The Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences (FSW) aims to play a leading role in gaining insights on current developments in society.

Developing and investigating statistical methods for complex data and models

Are you thinking about studying Statistics and Data Science? Learn more and watch the introduction video.

Are you thinking about studying Life Science and Technology? Learn more and watch the introduction video.

Choice is at the very heart of politics. War or peace, left or right, liberty or security, sovereignty or integration, consensus or conflict—choices matter. Choice is also key to your education. Choose an intellectually challenging programme in which you develop your knowledge and expertise in the study…

Meet Nathal Dessing, LUCIS director as of 1 November 2018. Dessing is a lecturer for the Leiden University Centre for the Study of Religion (LUCSoR) and education director at the Leiden University Institute for Area Studies (LIAS).

Each month, we publish an article showcasing how social science research and education contribute to solving societal challenges. Researchers, lecturers, students, and societal partners work together to make knowledge accessible and to make a difference. Through open science and engaged education, we…

Chemistry is all around us: from nutrition and smartphones to medicine. The field is developing rapidly, as the world population continues to grow and resources become scarce. MST will educate you on the basics of working towards a clean and healthy world.

Historiography of science is in its current self-image a non-evaluative discipline. Its main goal is to understand past processes of knowledge formation on their own terms. In the last few decades this approach has greatly improved our understanding of the phenomenon of science. Yet, something strange…

By carrying out fundamental research and providing excellent education, universities become a breeding ground for innovation and entrepreneurship.

Scientists, including our faculty colleague Dr. Mike Field, studying an exceptionally well-preserved woolly rhinoceros have revealed details of what Britain's environment was like 42,000 years ago. The beast's remains were discovered in Staffordshire in 2002, buried alongside other preserved organisms…

Information on contract teaching at the Faculty of Science.

Every year, the Leiden Institute of Physics (LION) organises the Science Day. The goal is to highlight the newest research at LION, to socialise, and to welcome first year master students and new PhD's and Postdocs to our institute.

To strenghten ties with the public, press, other academics and wider society, LION employs an outreach officer.

The master’s specialisation Computer Science and Education at Leiden University prepares students to teach the subject of biology to secondary school students. The programme comprises a one-year Computer Science component, followed by an education component in the second year.

Starting 1 August Lies Bouwman has been appointed as Director of Education at the LIC. She will combine this role with her position as the Programme Director of the Master's programmes in Life Science and Technology (LST) and Chemistry. By doing so, she joins the new collegial institute board of the…

The Astronomy and Data Science master’s specialisation at Leiden University combines advanced Astronomy courses with relevant courses from the Computer Science programme at Leiden University.

The master’s programme of Bio-Pharmaceutical Sciences at Leiden University examines the research area of bio-pharmaceutical sciences and drug research. It offers seven specialisations ranging from BioTherapeutics to Industrial Pharmacy.

Over the next two years, CWTS and Dialogic will develop a robust and context-specific monitoring and evaluation framework for Open Science in the Netherlands. This will be accompanied by the development of a prototype dashboard to showcase how such an Open Science monitor could be made visible.

As of 1 July, Marcellus Ubbink is the new Scientific Director of the Leiden Institute for Chemistry. He will succeed Hermen Overkleeft, who led the institute since 2017. Ubbink has been appointed for a period of four years.

If you wish to know exactly what is going on in a healthy or sick human body, and at various levels such as molecule, cell, tissue, organ, larger systems and a person as a whole? Do you wish to learn how to do research which contributes to diagnoses, treatment and prevention of diseases? Then the bachelor…

The group is involved in training in areas of diagnostic skills, treatment/prevention/intervention, neuropsychological assessment, behavioral observations, clinical interviewing, knowledge of intellectual disability, autism, ADHD, psychosis and aggression.

Cognitive processes of learning with a focus on reading comprehension and the development of mathematical skills.

Quantum Information Science & Technology (QIST) encompasses the understanding, design, construction and investigation of quantum information processing systems, such as quantum computers, quantum communication networks, and quantum sensors.

What did we do over the past year? Well, we played quantum games, helped develop an instrument for the Extremely Large Telescope and started a new bachelor's programme. Oh, yeah, and we officially opened our brand new Gorlaeus Building! Warm up the fingers and get ready to click and scroll through…

Are you interested in combining your master programme with the Science Communication and Society specialisation? Learn more and watch the introduction video.

Global problem solving, interdisciplinary, critical thinking, and active citizenship- all words you hear when we speak about Liberal Arts and Sciences. But what actually is Liberal Arts & Sciences?

Marcello Bonsangue will be the new Scientific Director of the Leiden Institute of Advanced Computer Science (LIACS) from January 2024. Bonsangue has been appointed for four years. He succeeds Aske Plaat, who led the institute for eight years.

Jasper Williams has been appointed as the new Operational Director of CML. He is succeeding Paul de Hoog, who held the position for over eleven years, initially as Institute Manager and later as Operational Director. Williams will assume the position on 1 February.

Dirkje Schinkelshoek, Executive director of the Faculty of Science, will become the new Director of Operations and Finances at NWO Domain Organisation (NWO-D) in The Hague as of 1 September.

FluidKnowledge will investigate the past, present and future of evaluating ocean science. Regarding the past, it will ask how research priorities in ocean science evolved until now. Which lines of inquiry became hot topics, and which died out? Who became global players, who ended up in the periphery?…

Prof. Hanneke Hulst has been appointed Scientific Director of the Institute of Psychology by the Board of the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences. She will start on 1 February 2024 for a period of 3 years, succeeding Andrea Evers and interim director Serge Rombouts.

As a student of Bio-Pharmaceutical Sciences, you have a strong interest in drug development: from the onset of diseases to the effects of individual drugs in the body. Is that true for you? Then, Bio-Pharmaceutical Sciences might be the right study programme for you!

In 2023, the OSCL, together with the University Library and Academia in Motion, ran a survey to better understand the state of Open Science at our university. In this year's follow-up, we are asking you to give your input, so we can jointly develop how Open Science evolves in our university.

In early 2026, two new programme directors will begin their roles at FWN. Joost Broekens will take charge of the bachelor’s programme in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (DSAI), while Sander van Kasteren will become programme director of the MSc in Life Science and Technology (LST).

Leiden Institute of Advanced Computer Science (LIACS)

The research reported in this thesis is concerned with the knowledge development of a small sample of experienced science teachers in the context of a broad innovation in Dutch secondary education, including the introduction of a new syllabus on Public Understanding of Science.

Michiel Hogerheijde will be the new Programme Director of the bachelor Astronomy starting 1 October. The appointment is for four years. Hogerheijde succeeds Harold Linnartz who has held the position since 2018.

The Faculty Board has reappointed Gijsbert Rutten as the Director of Studies for the Leiden University Centre for Linguistics.

Koenraad Schalm will be the new programme director of the Physics master starting 1 November. He has been appointed for a period of four years. Schalm succeeds Ana Achúcarro who has held the position since 2021.

As of February, Pepijn Reeser steps down as the project director of the Taalmuseum (the Language Museum). Exhibition designer and project manager Tessa Askamp takes over his role.

Dear friends of the NVIC,

Gilles van Wezel has been appointed the new Scientific Director of the Institute of Biology Leiden starting September 1st, 2018. Van Wezel succeeds Herman Spaink, who has been the Scientific Director since September 2014.

As of 1 September Miranda van Eck will be the new Scientific Director of the Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research. She succeeds Hubertus Irth, who led the institute since 2016. Van Eck has been appointed for a period of four years.

Are you passionate about our planet? Are you keen to find solutions to environmental problems that make a real impact? Do you feel that either natural sciences or social sciences by themselves are not enough to tackle today’s complex sustainability issues? Then Science for Sustainable Societies at Leiden…

This page provides information to support your application for the Master's programme of Bio-Pharmaceutical Sciences.

The group Clinical Neurodevelopmental Sciences has expertise in individual differences in child development, in particular the development of psychopathology, ranging from mild to severe neurodevelopmental disorders.

The Leiden Science Young Talent Award celebrates a student who completed their bachelor’s degree with an outstanding thesis.