Wageningen University and Research Center Netherlands

Wageningen University and Research Center Netherlands Wageningen University and Research Center is a collaboration between Wageningen University and the DLO foundation. Wageningen UR’s domain is healthy food and living environment. The strength of Wageningen UR lies in its ability to join the forces of specialised research institutes and Wageningen University. It also lies in the combined efforts of the various fields of natural and social sciences. This union of expertise leads to scientific breakthroughs that can quickly be put into practice and incorporated into education.

Humboldt University of Berlin Germany

Humboldt University of Berlin Germany This institution followed the precepts of the great educational reformer Wilhelm von Humboldt when it opened in 1810 and pioneered many new academic disciplines. Weathering the onslaughts of the 20th century, it has returned to that reforming zeal and offers around 260 degree courses taught by some 2,170 academics to 35,000 students.

University of Wisconsin-Madison United States of America

University of Wisconsin-Madison United States of America Located in Madison, the capital of the State of Wisconsin, the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW) is a public, land-grant institution that was founded in 1848. It held its first class in the February of 1849. Home to 13 colleges and schools, the university’s main campus stretches over 900 acres along the southern shore of Lake Mendota. The city itself has plenty to offer students, including national landmarks and the colourful State Street and Capitol Square, lined with restaurants, coffee shops, music venues and boutiques. Madison is known as being a ‘green’ city, with plenty of opportunities for skiing, fishing, boating, and other outdoor sports. The newspaper USA Today ranked Madison fourth best cycling town in America for its network of biking paths and bike-share program. Its student body of 40,000 collectively represents 50 states and 124 countries. The university boasts almost 900 student organisations and its official mascot is the Bucky Badger. A research university, UW has been home to number of pioneering achievements, such as the discovery of vitamins in the early 20th century, the cultivation of embryonic stem cells in the late 20th century and, in 2010, the discovery of a new human species. Since its inception, over a dozen Nobel Prize awards have been awarded to faculty and alumni of UW. Other alumni include 33 Pulitzer Prize winners, the founders of the satirical news media company, The Onion, and the founder of Earth Day, the annual event that champions environmental protection. One of the university’s longest traditions is the ‘Wisconsin Idea’ – the principle that the university should enhance people’s lives beyond the classroom. The Idea has been synonymous with Wisconsin for over 100 years and has become the primary ethos of the university’s outreach efforts across the globe. The university’s motto is ‘Numen Lumen’, which translates as ‘God, our light’.

New York University United States of America

New York University United States of America New York University (NYU), a member of the distinguished Association of American Universities, is the largest private university in the US, with 17 schools and divisions. NYU offers more than 150 undergraduate majors, including individualised studies. There are also opportunities for double majors, minors, dual degrees and internships. NYU’s main campus is situated in Greenwich Village, New York City, and has two branch campuses in Abu Dhabi and Shanghai, China. It also has study abroad sites in Berlin, German; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Florence, Italy; Ghana, London, England; Madrid, Spain; Paris, France; Tel Aviv, Israel; and Prague, the Czech Republic.

LMU Munich Germany

LMU Munich Germany As one of Europe’s leading research universities, LMU Munich is committed to the highest international standards of excellence in research and teaching. Building on its 500-year-tradition of scholarship, LMU covers a broad spectrum of disciplines, ranging from the humanities and cultural studies through law, economics and social studies to medicine and the sciences. The know-how and creativity of LMU’s academics form the foundation of the university’s outstanding research record. This is also reflected in LMU’s designation as a “university of excellence” in the context of the Excellence Initiative, a nationwide competition to promote top-level university research. Some of the most famous figures in modern history spent their salad days at Munich: Richard Strauss, Marie Stopes, Erich Fromm, Konrad Adenauer, Lord Acton and others. Founded in 1472, Munich's flagship university now hosts around 44,000 students pursuing degrees in 150 subjects under the guidance of approximately 700 professors and 3,600 academic staff.

Northwestern University United States of America

Northwestern University United States of America When it opened for business in 1855, Northwestern University had only two academic staff and 10 students. These were all male, but women have been admitted since 1869. Northwestern owes its existence to the vision of its nine founders who, with no land, limited finances and little knowledge of higher education, determined to create a university for the vast Northwest Territory covering more than five of today’s states. They began planning in 1850 and, three years later, boldly went ahead and purchased a 379-acre site close to Lake Michigan and developed the campus at Evanston, named after a founder called John Evans. From these small beginnings, Northwestern has developed into a leading private research university with a strong interdisciplinary culture and a commitment to teaching excellence. It now consists of 12 separate schools and colleges and is notable for its research strength in fields including neuroscience, nanotechnology, biotechnology and the development of new drugs. The main campus is still based at Evanston, 10 miles north of Chicago, although there is a smaller one in Chicago, so students enjoy all the stimulus and opportunities for personal and professional development provided by one of the world’s great cities. Since 2008, there has also been a third, satellite campus in Doha, Qatar. Northwestern’s mascot is Willy the Wildcat. Its mottoes are both taken from the New Testament and read, in Latin and Greek, “Whatsoever things are true” and “The world is full of grace and truth”. Celebrated alumni include novelist Saul Bellow and economist George Stigler, who both went on to win Nobel Prizes, as well as Friends star David Schwimmer, Gone Girl author Gillian Flynn, and George R. R. Martin, whose novels inspired the Game of Thrones television series. No fewer than four economists and one chemist who worked as faculty at Northwestern went to receive Nobel Prizes. And the diplomat and political scientist Ralph Bunce, who had been a researcher there, went on to become the first African American to win a Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to resolve the Arab-Israeli conflict.

University of Edinburgh United Kingdom

University of Edinburgh United Kingdom Founded in 1583, the University of Edinburgh (UoE) is the sixth oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Britain and Ireland’s seven ancient universities. It is made up of three colleges: Humanities and Social Science, Science and Engineering, and Medicine and Veterinary Medicine. Within these three colleges, there are 20 academic schools. In total, the university attracts around 35,000 students, the majority of which study within the College of Humanities and Social Science, the largest of its colleges. Its College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine is reputed to be a world-leader in its field. UoE is an internationally-focussed university and welcomes students from all corners of the globe, with the majority coming from China and the United States. Its students can also take advance of the Go Abroad Fund, which provides grants for 250 or students to have a short-term international experience each year. Additionally, students are also encouraged to either study or work abroad as part of their course. The university receives over £200 million in research income. It spends over £26 million on prizes, scholarships, studentships and bursaries. At around £317 million, it has the third largest endowment of any UK university after Oxford and Cambridge. A total of 20 Nobel laureates are affiliated with the University of Edinburgh. These include winners of Prizes in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Peace, Literature and the Memorial Prize in Economic Science. Alumni include Charles Darwin, David Hume, Alexander Graham Bell and Sir Author Conan Doyle, among many others. Situated in the heart of the historic capital of Scotland, the city of Edinburgh is home to the Scottish Parliament, an ancient volcanic rock and an iconic castle.