Honours education is changing
At the request of the Executive Board, the Honours Academy is working on a revision of our honours education and the way it is organised. This article tells you what is going to change and who will be affected.
The revision of the honours education is a consequence of the cutbacks in higher education: with effect from the 2026-2027 Academic Year, the financial contribution to honours education will be halved over a period of four years.
Honours education (part of the Honours Academy) offers students at Leiden University and pre-university (vwo) pupils an extra challenge. In this educational testing ground they experiment with a different type of education outside their regular programme. They follow their curiosity, step away from the beaten path and prepare themselves for the future. Students from different backgrounds learn together from and with one another, and seek connections with society.
Honours education is also a testing ground for teachers to experiment with innovative teaching. Honours education is taught by teachers from all departments of the university.
In 2025, some 1,700 bachelor’s and master’s students and 500 vwo pupils made use of the range of programmes offered by the Honours Academy.
What is going to change?
In recent years, the Honours Academy has worked with input from students and staff on the ‘Outside the box’ future vision for Leiden honours education. Based on this vision, a plan has been drawn up for the changes and downsizing, focusing on:
- interdisciplinarity (students from different programmes learn with and from one another);
- innovative teaching (room to innovate and experiment with different teaching practices and assessment methods);
- societal impact (students learn and work together on societal dilemmas);
- collaboration with partners within and outside the university.
What will this mean in practice?
Honours education for bachelor’s students
Honours education for bachelor’s students, the Honours College, will have a new structure in the coming academic year. Students will no longer follow a programme at one faculty, but can choose from a range of interdisciplinary subjects at different faculties. The new programme has been reduced to 20 EC (study points), which means that the number of bachelor’s students taking part can remain the same. In 2026-2027, first- and second-year students will follow the new Honours College programme. Students and study advisers have already been informed, and registration is now open.
As a result of decisions taken by TU Delft and Erasmus University Rotterdam, bachelor’s honours education in the context of LDE will no longer be offered in 2026-2027. Some of these programmes will be included in the Leiden Honours College.
Honours education for vwo pupils and master’s students
Changes in the honours education for vwo pupils and master’s students will only come into effect from September 2027. In the coming academic year, the Honours Academy will offer students the existing programmes:
- Pre-University College and Pre-University Classes for vwo pupils
- Leiden Leadership Programme and Master’s Honours Challenges for master’s students
Executive Board
Rector Sarah de Rijcke comments: ‘With this revision of our honours education, we are preserving the opportunities for new teaching methods and for studying beyond the borders of your faculty. But we have to recognise that this revision has been arduous for everyone who has been committed to this programme in recent years, in the faculties and at the Honours Academy.
I believe it is essential that we are clear about our deliberations, that we take the knowledge of teachers and coordinators seriously and that we give students clarity about the range of programmes they can rely on. With this modified programme, we are offering them a more compact honours programme where they can experiment with new themes, working methods and skills.’