University of Amsterdam

About University of Amsterdam

The University of Amsterdam (UvA) is an internationally leading research university based in Amsterdam. It describes itself as one of Europe’s top 15 universities and among the world’s top 100, with a history dating back to 1632.

The UvA brings together curious, ambitious, and engaged people across education and research. It combines academic freedom with responsibility for people, society, and the planet, and emphasizes interdisciplinary work, multiple perspectives, and solutions to complex societal challenges.

The university serves students, researchers, professionals, journalists, alumni, and external partners through its faculties, campuses, research institutes, and public-facing services. It positions itself as a university closely connected to Amsterdam and internationally oriented, with strong attention to education quality, research impact, and societal relevance.

Core Values

• Academic freedom and responsibility: The UvA links the freedom to ask fundamental questions with responsibility toward society and the planet.
• Interdisciplinarity: It explicitly values combining perspectives and disciplines to address complex issues and produce better answers.
• Impact and societal relevance: The university aims for research and education that contribute to solutions for major societal challenges and to the well-being of people and communities.
• Quality and ambition: The UvA emphasizes high-quality education, excellent research, and a strong academic culture.
• International orientation: With more than 100 nationalities represented, the university invests in global networks and international collaboration.

Unique Aspects

• Longstanding Amsterdam roots: Founded in 1632, the UvA has a deep historical connection with Amsterdam and operates four campuses that are part of the city.
• Top-tier research profile: The university states that it is among Europe’s top 15 universities and in the global top 100, supported by more than 3,000 scientists.
• Broad collaboration ecosystem: The UvA actively partners with businesses, public institutions, cultural organizations, schools, and researchers, including through research hubs, career events, and venture/start-up collaboration.
• Structured ethical partnership review: The university has an advisory committee and a formal framework for assessing third-party collaborations, with attention to academic freedom, knowledge security, data privacy, and human rights risks.
• AI investment and in-house tools: The UvA invests in AI research and applications in teaching and operations, including its own UvA AI Chat environment for students, teachers, and staff.