Erasmus University Rotterdam ( ; abbreviated as EUR) is a public research university located in Rotterdam, Netherlands. The university is named after Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus, a 15th-century Christian humanist and theologian.
Erasmus MC, the teaching hospital and medical school of Erasmus University, is one of the largest medical institutions in Western Europe and the foremost medical and trauma centers in the Netherlands.
History
Erasmus University Rotterdam was founded on 8 November 1913 as the Netherlands School of Commerce (, or NHH) through private initiative with broad support from the business community of Rotterdam.History Erasmus University Rotterdam – website Erasmus Trustfonds In 1937, the school was recognized as a higher educational institute with university status, providing education in commerce and economics as an academic discipline. This resulted in a change of its name: the NHH became the NEH, or Netherlands School of Economics (). The growing complexity of society led, in the 1960s, to the arrival of the faculties of Law and Social Sciences, followed in later decades by Philosophy, History and Arts, and Business Administration.
From 1950, the Foundation for Higher Clinical Education used its best efforts to get a full academic medical study programme established in Rotterdam, and with success: In 1966, the government established the Medical Faculty Rotterdam (), housed next to Dijkzigt Hospital. Together with the Sophia Children's Hospital and the Daniel den Hoed Clinic, it forms the University Hospital Rotterdam, which as of 1 January 2003, bears the name Erasmus MC. In 1973, the Medical Faculty Rotterdam and the Netherlands School of Economics merged, after which the institution was renamed under its current name Erasmus University Rotterdam () – the first university in the Netherlands named after a person, a man to whom Rotterdam owes the reputation it has held for centuries in the academic world.
Health This domain includes the Erasmus MC, the Erasmus School of Health Policy and Management (ESHPM) and the Institute for Medical Technology Assessment (iMTA).
Erasmus MC is the new name for the university medical centre in Rotterdam, which is a merger of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences and the University Hospital Rotterdam (Dijkzigt, Sophia, Daniel den Hoed clinic). The biomedical cluster plays a leading role in the field of analysis of role of individual genes playing role in diseases. The Forensic Molecular Biology department works together with the Netherlands Forensic Institute (NFI). Major long-term genetic epidemiological studies among the elderly and children are Erasmus Rotterdam Health for the Elderly (ERGO) and Generation R respectively. The Erasmus School of Health Policy and Management (ESHPM) forms a bridge between medicine and the health sciences on the one hand and social sciences on the other. The institute for Medical Technology Assessment (iMTA) conducts health economic research in collaboration with both the Erasmus MC and the Erasmus School of Health Policy and Management.
Wealth
This area includes the Erasmus School of Economics and the Rotterdam School of Management. Its economics programs and management programs attract students and postgraduates from all over the world. The research schools Erasmus Institute for Management (ERIM) and the Tinbergen Institute attract PhD students, research fellows, PostDocs and visiting professors of repute from all corners of the world. Other joint ventures are the English-language programme International Business Administration, the Erasmus Executive Development programme (EED) and the Erasmus University Centre for Contract Research and Business Support (ERBS).
Governance The research focuses on the organisation of business and society. This area has ground in common not only with economics and management, but also with medicine and health sciences.
Culture
As one of four concentrations of Erasmus University, culture is defined broadly with focus on the areas of media, cultural economics, and the high arts. Primary research is on society and the arts, including cultural policy, media, and social identity in modern society. Faculty has particular strengths in research, and the students tend to graduate with strong research skills for both academic and field placement.
Protests Like other Dutch universities, EUR has seen waves of campus occupations and protests by climate activists and student groups in recent years, particularly targeting university links to the fossil fuel industry and demanding implementation of more sustainable and transparent policies. Several high-profile occupations in 2022–2023 were broken up by riot police, sparking controversy around the university's response to activism and freedom of assembly on campus. On 30 May and 9 June, as part of a wave of pro-Palestinian protests, students set up a tent encampment. This lasted until 9 June after threatened intervention by riot police.
In 2025, there was a planned demonstration against a professor that made the anti-Palestinian posts. On 23 October, the Executive Board issued a statement condemning the demonstration, citing safety concerns and remarked that it offers "space for differences of opinion".
Research institutes/schools
Wealth Erasmus Research Institute of Management The Erasmus Research Institute of Management (ERIM) is the joint research institute of the Rotterdam School of Management and the Erasmus School of Economics, both at Erasmus University Rotterdam. It aims to bring together top researchers in business and management.
Econometric Institute Erasmus University today is seen as the leading university in Econometrics and Operational Research. Jan Tinbergen, Nobel Prize winner for Economics (1969), and Henri Theil founded the Econometric Institute and influenced both Econometrics & Management Science. Tinbergen's theories also had a political inclination, with multiple objectives of price stability and employment and policies to achieve the desired results and stabilizing the economy.
Tinbergen Institute (TI) The Tinbergen Institute is a joint institute for research and education in economics, econometrics and finance of the University of Amsterdam, the VU University Amsterdam and the Erasmus University Rotterdam. It is one of the top research institutes and graduate schools in economics and finance in the world.See also Ranking Tinbergen (Econometric) Institute It offers a research master program (MPhil) in economics and finance as well as PhD opportunities.
Transport, Infrastructure and Logistics (TRAIL) In association with TU Delft, the TRAIL Research School is the Dutch national research school active in the fields of Transport, Infrastructure, and Logistics.
Erasmus Centre for Entrepreneurship (ECE) Erasmus Centre for Entrepreneurship is an independent research and education organisation that originated from the Erasmus University, centring around entrepreneurship, both locally and globally.
Health
Cardiovascular Research School Erasmus University Rotterdam (COEUR) Netherlands Institute for Health Sciences (NIHES) Postgraduate School Molecular Medicine (MM) Medical Genetics Centre South-West Netherlands (MGC) MGC participates in the top Research School Centre for Developmental and Biomedical Genetics
Helmholtz School for Autonomous Systems Research
Law, Culture and Society Institute for Sales and Account Management International Institute of Social Studies Research School Public Safety Netherlands Institute of Government (NIG) Huizinga Instituut N.W. Posthumus Instituut Amsterdam School of Social-Public Research (ASSR) Research School Rights of the human Experimental Psychologic Researchschool (EPOS) Kurt Lewin Institute Research School of Ethics
Campus
The University has campuses at five locations, of which four in Rotterdam and one in The Hague:EUR Locations – website of the Erasmus University Rotterdam
Campus Woudestein (main university location near Rotterdam-Kralingen) Campus Hoboken (Erasmus MC location near Rotterdam-Dijkzigt) Location EUC (Erasmus University College in Rotterdam Center) Location ISS (International Institute of Social Studies located in The Hague Center) Location ECE (Erasmus Centre for Entrepreneurship near Rotterdam-Delfshaven)
Sustainability On 9 September 2009 ("Sustainability Day"), GreenEUR was launched officially. During this day, GreenEUR organized several on-campus activities in cooperation with Greening the Campus. Since April 2010 GreenEUR is officially recognized by the Executive Board.
Student activities In Duplo – Student Association for double degree students AEclipse – Student Association for Master and Pre-Master students at the Erasmus School of Economics Economic Faculty Association Rotterdam STAR Student Association Rotterdam School of Management STAR Management Week Erasmus Consultancy Project FAECTOR – official school association Erasmus School of Economics Econometric Career Days Erasmus debating society – oldest debating society in the Netherlands Erasmus Centre for Entrepreneurship Erasmus Magazine EUCSA – Student Association EUC Campus, Liberal Arts & Sciences Investment Week & Symposium Student Investment Society B&R Beurs International Students Rotterdam (ISR) - Society for all international students Erasmus Sport
Rankings
Erasmus School of Economics Economics Department The economics faculty is, according to the QS World University Rankings 2018, the 9th best in Europe (UK included) and 50th in the world in economics and econometrics,QS World University Rankings economics econometrics 2014. Retrieved 20 June 2014 and 37th in the world in accounting and finance (10th best in Europe).QS World University Rankings accounting 2014. Retrieved 20 June 2014QS World University Rankings economics econometrics 2013. Retrieved 18 June 2013
Times Higher Education World University Rankings ranks Erasmus University 1st in the Netherlands, 7th in Europe, and 28th in the world for the subject Economics and Business in 2020.
The Shanghai Jiao Tong University Academic Ranking of World Universities published in 2018, lists Erasmus School of Economics as 9th in Europe and 32nd in the world in the fields of economics and business.
Erasmus University Rotterdam has received high rankings in the fields of Economics and Business. According to US News 2022, the university ranked 1st in the Netherlands, 2nd in Europe and 10th in the world for Economics and Business.Global University Rankings. Retrieved 22 November 2021
Rotterdam School of Management The Financial Times European Business School RankingsFT European Business school rankings . Retrieved 1 July 2020 as well as the Global MBA rankingsFT Global MBA Rankings . Retrieved 30 September 2010 consistently lists RSM as top 10 in Europe. The Financial Times ranked the CEMS MSc in International Management offered by Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University as third in the world in 2022. QS ranked the school's MSc Global Business & Sustainability program among the top 60 in the world in the 2023 International Trade Rankings.
Accreditation The business school has achieved triple accreditation from the international accrediting bodies of management education: AMBA, EQUIS, and AACSB. Only 100 business schools in the world have acquired triple accreditation, although many schools have a policy of not applying for multiple accreditations.
Erasmus Medical Center