UM & Europe
Europe is an important theme within Maastricht University. For good reason the strategic programme 2022-2026 is called 'The European university of the Netherlands'. 2022 also marks the 30th anniversary of the Maastricht Treaty; time to take stock of European integration. Moreover, a special conference on the future of Europe is scheduled in Maastricht from 11 to 13 February 2022.
Plenty of reasons for the European university of the Netherlands to launch a new series of stories, and to publish an overview of all of our 'UM and Europe' information. Read the news, stories, press releases, videos and background information here, or find out directly why Maastricht University is the European university of the Netherlands.
Read more: Stories & interviews
Know more: News & press releases
See more: Videos
More UM: The European university of the Netherlands
UM Theme pages assemble relevant content on one important or topical theme within UM, from stories to news and from videos to background information.

‘Our European positioning fits like a glove'
The new UM president, Rianne Letschert, leaves no room for doubt. She is delighted with the choice to profile the university as the European university of the Netherlands. Maastricht University forms an international and predominantly European community in a region wedged between three borders. This makes the region in itself a European economic, social and cultural living lab.
Partial independence doesn’t exist: how will the EU get on with Poland?
The European rule of law is under siege in Poland. On October 7th, 2021, the Polish Constitutional Tribunal declared that the Polish Constitution is more important than any EU treaty. The rest of Europe is keeping a close eye on the situation; how is it going to develop? Is there any chance that the sovereignty of European law will be restored? And how did we get here? It’s a complicated tale comprising not just legality but also the broader political atmosphere.
YUFE – the making of
In 2019, Young Universities for the Future of Europe (YUFE), a UM-led alliance, was judged the most promising answer to the European Commission’s call to develop and implement the first model for a European University. YUFE Director Daniela Trani on why and how she wants to change European higher education.
2022
Poland’s erosion of EU standards
A multilingual journey through the Euregio Meuse-Rhine
Who calls the shots in Europe?
Is Europe becoming a world power?
Successful maiden voyage through the global storm
The EU and Trump aren’t that different when it comes to migration, argues Melissa Siegel
Leading actor in the European Parliament
G30: meet the next generation of European thinkers and creatives
2021
Border residents central and more position for border governance (only available in Dutch)
Lessons from a border region
Who calls the shots in Europe?
2020
European cooperation in times of crisis
We said, 'Let them rot in hell'
'Europe belongs to all of us'
'Europe keeps me up at night, not my job'
Maastricht, reflecting on Europe
International gravitational wave laboratory opens in Maastricht
Connecting people through football
This story starts in 2016, when Aaron Martin is still studying International Business in Maastricht. Aaron is surprised by the growing anti-European sentiment at the time. Together with among others Benedikt Kau, he wants to raise a positive voice.
Exhibition on 30 years Maastricht Treaty
On 8 November, the 30th anniversary season of the Maastricht Treaty kicked off with the opening of an exhibition on the Treaty. In the presence of UM deans Christine Neuhold and Jan Smits, Maarten van Gaans, member of the Maastricht Executive Council, and Annemarie Penn-te Strake, mayor of Maastricht, the exhibition was opened by Ingrid van Engelshoven, demissionary Minister of Education, Culture and Science.
2022
ITEM puts homeworking rights cross-border workers on the map
Maastricht host city for European citizens' summit on the future of Europe
Moving forward towards a radical transformation of higher education in Europe
Conference on the Future of Europe
ITEM Cross-Border Impact Assessment 2021 published
2021
‘Hier’ in Europe: what is the role of Europe in our daily life?
Maastricht to host European citizens' summit on the future of Europe
Recap ITEM Annual Conference 2021: Empowering border regions - More than ever?
2020
A fresh start for ITEM
DigiD transcending borders: Frontier workers now able to apply for DigiD
PANDEMRIC explores the benefits of Euregional cooperation during (health) crises
2019
Taking Europe’s temperature
Cooperating & connecting: ITEM Director on regional television
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Withholding EU subsidies is no panacea for Hungarian rule of law
Tuesday, April 26, 2022Earlier this month, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced in the European Parliament that the Commission will launch a procedure to withhold EU subsidies to Hungary for violating the rule of law.
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Welcome to a new era on social media
Thursday, March 17, 2022After more than 12 years at Maastricht University, Catalina Goanta is pursuing her career as Associate Professor in private law and technology in Utrecht. With the prestigious European Research Council (ERC) Starting Grant, she will now focus on the legal issues that arise from human ads and influencers on social media. “The conversion from attention to sale has become shorter than ever before.
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“I want to make crossing borders easier”
Wednesday, March 2, 2022Hildegard Schneider is set to say goodbye. As professor of European Migration Law and former dean of the Faculty of Law, her career coincided with the foundation and pioneering years of the law faculty. She herself made an important contribution to the profiling of Maastricht University as a ‘European’ university. “Now the university has to get ready for global challenges.”
More UM

The European university of the Netherlands
Located in the heart of Europe, we are an open and accessible community where cultures, perspectives and ideas come together. We welcome talented people from all over the world with open arms. Our European signature is not only expressed in our study programmes and research. We are proud of several initiatives that have a European focus, such as our campus in Brussels, ITEM (Institute for Transnational and Euregional cross-border cooperation and Mobility), ‘Maastricht, working on Europe’, and YUFE. Here you will find more information about how we see our international role.
The strategic programme sets out UM's ambitions and overall vision for a five-year period. It describes how we will fulfil our ambition to be and to remain the European university of the Netherlands.

European education
In our International Classroom we bring together students from all over de world for an enriching learning experience. Problem-Based Learning is by excellence the method to bridge different perspectives, preparing students for their career. Many study programmes focus on Europe and the world beyond; all UM study programmes address international issues and views. See a complete overview of our programmes on our education page.

European research
In domains varying from law to health care, our education and research revolve around the question: what does Europe mean to the world and what does the world mean to Europe? Based on our experiences so far, and as well as in view of our unique international student and staff population, we can be characterised as a ‘living lab’ and expertise centre for Europe.
Other theme pages
We also highlight other themes. Below you will find an overview.