21/05/2009 | Newsletter, Netherlands

View from the Top: Jo Ritzen, Rector of Maastricht University.

By: Tim Rogers

Maastricht University, in the south of The Netherlands is regarded as one of the most dynamic, innovative and successful universities in Europe.

But what makes the Maastricht success story particularly impressive is that its’ founding in 1976 makes it the second youngest university in The Netherlands. Since 2003, Professor Jo Ritzen, former Minister of Education, Culture and Sciences in the Dutch government and a Vice President of the World Bank has expertly led Maastricht University. Author of 11 books, many of which focus on education, economics, development economics and government funding, Professor Ritzen, spoke to QS topgradschool.com’s View from the Top ahead of the publication of his latest volume examining the future of higher education in Europe.

“We are facing an interesting time in Europe in our universities,” Professor Ritzen begins. “This is a wake-up call to many about where they want to be in the future, particularly in terms of collaboration and attracting the top internationally mobile students. Evidence suggests that Europe is losing the battle for the best students because of demographic changes but also a failure to innovate. We need to work much closer with industry and business to offer the type of education that is relevant to students today.”

Much of the success of Maastricht University over the last ten years is due to the recognition of the importance of offering a type of higher education - one that enables students to make an impact on the labour market soon after graduation

"There is no doubt that Maastricht University is thriving.”

“There is no doubt that Maastricht University is thriving,” says Professor Ritzen. “Admissions are at a record high with a great demand for all of our degree programs and in recent years we have had a particular focus on our masters and PhD degrees. The changes under Bologna, with a clear distinction between the bachelors and masters degrees, have been very positive for many universities in Europe and us in particular.”

Maastricht University, enjoys a prime location for international graduate students. Just two hours south of Amsterdam, within easy reach of the Belgium capital Brussels and a short hop from the German border, Maastricht is at the heart of one of the most active research areas in the whole of Europe. This relationship, with both an academic focus and the companies and industries that thrive in the region, have certainly influenced the way in which Maastricht has developed its graduate programs.

But the attraction of Maastricht’s degrees for international students does not end there. While the quality of academic staff is widely recognised, Maastricht offers a unique approach to teaching students at all levels. Known as Problem Based Learning (PBL) Maastricht has pioneered the use of a teaching methodology very different from the traditional learning approach adopted by the majority of other international universities. PBL places the student at the centre of the learning experience and encourages them to be responsible for their academic development. Working in small tutorial groups, students collect and exchange information with the intention of analyzing specific problems central to the research carried out by the University.

The PBL learning approach undoubtedly sets Maastricht University apart from many of its competitors. Professor Ritzen sees this difference not only in terms of teaching at the graduate level, but also in the outputs of the learning experience for graduates. “Very few universities in Europe attract the very top international talent because they are not innovative in their education. Very few of these universities reflect on what they actually offer students. It is essential to consider the differences in student’s backgrounds and learning styles and link these with the development of professional competencies,” he says. “The best universities in Europe in the future will be those that are closer to the labour market – what we call at Maastricht ‘dual education.’ We deal with this in a range of academic areas, including economics and business.”