Promotores: Prof.dr. T.H.W. Bäck, Prof.dr. M.R.V. Chaudron, Co-Promotor: M.T.M. Emmerich

Leiden University was the first university to be established in the Netherlands. William of Orange gave Leiden Academia Lugduno Batava in 1575, it is said in recognition of the city’s courageous resistance against the seige by the Spanish invaders.

The EU fundamental right to ‘freedom of the arts and sciences’: exploring the limits on the commercialisation of academia (AFITE) AFITE is an interdisciplinary five-year research project. It is funded by the Netherlands Organization of Scientific Research (NWO), as part of its Vidi scheme. Its principal…

What are the values that Leiden University cherishes? What does the University stand for and what does it consider important?

‘If we all possessed just an ounce of Cleveringa, then all would be well in the world,’ said Professor Leo Lucassen. In the Cleveringa debate on the line between free speech and threatening speech he called for ‘more guts’. He is not the only one who thinks this is badly needed if the debate at the…

By choosing Leiden University, you’ll be choosing to broaden your personal and academic horizons. You’ll be in excellent company too, because you’ll be part of an inspiring community of students, lecturers and professors from all over the world. Founded in 1575, ours is the oldest university in the…

Online platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, and X (formerly Twitter) have become part and parcel of everyday media use. Journalists incorporate posts from politicians into newspaper reports, scientists share their insights in short posts or videos, and the judiciary uses social media to explain their…

On 30 November 2023, Florian Theissen successfully defended his PhD thesis, 'Sincerely Believing in Freedom'.

On 15 July 2019 Hans-Martien ten Napel started a new series on freedom of religion or belief for the London School of Economics research-led interdisciplinary Religion and Global Society Blog.

Electrons in a crystal lattice have properties that may differ from those of a free electron in vacuum.

The LGBT+ Network offers a platform for all lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer staff and students at Leiden University.

NETHATE is a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) project seeking to investigate the roots, societal impact and mitigation strategies of hate in offline and online foras.

In this thesis we study the landscape of gravitational models which modify GR by introducing an additional scalar degree of freedom (d.o.f.) to source Cosmic Acceleration.

On 7 March 2019, Maria de Jong-de Kruijf defended her thesis 'Legitimiteit en rechtswaarborgen bij gesloten plaatsing van kinderen'. The doctoral research was supervised by Prof. mr. M.R. Bruning en Prof. mr. T. Liefaard.

This volume contributes to the scholarly debate regarding the reception of Cicero and focuses on one particular moment in Cicero’s life: the period from Caesar's death (March 44 BCE) up to Cicero’s own death (December 43 BCE).

Escalating tensions in South China Sea have epitomized US–China relations for nearly a decade. Warning signs of a possible collision between a rising China and steadfast US, bring to light the need to think about ways that can halt and reverse the intensification of their confrontational moves.

Profile Area Political Legitimacy, Leiden University

The European Law Master’s specialisation distinguishes itself by its broad intra-disciplinary approach, covering institutional, constitutional as well as substantive law of the EU in addition to human rights from an EU perspective.

Decent work involves opportunities for work that delivers a fair income, care for occupational health and safety, freedom for people to organize and equality of opportunity and treatment for all women and men. The Labour Law department at Leiden University conducts research and provides education on…

Interview with political scientist Hans Vollaard (Leiden University) about “Nexit” speculations, the strengths and weaknesses of Geert Wilders’s Party for Freedom, and the general attitude towards Europe in the Netherlands.

Political scientist Nicholas Vrousalis (Leiden University) reviews the recent literature on exploitation. He istinguishes between three main species of exploitation theory: (a) teleology-based (including harm and mutual benefit) accounts, (b) respect-based (including mere means, force, rights, and fairness)…

Leiden University celebrated its 443th foundation day on 8 February 2018.

Leiden University was founded in 1575 and is one of the leading international research universities in Europe.

The programme consists of 60 EC, to be completed in one year.

AI MAPS adopts a freedom and social well-being perspective and focuses on three themes to address key security challenges; Social disorder and public nuisances in neighbourhoods, High-impact crime, and Crowds and events.

The Khoesan were the first people in Africa to undergo the full rigours of European colonisation. By the early nineteenth century, they had largely been brought under colonial rule, dispossessed of their land and stock, and forced to work as labourers for farmers of European descent.

Environmental humility is integral to addressing the climate crisis, but humility can also lead to political domination. How can humans relate to nature more humbly without risking domination?

Leiden University has made history with its many scientific discoveries; a history that is also illustrated in a variety of books and films.

Beenakker

Many members of the Royal Family have studied at Leiden University and several have been awarded an honorary doctorate.

Atoms and molecules are the basic units of matter. If we keep dividing a bar of gold or a glass of water into smaller parts, at the end we are left with a single gold atom or a water molecule.

On a structural level, the properties featured by a majority of mechanical metamaterials can be ascribed to the finite number of soft internal degrees-of freedom allowing for low-energy deformations.

The research presented in this thesis makes use of small molecules (as H2 , D2 and O2 ) on well-defined single crystal surfaces (flat Pt(111), flat Cu(211) and curved Pt(111)) to elucidate the role of surface structure and degrees of freedom in the reactant in specific surface reactions.

Leiden University is building an open, learning organisation. We aim to forge a strong university community that is characterised by mutual trust and collaboration and grounded in both freedom and responsibility. To achieve this ambition, we are committed to developing the leadership skills of all our…

Leiden University was founded in 1575 and is one of the leading international research universities in Europe. Its motto is Praesidium Libertatis – Bastion of Freedom

Authorities in Denmark and Sweden are examining whether it is possible to ban Quran burning following recent incidents. These have caused tension in many Islamic countries as well as in the countries where they occurred.

Leiden University offers ambitious students the latest knowledge and the freedom to develop their own area of expertise.

Welcome from the Rector Magnificus of Leiden University

What are the institutional dynamics of the adoption of internal market legislation?

Leiden University commemorates its victims of the war and pays tribute to all members of the university community who resisted injustice. Rudolph Cleveringa, for instance, the dean of the law faculty who gave a protest speech in 1940 after his Jewish colleagues were fired. We honour their memory through…

In recent decades, the Netherlands’ struggle with multiculturalism has caused an upsurge in public interest in the relationship between state and religion. In this, the Dutch address a subject relevant not just to them, but to all of Europe.

Information about the situation in Ukraine

In the research master Cities, Migration and Global Interdependence at Leiden University you will study processes of migration, urbanisation, economic development and global interaction over time.

The English language and Culture bachelor’s programme at Leiden University will help you develop an excellent command of both spoken and written English and immerse you in the rich global culture of English literature at a high academic level.

Leiden University enjoys an excellent worldwide reputation, built on over four centuries of outstanding teaching and research. The university is located in the historic city of Leiden, with easy access to many museums and art institutions.

What place does Dutch literature hold in the world? Why are Rembrandt, Van Gogh and Mondriaan world-famous artists? Is it possible to have a knack for language – and is that a special talent for the Dutch in general? The BA Dutch Studies gives you the unique chance to examine such questions as you learn…

In the South and Southeast Asian programme you gain a thorough understanding of the history, cultures, politics and languages of the region, home to almost a third of the world’s population (and two-thirds of its Muslims) and some of the world’s fastest-growing economies.