University of Amsterdam

Infobox University
name = University of Amsterdam
native_name = Universiteit van Amsterdam


image_size = 150px
latin_name = Athenaeum Illustre
motto =
established = 1632/1877
type = Public
affiliation = EUA, LERU, UNICA
endowment =
president = Dr K. van der Toorn
head_label = Rector Magnificus
head = Prof. Dymph van den Boom
faculty = 2,065 (2006) [cite web |title=Facts and figures |publisher=University of Amsterdam |url=http://www.english.uva.nl/about_the_uva/object.cfm/objectid=72E6222D-BB8D-4422-BE6EED18096AC35B |accessdate=2008-01-27]
students = 25,667 (2006) [cite web |title=Total enrolment (sic) |publisher=Corporate Controlling / Institutional Research UvA |date= 2007-02-12 |url=http://cf.bc.uva.nl/facts/english/education/enrolment.htm |accessdate=2008-01-27]
city = Amsterdam
country = The Netherlands
coor =
campus =
sports =
colors =
nickname =
mascot =
athletics =
affiliations =
website = [http://www.uva.nl/ www.uva.nl]

footnotes =

The University of Amsterdam ("Universiteit van Amsterdam" in Dutch) is a comprehensive research university located in the heart of the city of Amsterdam, the Netherlands. With a budget of €487 million, over 25,000 students and around 5,000 staff in 2006, the UvA is one of the major universities in Europe. There are seven faculties, Humanities, Social and Behavioral sciences, Economy, Law, Science, Medicine and Dentistry. It has a strong internationalization programme and offers over 85 English Master programmes taught in English, as well as a number of Dutch and English language courses. The University of Amsterdam (UvA) should not be confused with Amsterdam's second university, the VU University.

History

Athenaeum

The commonly-held predecessor of the University of Amsterdam, the "Athenaeum Illustre" (Latin - the illustrious Athenaeum) was founded in the 14th-century Agnietenkapel in Amsterdam in 1632, to educate students in History and Philosophy. Professors lectured publicly and tutored privately. In January 1632 two internationally acclaimed scientists, Caspar Barlaeus and Gerardus Vossius, held their inaugural speechs here. In the course of the seventeenth century, Law, Medicine and Theology were introduced in the curriculum. Alumni (whilst it was still the Athenaeum) include Cornelis Petrus Tiele.

Municipal university

The Athenaeum remained a small institution until the nineteenth century, with no more than 250 students and eight teachers. This situation changed only slowly. In 1815 the Athenaeum Illustre was legally acknowledged as an institute of higher education. In 1877, it became the "Gemeentelijke Universiteit van Amsterdam" (GU or 'Municipal University') and was permitted to confer higher degrees. The professors were appointed by the city council and the mayor presided over the university administration. Because the Amsterdam city council was noted for its progressive politics this scheme guaranteed a large degree of intellectual freedom for the university.

"Universiteit van Amsterdam"

Very little then changed until 1961, when the national government took control of financial responsibility. The university ceased to be the "Gemeentelijke Universiteit" and finally became the "Universiteit van Amsterdam".

In 1969 the university became nationwide news when the university's administrative center at the "Maagdenhuis" was occupied by students who wanted more democratic influence. During the seventies and eighties the university was often the target of nationwide student actions.

The International School for Humanities and Social Sciences is a center for international education that offers all courses in English.

Departments

Anton Pannekoek Astronomical Institute

The institute is named after the Dutch astronomer Antonie Pannekoek. The principle areas of research at the group are:

#X-ray/High-energy astrophysics
#The formation and evolution of single and binary stars
#The gamma-ray bursts
#infrared astronomy
#Massive stars and stellar wind
#Radio pulsars
#Cosmology and the early universe
#Faint variable sources

In addition, the institute is home to the LOFAR Transients Key Science Project.

Notable alumni

Politics

* Wubbo de Boer, president of OHIM
* Els Borst, former minister of Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport
* Ad Melkert, former minister of Social Affairs and Employment
* Jacqueline Cramer, minister of Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment
* Guusje ter Horst, minister of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations
* Jouke de Vries, runner-up candidate for PVDA leadership in 2002, currently professor at the University of Leiden
* Pat LaMarche, United States Vice Presidential Candidate in 2004, currently Bangor Daily News Columnist and Author

cience

* Anton Pannekoek, Dutch communist and astrophysicist
* Luitzen Egbertus Jan Brouwer, mathematician
* Frits Zernike, Nobel Prize in Physics 1953
* Christiaan Eijkman, Nobel Prize in Medicine 1929
* M.A. Mendes de Leon, gynaecologist

Arts

* Menno ter Braak, writer
* Willem Frederik Hermans, writer
* J. Slauerhoff, writer
* Simon Vestdijk, writer
* Boudewijn Sirks, Roman law specialist

ports

* Max Euwe, World Chess Champion 1935–1937

References

External links

* [http://www.uva.nl Universiteit van Amsterdam] nl icon
* [http://www.english.uva.nl Universiteit van Amsterdam] en icon
* [http://cf.bc.uva.nl/photobook/photobook.html Universiteit van Amsterdam, slide show]