The Open University of the Netherlands () is a Dutch institution for

distance learning Distance education, also known as distance learning, is the education of students who may not always be physically present at school, or where the learner and the teacher are separated in both time and distance; today, it usually involves online ...

at university level. It is an independent government-funded university and uses a variety of methods, including written materials, the

Internet The Internet (or internet) is the Global network, global system of interconnected computer networks that uses the Internet protocol suite (TCP/IP) to communicate between networks and devices. It is a internetworking, network of networks ...

, and occasional evening

seminar A seminar is a form of academic instruction, either at an academic institution or offered by a commercial or professional organization. It has the function of bringing together small groups for recurring meetings, focusing each time on some part ...

s or day sessions.

Overview

The Open University of the Netherlands was founded in 1984 and opened to students that September. The

administration Administration may refer to: Management of organizations * Management, the act of directing people towards accomplishing a goal: the process of dealing with or controlling things or people. ** Administrative assistant, traditionally known as a se ...

is based in

Heerlen Heerlen (; ) is a city and a Municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality in the southeast of the Netherlands. It is the third largest settlement proper in the province of Limburg (Netherlands), Limburg. Measured as municipality, it is the f ...

, Netherlands. The university has study and support centres dispersed throughout the continental Netherlands, as well as study centres in

Dutch Dutch or Nederlands commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands ** Dutch people as an ethnic group () ** Dutch nationality law, history and regulations of Dutch citizenship () ** Dutch language () * In specific terms, i ...

-speaking

Belgium Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeas ...

(

Flanders Flanders ( or ; ) is the Dutch language, Dutch-speaking northern portion of Belgium and one of the communities, regions and language areas of Belgium. However, there are several overlapping definitions, including ones related to culture, la ...

) and partnerships with institutions in

Aruba Aruba, officially the Country of Aruba, is a constituent island country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, in the southern Caribbean Sea north of the Venezuelan peninsula of Paraguaná Peninsula, Paraguaná and northwest of Curaçao. In 19 ...

Bonaire Bonaire is a Caribbean island in the Leeward Antilles, and is a Caribbean Netherlands, special municipality (officially Public body (Netherlands), "public body") of the Netherlands. Its capital is the port of Kralendijk, on the west (Windward an ...

Curaçao Curaçao, officially the Country of Curaçao, is a constituent island country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located in the southern Caribbean Sea (specifically the Dutch Caribbean region), about north of Venezuela. Curaçao includ ...

Sint Maarten Sint Maarten () is a Countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands located in the Caribbean region of North America. With a population of 58,477 as of June 2023 on an area of , it encompasses ...

and

Suriname Suriname, officially the Republic of Suriname, is a country in northern South America, also considered as part of the Caribbean and the West Indies. It is a developing country with a Human Development Index, high level of human development; i ...

. Since the Open University was founded, more than 250,000 students have enrolled in courses. , approximately 15,000 students were enrolled at study or support centres in the Netherlands, including some residents of other countries.

Aims

The Dutch government's purpose in founding the Open University of the Netherlands was to make higher education accessible to anyone with the necessary aptitudes and interests, regardless of formal qualifications. The university aims to provide cost-effective education and to encourage innovation in Dutch higher education, in terms of both curriculum and teaching.

Organisation

Governance

The chairman of the Open University of the Netherlands since June 2016 is Arent van der Feltz, former vice president for corporate development, legal, regulatory and public affairs at

Ziggo Ziggo Holding B.V. ( ) is the largest cable operator in the Netherlands, providing digital cable television, Internet, and telephone service to both residential and commercial customers. History The company is the result of the merger between ...

. His predecessor was Sander van den Eijnden.

Faculties

* Science: Environmental Sciences, Computer Science and Information Science * Humanities * Management * Educational Sciences * Psychology * Law In addition to this, the university has four expertise centres: * CAROU: guidance in the deployment of technological and social innovations through research projects and education in areas such as Smart City, Cyber Security, Smart Industry, Climate Change and Continuous Learning * Cyber Science Center: in cooperation with and * NEIMED (Nederlands expertise en innovatiecentrum maatschappelijke effecten demografische krimp): an alliance with Maastricht University and Zuyd University of Applied Sciences The Open University also has two support staff departments: the Department of Administration and the Department of Support Services. These provide services ranging from academic affairs to student administration.

Courses of study

The Open University offers courses of study at the bachelor's and master's degree levels in the following disciplines: cultural studies, education science, law, management, psychology, science and technology. The university collaborates with Flemish universities to enable Belgian students to attend classes. Five of its master's degree programmes were top-ranked in 2017.

Faculty

The following are present and former faculty members of the Open Universiteit: *

Harold Krikke Hans Ronald "Harold" Krikke (born 1967) is a widely recognized scientist in Closed Loop Supply Chains. Education and career He studied Industrial Engineering and Management at University of Twente in Enschede. He completed his Ph.D. in 1998 in ...

References

External links

* Distance education institutions based in the Netherlands Universities in the Netherlands Universities and colleges established in 1984 1984 establishments in the Netherlands Education in Limburg (Netherlands) South Limburg (Netherlands) Buildings and structures in Heerlen {{Netherlands-university-stub