Utrecht Summer School
The Utrecht Summer School, founded in 1987 by Utrecht University, is the largest academic summer programme in The Netherlands and belongs to the biggest summer schools in Europe. In 2010 more than 1800 students from over 75 different countries came to Utrecht to participate in one of 100 courses offered. Utrecht Summer School is a cooperation between Utrecht University and Utrecht University of Applied Sciences. Also Utrecht School of the Arts and Nyenrode Business University offer courses within the Utrecht Summer School. In 2011, Utrecht Summer School celebrated its 25th anniversary. In the summer of 2017, more than 4000 students took part in a summer program, making it the largest known summer school in Europe.[1]
History
The summer school started in 1987 with one course: Dutch Culture and Society, still one of the most popular courses. In the last two decades the programme developed into a broad selection of courses in virtually all disciplines Utrecht University is offering.
Disciplines
The courses are divided in seven categories:
- Culture, e.g. Dutch Culture and Society, European Culture
- Art & Design, e.g. Highlights of European Art History, Dutch Golden Age
- Language, e.g. Dutch Language, Psycholinguistics
- Social Sciences, e.g. Conflict Studies, Migration, Statistics
- Law & Economics, e.g. Doing Business in Europe
- Science, e.g. Physics of the Climate System, Nanomaterials
- Life Sciences, e.g. Food safety, Biobusiness, Nursing
Accommodation
Because accommodation is not easy to find in Utrecht, the summer school offers all participants temporary housing. The accommodations are located throughout the city, within easily accessible distances from various educational institutions.
Social programme
Utrecht Summer School offers a social programme for all participants. The programme contains city trips through the Netherlands (for example, The Hague), night canoeing through the canals of downtown Utrecht, a barbecue, beach volleyball and soccer tournaments, a weekly social gathering, a pub quiz, (guided) trips to famous museums and an excursion to the Dutch dikes and delta works. And, every course starts with a city tour – including a climb up the Dom tower - to introduce students to Utrecht.