Amsterdam and The Netherlands
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is unusual in the fact that it offers all the advantages of a big city – culture, history, food, entertainment and good transport – but relatively few of the disadvantages. Most of all, it is physically small: all attractions in the historic centre are at walking distance from each other. For such a small city (only 850.000 inhabitants) it has plenty to offer: a wide range of places of interest, historic monuments, numerous canals and more than 50 museums. Arts and antiques are for sale in quaint quarters, fashionable and upscale products in a variety of shopping streets. For a nice evening out you can visit one of the many cinemas, theatres or a cozy café. If you like clubbing, there is a large choice of dance venues and discos. In Amsterdam you will never be bored! Check this website for information on all activities in Amsterdam.
The Netherlands
The Netherlands are a small country with approximately 16,5 million inhabitants, located centrally between metropolitan centres such as Paris, Berlin and London. Despite its small size, the country has a healthy economy and strong international relations. Next to the benefits of its central location in North western Europe, the country offers a beautiful, extended coast line that you can enjoy!
Education in the Netherlands
The Dutch higher education sector draws a distinction between higher professional education (hoger beroepsonderwijs, hbo) and academic education (wetenschappelijk onderwijs). The former takes place at institutes of professional education, while the latter, together with academic research, is the province of the universities. The VU is one of 14 universities in the Netherlands at which you can receive an academic education. These two strands of higher education are not entirely separated, however: universities and institutes of professional education often work together in the field of teacher training.
Higher education in the Netherlands is structured according to the Bachelor’s-Master’s (BaMa) system, in which students embark on a one or two-year Master’s programme, preceded by a Bachelor’s programme which usually takes three years. This BaMa structure in higher education was implemented in September 2002. Although you can embark on a career upon completing your Bachelor’s degree, a Master’s degree offers opportunities for further specialisation and increases your chances of success in the job market. After graduating from the Master’s programme, some students continue their studies to obtain a PhD.
