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Wageningen University & Research

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Wageningen University & Research (also known as Wageningen UR; abbreviation: WUR) is a public research university in Wageningen, Netherlands, specializing in life sciences with a focus on agriculture, technical and engineering subjects. It is a globally important center for life sciences and agricultural research. It is located in a region of the Netherlands known as the Food Valley.

Wageningen University & Research
Wageningen University & Research
Motto in English
To explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life
TypePublic university
Established1876 as an agricultural college. Recognized in 1918 as a public university
RectorCarolien Kroeze [nl]
Executive Board PresidentSjoukje Heimovaara
Students12,819 (2019-20)
Undergraduates5,928 (2019-20)
Postgraduates6,409 (2019-20)
Other students
482 (2019-20)
Location
Wageningen
,
Gelderland
,
Netherlands
ColoursGreen, light blue and soil[1]
     
AffiliationsEuroleague for Life Sciences, EUA, 4TU
MascotWUR Wolf
Websitewww.wur.nl/en.htm
Forum building. Library and one of the education hubs.

WUR consists of Wageningen University and the former agricultural research institutes of the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture. Wageningen University, as a research university, grants degrees at the BSc, MSc and PhD level in life and social sciences. It focuses its research on scientific, social and commercial problems in the field of life sciences and natural resources. It is widely known for its agriculture, forestry, and environmental studies programs. The university has about 12,000 students from over 100 countries. It is a member of the Euroleague for Life Sciences (ELLS) university network.

History

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In 1876 the Rijkslandbouwschool (National Agricultural College) was established in Wageningen. Due to the development of the training to a higher educational level it changed in 1896 to the Hoogere Land- en Boschbouwschool (Agricultural and Forestry College) and in 1904 in Rijks Hoogere Land-, Tuin- en Boschbouwschool (National Agricultural, Horticulture and Forestry College).

In 1918 the school became academic by law (Academic Education Act). The name changed to Rijks Landbouw Hoogeschool (National Agricultural College). The opening date and official start date is 9 March 1918.

In 1986 the research oriented "hogescholen" (comparable to scientific institute of technology or business schools) were renamed to University in a modification of the Academic Education Act. The new name became Landbouwuniversiteit Wageningen (LUW) (Wageningen Agricultural University (WAU)).

Over the years the research and teaching branched out into life sciences in general, while interest for agriculture as a career opportunity waned. In 1997, when the DLO institutes (Dienst Landbouwkundig Onderzoek / Service of agricultural research) merged with the university, the new organisation was rebranded as Wageningen UR (Wageningen University and Research Centre); with the university being renamed Wageningen University. Under Dutch laws the university and the institutes had to remain separate legal entities.

In 2006, the university of applied sciences Van Hall Larenstein became part of Wageningen UR. The idea was to create better collaboration between applied teaching and research at Van Hall and the academic research at Wageningen University. This would also support students to continue with an academic program upon completing their applied degree. However, due to differences in organizational culture and incompatibility of procedures, the collaboration remained problematic. In 2012 it was decided that Van Hall Larenstein would leave Wageningen UR and continue as an independent school once more. In the spring of 2015 the separation was marked by the move of the final Wageningen-based Van Hall Larenstein studies back to Velp.

In 2009 it was decided that the university would consistently use the English name in its communication, and that university research could be presented under the name of the university: Wageningen University (WU), or under of the name Wageningen University and Research (WUR).[2][3] On 6 September 2016 Wageningen University and the research institutes became one joint brand: Wageningen University & Research (WUR).

On 9 March 2018 Wageningen University celebrated her 100 years anniversary. During this year there were many events and festivities around the campus and in the city of Wageningen.

Academic profile

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Wageningen University was the first Dutch university or school that was allowed to use the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) label. This label is awarded by the European Commission and guarantees the quality of the study program. The university consequently applies this system, thus promoting the mobility of students within Europe and preventing study delay.

BSc programs

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Forum, one of the eye-catchers on the Wageningen Campus

The university offers 19 BSc programs[4] (2018-2019). For some BSc programs, the language of instruction is English. Other programs teach in both Dutch and English. The programs start each year in September, last three years, and consist of 180 ECTS credits. The programs are in the field of economy and society, health, life sciences and technology, nature and environment, animals and plants.

MSc programs

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Panorama of the greenhouse of the Lumen building

Wageningen University offers 36 different MSc programs[5] (2017-2018) and two online masters programs.[6] Although formally the same MSc program, from 2022 onwards the Master of Management Economic and Consumer studies program was offered as 5 independent MSc tracks (Sustainable Business Innovations, Sustainable Supply Chain Analytics, Consumer Studies, Economics of Sustainability, Governance of Sustainability Transformations).[7] The language of instruction for all Master's programs is English. The programs start each year in September, they last two years, and consist of 120 ECTS credits. Most programs offer various specializations and possibilities for majors, as well as full or partial premaster tracks for candidates not fulfilling all entry requirements.

PhD program

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The regular PhD program is a four-year program during which PhD candidates are appointed as junior researcher in the universities, building up unemployment and retirement benefits. Such fully paid PhD candidates on a four-year contract can be asked to perform teaching tasks for a maximum of 10% of their time as part of their appointment. Candidates supported by specific grants (usually bestowed upon the candidate by a (international) organisation), or doing PhD next to a regular job can also enrol. In these cases a tailored timeline will be agreed upon. The program consists of a research component (conducting research under supervision and writing a thesis) and a smaller education component (30 ECTS or half a year of course load with conference presentations, and some management and teaching tasks can be listed as learning activity).[8]

Research institutes

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The following research institutes are part of Wageningen Research:

  • Wageningen Environmental Research, formerly Alterra[9]
  • Wageningen Economic Research, formerly LEI Wageningen UR[10]
  • Wageningen Bioveterinary Research, formerly Central Veterinary Institute[11]
  • Wageningen Centre for Development Innovation, formerly Centre for Development Innovation[12]
  • Wageningen Food & Biobased Research, formerly Food & Biobased Research[13]
  • Wageningen Livestock Research[14]
  • Wageningen Marine Research, formerly IMARES[15]
  • Wageningen Plant Research[16]
  • Dairy Campus[17][18][19]
  • Wageningen Food Safety Research, formerly RIKILT[20]

Controversy

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Wageningen University and Research has come under fire due to claims of partiality in research.[21][22] One case regards a research concerning bee colony collapse disorder.[23] Research conducted by Tjeerd Blacquière on the topic has caused controversy due to funding received for the research from the German pesticide producer Bayer,[23] the world's biggest producer of neonicotinoid insecticides, a suspect factor for the colony collapse disorder.[24][25]

In 2018 the Dutch magazine OneWorld went to court in an attempt to demand access to contracts between WUR and Bayer, Syngenta and Monsanto, but OneWorld ultimately lost the court case.[26]

 
Panorama of the campus of Wageningen University & Research

Rankings

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International rankings

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University rankings
Global – Overall
ARWU World[27]151-200 (2022)
CWUR World[28]178 (2022–23)
CWTS World[29]64 (2022)
QS World[30]124 (2023)
THE World[31]59 (2023)
USNWR Global[32]=89 (2022-23)
Global – Life sciences and medicine
ARWU Life sciences[33]1 (2022)
QS Agriculture and Forestry[34]1 (2022)
QS Life Sciences & Medicine[35]=43 (2022)
THE Life Sciences[36]=19 (2022)
Global – Science and engineering
THE Engineering[37]97 (2022)

In the field of life sciences, agricultural and environmental science, the university is considered world-class.[38][39][40] According to the Times Higher Education World University Rankings it is the best university in the Netherlands and No. 1 worldwide, in agriculture and forestry for 2017 on the QS World University Rankings charts.[41]

  • In the 2019 U.S. News & World Report Ranking[42] Wageningen University & Research is ranked first in agricultural sciences, plant and animal sciences, and environment/ecology.
  • In the 2017/2018 National Taiwan Ranking[43] Wageningen University is ranked first in the field of agriculture.[44]
  • In the 2017/2018 National Taiwan Ranking[43] Wageningen University is ranked first in the field of Environment & Ecology.[45]
  • In the 2016 Shanghai Ranking Wageningen University was ranked in the bracket 101-150th best universities in the world overall[46] and 36th best in the life and agriculture sciences.[47]
  • In the 2017 Times Higher Education World University Rankings[48] Wageningen University was ranked 25th overall in the world and 16th in life sciences.
  • In the Academic Ranking of World Universities 2017[49] Wageningen University & Research is ranked first in the field of Food Science & Technology.[50]
  • In the 2016/2017 QS World University Rankings, Wageningen University was ranked 119th overall in the world, first in the field of agriculture and forestry, fourth in environmental science, 13th in development studies, and 83rd in life sciences and medicine.[51]

National rankings

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  • The Dutch 'Keuzegids [nl]' ranking compares Dutch universities based on reviews by their own students. In 2023 Wageningen University is ranked as the best university in the Netherlands in full-time education for the 19th time in a row.
  • In 2015 Wageningen University was awarded as the most sustainable Dutch University by Morgen (organization) [nl], for the third time in a row.
 
100 years WUR on the campus

Student activities and associations

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The mascot of the university, the WURwolf
  • Pyrus is the study association for Bsc Soil, Water, Atmosphere and Msc Earth and Environment students. The study association was established in 1989 after the study programme changed its name to Soil, Water, Atmosphere.
  • M.S.V. Alchimica is the study association for students Molecular Life Sciences. Since 1970 it has been organising different activities for its members.[52]
  • CODON is the study Association for all Biotechnology (BBT and MBT), Bioinformatics (MBF) and Biobased Sciences (MBS) students. Established by the first students of Bioprocestechnologie on 16 September 1991. At that time the association carried the name "BiPS" which was later changed to CODON.[53]
  • Nitocra is the study association for students of International Land and Water management.
  • Semper Florens is the study association for students of the bachelor Plant Sciences (BPS), the master Plant Sciences (MPS), the master Plant Biotechnology (MPB) and the master Organic Agriculture (MOA).
  • HeerenXVII is the study association for students of following the bachelor 'Agrotechnologie' or the masters ' Biosystems Engineering'.[54]
  • Nicolas Appert is the study association of the students for Food Technology including all masters programmes. It is named after the famous professor Nicolas Appert who invented the technique of 'canning'.
  • Mercurius is the social science association for students at the WUR following either the bachelor 'management and consumer studies', 'economics and governance' or the master 'Management, Economics and Consumer studies'.[55]
  • Licere is the study association of the students for MTO Tourism, Leisure and Environment masters programme.

Notable alumni and staff

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ Style Guide – website of the Wageningen University and Research
  2. ^ "Wageningen Universiteit (WU)" (in Dutch). Studie.nl. Archived from the original on 7 November 2012. Retrieved 6 March 2013.
  3. ^ "History of Wageningen UR". Wageningenur.nl. Retrieved 6 March 2013.
  4. ^ "Bachelor's". 30 August 2012.
  5. ^ "Master's". 6 February 2019.
  6. ^ "Student Service Centre - Wageningen UR". Wageningenuniversity.nl. Retrieved 9 July 2013.
  7. ^ "Master's Management, Economics and Consumer Studies". wur.nl. Retrieved 24 February 2024.
  8. ^ "PhD Programme - Wageningen University". Wageningenuniversity.nl. Retrieved 9 July 2013.
  9. ^ "Wageningen Environmental Research - Wageningen UR". Wageningenur.nl. Retrieved 30 September 2016.
  10. ^ "Wageningen Economic Research - Wageningen UR". Wageningenur.nl. Retrieved 30 September 2016.
  11. ^ "Wageningen Bioveterinary Research - Wageningen UR". Wageningenur.nl. Retrieved 30 September 2016.
  12. ^ "Wageningen Centre for Development Innovation - Wageningen UR". Wageningenur.nl. Retrieved 30 September 2016.
  13. ^ "Wageningen Food & Biobased Research - Wageningen UR". Wageningenur.nl. 10 December 2015. Retrieved 30 September 2016.
  14. ^ "Wageningen Livestock Research - Wageningen UR". Wageningenur.nl. Retrieved 30 September 2016.
  15. ^ "Wageningen Marine Research - Wageningen UR". Wageningenur.nl. Retrieved 30 September 2016.
  16. ^ "Wageningen Plant Research - Wageningen UR". Wageningenur.nl. Retrieved 30 September 2016.
  17. ^ Over Ons, website of the Dairy Campus
  18. ^ Ability, Erdee Media Groep & Smartshore. "Zondag". RD.nl.
  19. ^ Meindert Schroor (ed.), Nieuwe Encyclopedie van Fryslân, Gorredijk/Leeuwarden (Utgeverij Bornmeer/Tresoar), 2016, ISBN 978-9 05 61 53 755, pp. 2173-2174.
  20. ^ "RIKILT - Wageningen UR". Wageningenur.nl. Retrieved 30 September 2016.
  21. ^ Visser, Jeroen (26 September 2011). "Hoogleraar: Wageningen Universiteit verdraaide onderzoek over melk". de Volkskrant (in Dutch). Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  22. ^ "Conclusies belangrijk onderzoek naar biologisch eten afgezwakt onder druk van onderzoeksinstituut TNO - Zembla - BNNVARA". Zembla (in Dutch). Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  23. ^ a b "Belangenverstrengeling zaait twijfels over giftig zaad". Follow the Money - Platform voor onderzoeksjournalistiek (in Dutch). 10 January 2020. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  24. ^ Goulson, Dave; et al. (1 June 2018). "Call to restrict neonicotinoids" (PDF). Science. 360 (6392): 973. Bibcode:2018Sci...360..973G. doi:10.1126/science.aau0432. ISSN 0036-8075. PMID 29853677. S2CID 44122811.
  25. ^ Woodcock, B. A.; Bullock, J. M.; Shore, R. F.; Heard, M. S.; Pereira, M. G.; Redhead, J.; Ridding, L.; Dean, H.; Sleep, D.; Henrys, P.; Peyton, J. (30 June 2017). "Country-specific effects of neonicotinoid pesticides on honey bees and wild bees" (PDF). Science. 356 (6345): 1393–1395. Bibcode:2017Sci...356.1393W. doi:10.1126/science.aaa1190. ISSN 0036-8075. PMID 28663502.
  26. ^ "OneWorld naar rechter om geheime contacten Wageningen Universiteit en Bayer". OneWorld (in Dutch). 25 June 2018. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  27. ^ "Academic Ranking of World Universities 2022". ShanghaiRanking. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
  28. ^ "CWUR – World University Rankings 2022–2023". Center for World University Rankings. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
  29. ^ "CWTS Leiden Ranking 2022 - PP top 10%". CWTS Leiden Ranking. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
  30. ^ "QS World University Rankings 2023". Top Universities. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
  31. ^ "World University Rankings 2023 - Wageningen University". Times Higher Education (THE). 14 November 2021. Retrieved 14 October 2022.
  32. ^ "2022-2023 Best Global Universities Rankings". U.S. News Education (USNWR). Retrieved 27 December 2022.
  33. ^ "2022 Global Ranking of Academic Subjects in Life Sciences and Agriculture Sciences". ShanghaiRanking. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
  34. ^ "QS World University Rankings by Subject 2022: Agriculture & Forestry". TopUniversities. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
  35. ^ "QS World University Rankings by Subject 2022: Life Sciences & Medicine". TopUniversities. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
  36. ^ "THE World University Rankings 2022 by subject: life sciences". Times Higher Education. 10 September 2021. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
  37. ^ "THE World University Rankings 2022 by subject: engineering". Times Higher Education. 27 October 2020. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
  38. ^ "Subject Ranking 2015-2016: life sciences top 100". 9 October 2015.
  39. ^ "QS World University Rankings by Subject 2015 - Environmental Sciences". 22 April 2015.
  40. ^ Viviano, Frank (September 2017). "This Tiny Country Feeds the World". National Geographic. Retrieved 1 September 2017.
  41. ^ "QS World University Rankings by Subject 2016 - Agriculture & Forestry". 17 March 2016.
  42. ^ "2019 U.S. News & World Report Rankings". www.usnews.com/.
  43. ^ a b "2012 National Taiwan University Ranking (NTU Ranking)". Archived from the original on 30 August 2013. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
  44. ^ "NTU Ranking, 2017 - Environment/Ecology". National Taiwan University Ranking. Archived from the original on 11 October 2017. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
  45. ^ "2017 National Taiwan University Ranking (NTURanking)". nturanking.lis.ntu.edu.tw. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
  46. ^ "University of Wageningen | Academic Ranking of World Universities - 2016 | Shanghai Ranking - 2016". www.shanghairanking.com. Retrieved 6 October 2016.
  47. ^ "Academic Ranking of World Universities in Life and Agriculture Sciences–2016". www.shanghairanking.com. Retrieved 6 October 2016.
  48. ^ "World rankings–Europe". Times Higher Education. Retrieved 6 October 2016.
  49. ^ "ARWU World University Rankings 2018 - Academic Ranking of World Universities". www.shanghairanking.com.
  50. ^ "ShanghaiRanking's Global Ranking of Academic Subjects 2017 - Food Science & Technology | Shanghai Ranking - 2017". www.shanghairanking.com. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
  51. ^ "QS World University Rankings". Top Universities. QS Quacquarelli Symonds. 16 July 2015. Retrieved 6 October 2016.
  52. ^ "M.S.V. Alchimica". Retrieved 14 April 2015.
  53. ^ "CODON". Retrieved 14 April 2015.
  54. ^ "HeerenXVII". heeren17.nl. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
  55. ^ "Mercurius Wageningen | Studievereniging Mercurius in Wageningen".
  56. ^ "Profile: Fortuyn killer". 15 April 2003 – via news.bbc.co.uk.
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