Study en route to a top career

To study in Brainport is to open the door to a top job and
a successful career. The opportunity to gain the very best knowledge and graduate at one of the three
highly-reputed universities in the region mean that you have a wealth of choice at your disposal. You can opt to go into industry or you can continue to study, do a PhD and even get paid to do it.

People in the Southeast Netherlands are highly educated. One in three school leavers completes a first university degree. Moreover, schools in the Netherlands offer high-quality education. The philosophy behind Dutch education reflects Dutch society and aims to encourage students to be open-minded, and to be able to think and learn creatively.

Top universities in the Southeast Netherlands

The three top universities of the Southeast Netherlands are Eindhoven University of Technology, the Tilburg University and the University of Maastricht. Their respective focal areas of study are engineering, economics and biomedical science. Or you might consider engineering, ICT or automotive courses at one of the universities of applied science where the studies are more specifically geared to industry.

Whichever option you choose, it may be reassuring to know that all the higher education institutions have strong connections with industry and are partners in many initiatives. Such connections enhance your prospects of finding an interesting and a challenging job that could set you on the path of a very successful and rewarding career.

Research Universities

In the Netherlands, it is still common to do a Master’s after obtaining a Bachelor’s degree. After the Bachelor and Master phase, the third stage of higher education is only offered by research universities. They are entitled to award the country’s highest academic degree, the doctorate which is primarily a research degree (PhD). What makes the Netherlands different from other countries is the fact that, here, students earn a salary while studying for their PhD degree at a university.

Universities of applied sciences and research universities offer various scholarships to students. European students can also be considered for an Erasmus grant, a scholarship, if they decide to study or complete an internship temporarily abroad. All three research universities in the Southeast Netherlands offer courses in English. 

Overview Research Universities                         Overview Universities of applied sciences          
Tilburg University                                                   Design Academy Eindhoven
Maastricht University                                             Fontys University of Applied Sciences
Eindhoven University of Technologie                        Avans University of Applied Sciences
                                                                           Zuyd University of Applied Sciences
                                                                           University of Applied Sciences HAS Den Bosch

Top technology institutes in the Southeast Netherlands

Research institutes in the Southeast Netherlands take advantage of the challenges within the clusters, in a scientific and business economic sense. The Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) has focused its research on three strategic areas, namely energy, health and smart mobility. Together, the three universities in the Southeast Netherlands contribute significantly to the region's excellent knowledge position; they have a large output of publications and are frequently cited. The public R&D infrastructure in the Southeast Netherlands has eight institutes.

DPI: the Dutch Polymer institute performs                           ESI: the Embedded Systems Institute is a
pre-competitive research into polymers and                         research institute that adresses embedded
their application. Hereby, the DPI links scientific                  systems design at the multidisciplinary systems
knowledge to the industrial need for innovation.                  systems level.

Holst Centre: this is an independent open-                        TNO: This is an independent research organisation
innovation R&D centre that develops generic                      with a multiplicity of knowledge that attempts to
technologies for Wireless Autonomous Sensor                   innovate accurately on predetermined objectives.
Technologies and Flexible Electronics.

TNO Auotmotive: this is an independent                           TTAI (TÜV Rheinland TNO Automotive Internation B.V.)
research organisation that aims to contribute                       is a leading independent European centre of excellence
to making our future means of transport safer,                     for vehicle safety engineering and passive safety testing.
cleaner and more efficient.

 ECN: the Energy Research Centre of the                           FOM: the Foundation for Fundamental Research on 
Netherlands develops high-level knowledge                        Matter promotes, co-ordinates and finances 
and technology for the transition to sustainable                   fundamental physics research in the Netherlands.
energy management.

For more information about studying in the Netherlands visit the website of Nuffic: Netherlands organisation for international cooperation in higher education.