50 years ahead in health
In 2026, Maastricht University and the Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences celebrate their 50th anniversary together. The jubilee year is more than a reflection on highlights from the past. It is a moment to be proud of what we have built together and to look ahead. Ahead to the questions that continue to challenge us. To the role of science in a changing world. And to how we, as a faculty, continue to contribute to the healthcare of tomorrow.
Discover 50 years of FHML in our stories
This is not only a jubilee, but an invitation. An invitation to students, staff, alumni and former colleagues to reflect together on fifty years of pioneering, innovation and collaboration. Discover the jubilee year, the stories and activities on the FHML50 website and celebrate 50 years ahead in health together.
The story of the Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences
The story of Maastricht University begins with the Faculty of Medicine, known as the Eighth Medical Faculty. Guided by the visionary outlook of pioneer Sjeng Tans, the foundations for innovative academic education were laid even before the university officially opened its doors in 1976. This identity, which would become characteristic of Maastricht University, was laid down in 1972 in the Educational Philosophy (Dutch: de Basisfilosofie Onderwijs). A choice was made for experimental Problem-Based Learning and a strong focus on primary care. In 1974, the first 49 course participants, who were not yet permitted to call themselves students prior to the official opening of the university, began their medical journey at the Eighth Medical Faculty.
What began as the Eighth Medical Faculty gradually evolved into an academic community in which education, research, healthcare and societal impact are inseparably connected. As the university’s first faculty, the Faculty of Medicine laid the foundation for an institution that consciously chose innovation, small-scale education and strong regional and international connections from its earliest days.
Click on the image for more visuals from the '70s and '80s.
The faculty's development
Research in Maastricht was also organised differently. Rather than remaining confined within hospital walls, it looked outward to the needs of society and was organised thematically, creating a foundation for the eight research institutes that now form part of FHML.
At an early stage, this medical foundation was broadened. The Faculty of Medicine was strengthened by the General Faculty, which introduced the specialisation in Social Health Sciences and an integrated perspective on health. This programme became the first academic healthcare programme in the Netherlands that did not lead to a medical degree.
In 1984, the General Faculty was further developed into the Faculty of Health Sciences, offering seven specialisations in which diverse disciplines came together. This marked the beginning of a broader approach to healthcare. This development was further strengthened by the establishment of the Molecular Life Sciences, currently known as Biomedical Sciences, programme in 2002.
Innovator in education
This integrated vision ultimately formed the logical basis for the merger of the Faculty of Medicine and the Faculty of Health Sciences into the Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences (FHML) in 2007. This once again demonstrates FHML’s role as an innovator in education. This development continues to the present day, reflected in the more recent introduction of programmes such as European Public Health and Regenerative Medicine and Technology, as well as in ongoing curriculum innovations including programmatic assessment and portfolio-based learning.
Take part in the jubilee
This jubilee will be even more meaningful thanks to your contributions. Do you have a special memory, photo or moment from 50 years of FHML that you would like to share? Contact us and let us know what part of history you can add.