Two new academic programmes launch in Venlo

The bachelor's programme in Sustainable Bioscience at Maastricht University is about learning to understand and tackle global challenges, such as the consequences of climate change for food security. Students will explore how natural systems function and how to harness them in smart and sustainable ways.

The master’s programme Crop Biotechnology and Engineering centres on producing healthy crops locally and in an environmentally friendly manner, for use as food or industrial raw materials. The programme places particular emphasis on greenhouse cultivation and is a joint initiative between Maastricht University and Radboud University Nijmegen.

The collaboration with Radboud University has been ongoing for some time. In 2024, the two universities launched a joint research initiative: the Radboud-Maastricht Graduate Programme in Crop Biotechnology and Engineering. The research approaches food production from both a crop and technological perspective. It is precisely this interdisciplinary method that makes the partnership so strong, and it is also the hallmark of the joint master’s programme.

The decision to locate both programmes at Brightlands Campus Greenport Venlo was well considered. The new programmes align seamlessly with the activities on this campus, which brings together all links in the food chain in an interdisciplinary and unique way. The campus lies halfway between the main locations of both universities and in the heart of one of Europe’s most important agricultural and horticultural regions. Maastricht University already operates several research facilities on campus, including a state-of-the-art greenhouse for research into cultivation techniques.

The new programmes also tie in with Maastricht University’s broader ambitions in Venlo. In late 2024, Maastricht University and the Municipality of Venlo signed a cooperation agreement to this end. Both parties will invest 8 million euros each over the next 4 years and intend to work together as strategic partners for a total of 8 years. The collaboration aims, among other things, to accelerate the growth of the number of UM students and staff members in Venlo.

Notably, Maastricht University has already been active in the city centre of Venlo for ten years, with its University College Venlo bachelor’s programme as well as two masters.