-based learning as a defining educational approach, encouraging active, student-centred learning.
• International learning environment: The university emphasizes a diverse, globally oriented academic community and a strong international student experience.
• Quality and academic integrity: Its public materials stress quality assurance in education, research integrity, and responsible academic practice.
• Diversity, equity and inclusion: UM explicitly lists diversity, equity and inclusion among its core values and institutional commitments.
• Sustainability: Sustainability is presented as a university value and a guiding theme in both operations and research.

Unique Aspects

• Problem-based learning model: UM is strongly associated with problem-based learning, which it presents as central to its educational identity and teaching style.
• International profile: The university markets itself as the European university of the Netherlands and places clear emphasis on attracting and supporting international students.
• Broad student support ecosystem: UM offers an unusually extensive set of student services, including housing support, wellbeing resources, international student help, and career guidance.
• Research partnerships on circular plastics: Known news shows UM collaborating with partners including BASF Chemetall, Danone, The Kraft Heinz Company, the University of Ghent, and SABIC on circular plastics and recycling-related research projects.
• Office space lease in Maastricht-Randwyck: Known news reports that UM leased a 4,640 sqm office building with 74 parking spaces from Aroundtown to house supporting departments, bringing the property to full occupancy.