Eindhoven University of Technology facts for kids
Technische Universiteit Eindhoven
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Motto in English
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Where innovation starts |
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Type | Public, technical |
Established | 23 June 1956 66 Years |
Budget | €412.6M (2020) |
President | Robert-Jan Smits |
Rector | Silvia Lenaerts |
Administrative staff
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3,200 |
Students | 12,926 |
Location |
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51°26′53″N 5°29′23″E / 51.44806°N 5.48972°E |
Campus | Urban, 121 ha (300 acres) |
Colors | Scarlet |
Affiliations | 4TU, CESAER, Santander, CLUSTER, EUA and EuroTech |
The Eindhoven University of Technology (Dutch: Technische Universiteit Eindhoven), often called TU/e, is a public technical university in the Netherlands. It's located in the city of Eindhoven.
In 2020–21, about 14,000 students were studying for their Bachelor's and Master's degrees. Plus, around 1,350 students were working on their PhDs. In 2021, TU/e had about 3,900 people working there.
TU/e is part of the EuroTech Universities Alliance. This is a group of top science and technology universities in Europe. Other members include the Technical University of Denmark and the Technical University of Munich.
Contents
History of TU/e
The Eindhoven University of Technology started on June 23, 1956. It was first called Technische Hogeschool Eindhoven. It was the second university of its kind in the Netherlands, after Delft University of Technology.
For many years, students studied for four or five years to get an engineering degree. In 2002, the university changed its system. Now, students first get a three-year Bachelor's degree. After that, they can study for two more years to get a Master's degree.
Future Plans for TU/e
In 2011, the university shared its plans for the future up to 2020. They wanted to:
- Create a University College for a wider education.
- Increase the number of students by 50 percent.
- Award 50 percent more PhDs each year.
- Help more companies use the university's research.
- Become one of the top 100 universities in the world.
- Turn the campus into a modern science park. This park would have labs, housing for students, and other useful facilities.
Campus Life and Buildings
All the university's departments and student areas are located along a central path called the Groene Loper.
Many older buildings have been updated, and new ones have been built. The goal for new buildings is to use as little energy as possible. This means they are designed to be very energy-efficient.
How TU/e is Organized
The Eindhoven University of Technology is a public university in the Netherlands. Its structure is set by Dutch laws.
Who Runs the University?
The university is run by an Executive Board. This board has three main people:
- The President: This person leads the board and is the main face of the university. The current president is Robert-Jan Smits.
- The Rector Magnificus: This person must be a professor at the university. They make sure that academic interests are looked after. The current rector is Silvia Lenaerts.
- The Vice President: This person helps the other two members. The current vice president is Nicole Ummelen.
There is also a secretary who helps the board with their work.
Who Watches Over the Board?
Two groups keep an eye on the Executive Board:
- The Supervisory Board: This is a group of five people from outside the university. They check how the university is run, including its budget and big plans.
- The University Council: This group has 18 people. Half are elected from the staff, and half are elected from the students. They give advice to the Executive Board and make sure there's no unfair treatment.
Departments and Services
Most of the university's work happens in its departments and service organizations:
- Departments: These are where most of the teaching and research takes place. Each department is led by a dean.
- Service Organizations: These groups provide help to everyone at the university. For example, they manage housing, computer systems, and communications.
TU/e Holding B.V.
The university also has a company called TU/e Holding B.V. This company helps manage the university's business deals and partnerships with outside companies. It also helps new companies that start from university research.
University Service Teams
The university has several service organizations that help it run smoothly. Here are some of them:
Team | What it's called | What it does |
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DAZ |
General Affairs Service | Handles general tasks, alumni relations, and the Student Sport Center. |
CEC |
Communications Expertise Center | Manages all university announcements and talks with the press. |
DPO |
Human Resources Management | Deals with all staff-related things, like hiring and workplace safety. |
DFEZ |
Financial and Economic Services | Manages all the university's money. |
DH |
Housing Service | Looks after all the university buildings and properties. |
ICT |
ICT Service | Manages computers, networks, and internet safety for the university. |
IEC |
Information Expertise Center | Runs the university library, both physical and digital. |
DIZ |
Internal Affairs Service | Handles internal services like emergency help, logistics, and purchasing. |
STU |
Student Service Center | Helps students with admissions, registration, and other services. |
GTD |
Common Technical Service | Provides technical help to departments, like building experiments. |
Academics at TU/e
University Rankings
University rankings | |
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Global – Overall | |
ARWU World | 401–500 (2023) |
QS World | =124 (2024) |
THE World | =168 (2024) |
USNWR Global | =342 (2023) |
Eindhoven University of Technology is often ranked among the top technical universities in Europe. In 2018, it was ranked between 51 and 141 globally.
In 2003, a report by the European Commission ranked TU/e as third among European research universities. This was based on how much impact its scientific research had. It was even ranked as the highest technical university in Europe in that study.
What Can You Study?
The university has nine main departments, also called faculties. These departments are where most of the teaching and research happens. They offer Bachelor's and Master's programs.

The nine departments are:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Built Environment
- Electrical Engineering
- Industrial Design
- Chemical Engineering and Chemistry
- Industrial Engineering & Innovation Sciences
- Applied Physics
- Mechanical Engineering
- Mathematics and Computer Science
Special Programs for Top Students
The university offers special "honors programs" for students who want to challenge themselves more. These programs are for both Bachelor's and Master's students. They involve deeper study and personal development.
Postgraduate Engineering Programs
Since 1986, TU/e has offered special two-year postgraduate programs. These lead to a Doctorate of Engineering (PDEng) degree. More than 3,500 students have earned this degree.
Some of these programs include:
- Automotive Systems Design
- Clinical Informatics
- Data Science
- Healthcare Systems Design
- Information and Communication Technology
- Process and Product Design
- Qualified Medical Engineer
- Smart Buildings and Cities
- Software Technology
- User-System Interaction
Other Study Options
TU/e also offers other educational programs:
- Teacher's Program: For Master's students who want to become teachers.
- MBA Program: A business program for university graduates, shared with the University of Tilburg.
Research at TU/e
TU/e is involved in many research institutes. These institutes work on both pure science and applied science. Some are part of the university, while others work with different universities.
Working with Companies on Research
TU/e is one of the top universities in the world for working with companies on research. A lot of its scientific papers are written with researchers from industry. This shows how well the university connects with businesses.
The university has a long history of working with big companies like Philips and DAF. Today, it helps many high-tech companies in the area, like ASML and NXP. It also helps new technology companies get started.
Eindhoven Energy Institute
Since 2010, TU/e has hosted the Eindhoven Energy Institute (EEI). This institute helps manage and coordinate research on sustainable and alternative energy.
The research focuses on areas like:
- Energy use in buildings.
- Future fuels.
- How energy is changed from one form to another.
- Fusion and plasma energy.
Energy research at TU/e is considered among the best in Europe.
How to Join and What it Costs
How to Get In
The process to get into TU/e is similar to other universities in the Netherlands. Some Bachelor's programs have a limited number of spots, which can change each year.
If you graduate from another 4TU institution (a group of four technical universities in the Netherlands), you might be able to get direct admission to a Master's program.
What are the Fees?
The tuition fees at TU/e depend on where you are from. Here's a simple overview of the costs for 2021-2022:
Student Type | Fee 2021-2022 | Conditions |
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A | €1,084 | Bachelor and Master students from certain countries (EEA) |
B | €10,316 | Bachelor students from outside certain countries (non-EEA) |
C | €15,316 | Master students from outside certain countries (non-EEA) |
G | €18.07 per unit | Pre-Master students (for specific courses) |
I | €10,000 | PhD scholarship students |
Scholarships Available
Students from countries in the European Economic Area (EEA) might be able to get money or a loan from the Dutch government.
TU/e also offers some scholarships for graduate students. To get one, you usually need to be accepted into the university first.
Fun Off-Campus Activities
TU/e is a big part of the local community in Eindhoven. It also works with groups far beyond the city and takes part in national and international events.
Technology and Sports
Students at TU/e combine technology with sports in exciting ways:
- Robot Football: The university's robot football team, TechUnited, has won the European Championship. They also won the world championship in 2012!
- Student Race Teams:
- University Racing Eindhoven (URE) is a student team that builds its own race cars. They compete in races like Formula Student. In 2010, they switched to an electric car and won first place in their first year!
- The Solar Team Eindhoven (STE) builds solar-powered cars called Stella. They have won the Cruiser class competition in the World Solar Challenge multiple times.
Student Life at TU/e
Student Community
TU Eindhoven has over 110 different groups and clubs for students and staff. These groups cover many interests, like sports, culture, hobbies, and even student political parties. There are also specific study associations for each department.
Student Teams
TU/e has many student teams that work on real-world challenges. These teams focus on important topics like:
- Sustainability (making things better for the environment)
- Artificial intelligence (AI)
- Health
- Mobility (how people and things move around)
Notable People from TU/e
Famous Alumni (Former Students)
Many talented people have studied at TU/e, including:
- Wil van der Aalst, a computer scientist.
- Jo Coenen, a famous Dutch architect.
- Marijn Dekkers, who used to be the Chairman of Unilever.
- Gerard Kleisterlee, former head of Philips Electronics.
- Kees Schouhamer Immink, a digital pioneer who won an Emmy Award.
Notable Faculty (Teachers and Researchers)
Many important teachers and researchers have worked at TU/e, such as:
- Nicolaas Govert de Bruijn, a mathematician.
- Edsger W. Dijkstra, a computer scientist who won the Turing Award in 1972.
- Alexandre Horowitz, who invented the Philishave.
- Archer Martin, who won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1952.
- Bert Meijer, a pioneer in polymer research.
- Wietse Venema, a programmer and physicist.
Awards for Research at TU/e
Researchers at TU/e have received many important awards for their work, including the prestigious Spinozapremie. Some award winners include:
- Prof. dr. ir.René de Borst (1999)
- Prof. dr. Bert Meijer (2001)
- Prof. dr.ir. René Janssen (2015)
- Prof. dr. ir. Jan van Hest (2020)
Images for kids
See also
In Spanish: Universidad Técnica de Eindhoven para niños