University of Twente facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
University of Twente

Universiteit Twente
Former name	Technische Hogeschool Twente
Motto in English	High Tech, Human Touch
Type	Public
Established	1961
Budget	€ 365 M
Rector	Prof. dr. ir. Tom Veldkamp
Administrative staff	3,150 (2019)
Students	12,544 (2020)
Location	Enschede , Netherlands 52°14′33″N 06°51′09″E / 52.24250°N 6.85250°E / 52.24250; 6.85250
Colours	UT Black and UT White
Affiliations	4TU, CESAER, ECIU, EUA
Website	www.utwente.nl/en

The University of Twente (often called UT) is a public university in Enschede, Netherlands. It focuses on technology and engineering.

The University of Twente is known as one of the top universities in the world. It has also been named the best technical university in the Netherlands. The UT works with other major Dutch universities like Delft University of Technology and Eindhoven University of Technology. They are part of a group called 4TU. The university is also a partner in the European Consortium of Innovative Universities (ECIU).

A Brief History of the University

The University of Twente started in 1961. Its first name was Technische Hogeschool Twente. It was the third technical institute in the Netherlands to become a university. In 1986, its name changed to Universiteit Twente.

The Dutch government chose Enschede for the university. This was because the Twente region had many factories. These factories made textiles, metal, and electrical items. The university also helped the local economy. The city of Enschede gave the university the land for its campus.

Explore the University Campus

The University of Twente is built on a large estate called Drienerlo. This area is between the cities of Hengelo and Enschede. The campus is huge, covering 140 hectares. It has forests, fields, and water.

The university was designed like American campuses. Students and staff can live, work, and have fun all in one place. Students run their own organization called the Student Union. This union manages places like a student social center and a study center. They also manage a water sports complex.

University Rankings and Achievements

The campus of the University of Twente

The University of Twente is seen as one of the top 200 universities globally. This is according to the Times Higher Education Ranking. The university is especially strong in areas like Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure. In 2021, it ranked eleventh in the world for this. Its psychology and social sciences programs also ranked very well.

In 2021, the Shanghai Ranking honored the university's work in Geoinformation and Earth Observation Sciences. The university was among the top ten worldwide for remote sensing. This is a field that uses technology to gather information about Earth from a distance.

A national ranking called Keuzegids Universiteiten says the University of Twente is the best technical university in the Netherlands.

How the University is Organized

University Leadership

The main leader of the university is Professor Tom Veldkamp. He is the current rector magnificus. The executive board also includes Vinod Subramaniam, who is the president, and Machteld Roos, the vice-president.

Academic Departments (Faculties)

The University of Twente has five main academic departments, called faculties. Each faculty has different study areas:

• Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences (BMS): This faculty studies how people behave and how organizations are managed. It includes subjects like communication, psychology, and public administration.
• Engineering Technology (ET): Here, students learn about designing and building things. This includes mechanical engineering, civil engineering, and industrial design.
• Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science (EEMCS): This faculty focuses on electricity, numbers, and computers. It covers electrical engineering, applied mathematics, and computer science.
• Technische Natuurwetenschappen (TNW): This is about applied natural science and technology. It includes chemical engineering, applied physics, and biomedical engineering.
• Faculty of Geo-information Sciences and Earth Observation (ITC): This faculty teaches about maps, geographic information, and observing Earth. It includes spatial engineering and cartography.

The university also offers special programs. University College Twente has a broad program called ATLAS. The Twente Graduate School offers advanced studies for PhD and PDEng degrees.

Academics and Research

University Research Areas

"Het Ding" "(The Thing)", by Jasper Latté and Jaap Hos

The University of Twente has several special research centers. These centers focus on new discoveries and ideas.

Main Research Institutes

• MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology: This institute studies very tiny materials and devices.
• TechMed Centre: This center focuses on medical technology and health.
• Digital Society Institute (DSI): This institute explores how digital technology affects society.

Other Research Centers

The university also has many other centers that focus on specific topics. These include centers for:

• The philosophy of technology and engineering.
• European studies.
• Higher education policy.
• Improving healthcare operations.
• Clean technology and environmental policy.
• Knowledge-intensive businesses.
• Science, technology, and policy studies.
• Water research.
• Resilience engineering.
• Ethics and technology.
• Fluid dynamics.

What Students Can Study

The University of Twente offers many different study programs. These range from business and psychology to applied physics and engineering. They also include biomedical technology.

The university is especially strong in areas like nanotechnology, process technology, and information and communication technology. They also focus on biomedical sciences.

The UT has helped create over 1,000 new companies. These are called spin-off or start-up companies. This is more than any other university in the Netherlands. The university also supports new businesses through a program called Novel-T.

Leaders of the University (Rectors)

Here is a list of the main leaders, called rectors, of the University of Twente over the years:

• 1963–1967: Gerrit Berkhoff
• 1967–1971: Jo Vlugter
• 1971–1974: Pieter Zandbergen
• 1974–1976: Jan Kreiken
• 1976–1979: Izak Willem van Spiegell
• 1979–1982: Harry van den Kroonenberg
• 1982–1985: Wiebe Draijer
• 1985–1988: Harry van den Kroonenberg (second time)
• 1988–1992: Jos de Smit
• 1992–1997: Theo Popma
• 1997–2004: Frans van Vught
• 2005–2009: Henk Zijm
• 2009–2016: Ed Brinksma
• 2016–2020: Thom Palstra
• 2020–present: Tom Veldkamp

Famous People Who Studied Here

Many successful people have studied at the University of Twente. Here are a few examples:

• Albert van den Berg: A physics professor and winner of a major science prize.
• Ank Bijleveld: A Dutch politician who was the Minister of Defence.
• Bas Lansdorp: The co-founder and CEO of Mars One, a project to send people to Mars.
• Cees Links: An inventor who helped develop Wi-Fi technology.
• Dirk-Willem van Gulik: He helped start the Apache Software Foundation, which creates computer software.
• Fred Teeven: A former Dutch politician.
• Jaap Haartsen: The inventor of Bluetooth technology.
• Marleen Veldhuis: An Olympic, World, and European Champion swimmer.
• Jitse Groen: The founder of Takeaway.com, a large online food ordering company.
• Piet Bergveld: He invented a special sensor called the ISFET sensor.

See also

In Spanish: Universidad de Twente para niños