Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences RDM Campus

Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences was founded 1 January 1988 with the merging of nineteen Boards of educational institutes in Rotterdam, Delft and Dordrecht. This was the start of a school for higher education in Rotterdam and the surrounding area.

Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences has more than 36,000 students and more than 3,500 employees. There are a wide variety of programmes to choose from across all educational sectors, with the exception of the agrarian sector. Our education is closely connected to developments in the metropolitan region of Rotterdam. Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences has more than 36,000 students and more than 3,500 employees. There are a wide variety of programmes to choose from across all educational sectors, with the exception of the agrarian sector. Our education is closely connected to developments in the metropolitan region of Rotterdam.

The merger resulted in an organisation that was divided into four faculties.

• The Faculty of Educational Programmes included the former pabo schools, (secondary teacher training) in Rotterdam and Dordrecht, the school of Teacher Training in Delft, de Nutsacademie and part-time teacher training programmes in Rotterdam and the province of Zeeland.
• The Faculty of Visual Arts and Architecture included those two academies.
• The Polytechnics Faculty included the higher technical school of Dordrecht and two programmes for laboratory training in Rotterdam and Delft, the Academy for Nautical Training and the school of higher education for Maritime Mechanical Engineering.
• The Faculty of Health, Labour Relations and Health Care consisted of the Social Academy, the higher education school of Youth Welfare, and Nursing, the Academy of Physical Therapy and schooling for Speech Therapy.
• Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences stands for inclusive, high-quality education. We organise our education to be context-rich. Students, lecturers, researchers and professionals working together in a work-study environment.

In the education vision of Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences we identify characteristics and basic principles of our education. The content and application of that vision is in the hands of the lecturer teams. They realise and organise education that fits their students, the professions that they are educating for, and the identity of their specific study programme.

Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences has made the choice to commit to the expanding city of Rotterdam. Society has not stopped developing, and neither has the city. More and more potential students find their way to Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences. Often these are kids of immigrant parents, the first generation of families in this country to enrol at a school of higher education. This asked for a different approach, because this new generation of students was less prepared at home for independent study. Therefore, Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences presented a new and finely tuned policy. Using the motto 'Exceed Expectations' the school wanted to challenge all youth to achieve the maximum result during their studies, including the disadvantaged group. The project 'Study Success for Everyone' and stimulating education by means of the Rotterdam Education Model needed to make this ambition possible. In addition the role of the school as an institute of higher education for this region was given more emphasis. The clusters were divided into eleven institutes to better connect education, research and contract education. Although the institutes were given some freedom to develop, the school ensured that unity of school policies would be kept intact.

In September 2012 Ron Bormans was appointed Chairman of the Executive Board of Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences. His role in the organisation and his observations led to a thorough analysis of the state and current situation of the school. The most important conclusions were presented in his Focus programme. The shortest summary of which is that the school was doing well, but was still not doing everything well all the time.

The connection with Rotterdam was a good choice. Because of this education and research were better connected to the city, and a hefty investment was made in reaching the youth of Rotterdam and keeping them in school. Investment in the quality of lecturers was also on the rise.

But the school still did not achieve enough. The school continued to focus on the wide and diverse, student population, as is the city of Rotterdam, but the quality of education needed to improve across the board. For that reason the Focus programme turned the school's complete attention to the quality of our Bachelor education. The intrinsic bond between students and lecturers needed to be stronger to increase Study Success, and education needed to profit more from applied research.

The Focus programme started another way of working and thinking within the school. Guidelines placing more responsibility with lecturer teams and a supporting role of management, services and staff.