University College Roosevelt (UCR), formerly known as Roosevelt Academy (RA), is a small, honors undergraduate
liberal arts and science college located in
Middelburg Middelburg may refer to:
Places and jurisdictions Europe
* Middelburg, Zeeland, the capital city of the province of Zeeland, southwestern Netherlands
** Roman Catholic Diocese of Middelburg, a former Catholic diocese with its see in the Zeeland c ...
in the Netherlands and the sole university in
Zeeland
, nl, Ik worstel en kom boven("I struggle and emerge")
, anthem = "Zeeuws volkslied"("Zeelandic Anthem")
, image_map = Zeeland in the Netherlands.svg
, map_alt =
, m ...
. It offers a residential setting, and is an international honors college of
Utrecht University
Utrecht University (UU; nl, Universiteit Utrecht, formerly ''Rijksuniversiteit Utrecht'') is a public research university in Utrecht, Netherlands. Established , it is one of the oldest universities in the Netherlands. In 2018, it had an enrollme ...
. It is named in honour of the
Roosevelt family
The Roosevelt family is an American political family from New York whose members have included two United States presidents, a First Lady, and various merchants, bankers, politicians, inventors, clergymen, artists, and socialites. The progeny ...
, which traces its ancestry to the province of
Zeeland
, nl, Ik worstel en kom boven("I struggle and emerge")
, anthem = "Zeeuws volkslied"("Zeelandic Anthem")
, image_map = Zeeland in the Netherlands.svg
, map_alt =
, m ...
.
History
![Middelburg Stadhuis 01](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/03/Middelburg_Stadhuis_01.JPG)
The Roosevelt Academy, as it was then called, was established in 2004 by
Hans Adriaansens
Henricus Petrus Maria (Hans) Adriaansens (born 1946, Middelburg) is a Dutch sociologist, and the former dean of Roosevelt Academy, a small liberal arts college in Middelburg, the Netherlands. He is especially known as founder of University College ...
, its founding dean. Prof. Adriaansens first experienced the ground principles of the
liberal arts education
Liberal arts education (from Latin "free" and "art or principled practice") is the traditional academic course in Western higher education. ''Liberal arts'' takes the term ''art'' in the sense of a learned skill rather than specifically the ...
during his brief time as a visiting professor at
Smith College
Smith College is a Private university, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts Women's colleges in the United States, women's college in Northampton, Massachusetts. It was chartered in 1871 by Sophia Smith (Smith College ...
, USA, in the 1980–1981 academic year. He started to develop the idea of a small scale and academically intensive undergraduate college in the Netherlands, which led Adriaansens to the foundation of
University College Utrecht
University College Utrecht (UCU) provides English-language Liberal Arts and Sciences undergraduate education. Founded in 1998, as the first university college in the Netherlands, it is part of Utrecht University. Around 750 students of 70 diffe ...
in 1998, the first liberal arts college in the country. After the success of the first University College in
Utrecht
Utrecht ( , , ) is the List of cities in the Netherlands by province, fourth-largest city and a List of municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality of the Netherlands, capital and most populous city of the Provinces of the Netherlands, pro ...
, Adriaansens started preparations for a sister college in his hometown,
Middelburg Middelburg may refer to:
Places and jurisdictions Europe
* Middelburg, Zeeland, the capital city of the province of Zeeland, southwestern Netherlands
** Roman Catholic Diocese of Middelburg, a former Catholic diocese with its see in the Zeeland c ...
.
Middelburg and the whole of
Zeeland
, nl, Ik worstel en kom boven("I struggle and emerge")
, anthem = "Zeeuws volkslied"("Zeelandic Anthem")
, image_map = Zeeland in the Netherlands.svg
, map_alt =
, m ...
did not have a
research university
A research university or a research-intensive university is a university that is committed to research as a central part of its mission. They are the most important sites at which knowledge production occurs, along with "intergenerational kno ...
, although
William of Orange had considered Middelburg as a possible venue when establishing the first university in the
Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
in 1575, before ultimately settling for
Leiden
Leiden (; in English and archaic Dutch also Leyden) is a city and municipality in the province of South Holland, Netherlands. The municipality of Leiden has a population of 119,713, but the city forms one densely connected agglomeration wit ...
. Based in Middelburg's former Gothic
City Hall
In local government, a city hall, town hall, civic centre (in the UK or Australia), guildhall, or a municipal building (in the Philippines), is the chief administrative building of a city, town, or other municipality. It usually houses ...
, this first college in Zeeland was to be following the same principles of liberal arts education as the Utrecht counterpart. It was named after the
Roosevelt family
The Roosevelt family is an American political family from New York whose members have included two United States presidents, a First Lady, and various merchants, bankers, politicians, inventors, clergymen, artists, and socialites. The progeny ...
, particularly
Franklin
Franklin may refer to:
People
* Franklin (given name)
* Franklin (surname)
* Franklin (class), a member of a historical English social class
Places Australia
* Franklin, Tasmania, a township
* Division of Franklin, federal electoral d ...
,
Eleanor
Eleanor () is a feminine given name, originally from an Old French adaptation of the Old Provençal name ''Aliénor''. It is the name of a number of women of royalty and nobility in western Europe during the High Middle Ages.
The name was introd ...
and
Theodore
Theodore may refer to:
Places
* Theodore, Alabama, United States
* Theodore, Australian Capital Territory
* Theodore, Queensland, a town in the Shire of Banana, Australia
* Theodore, Saskatchewan, Canada
* Theodore Reservoir, a lake in Sask ...
, due to their ancestry originating in the Dutch province of Zeeland.
The Roosevelt Academy was officially founded on 23 January 2004 and the first students enrolled in August of that year, after
Queen Beatrix
Beatrix (Beatrix Wilhelmina Armgard, ; born 31 January 1938) is a member of the Dutch royal house who reigned as Queen of the Netherlands from 1980 until her abdication in 2013.
Beatrix is the eldest daughter of Queen Juliana and her husband ...
performed the official opening of the university.
[Middelburg en de Oranjes](_blank)
/ref> It was the third University College
In a number of countries, a university college is a college institution that provides tertiary education but does not have full or independent university status. A university college is often part of a larger university. The precise usage varies ...
to be established in the Netherlands, after University College Utrecht
University College Utrecht (UCU) provides English-language Liberal Arts and Sciences undergraduate education. Founded in 1998, as the first university college in the Netherlands, it is part of Utrecht University. Around 750 students of 70 diffe ...
and University College Maastricht
University College Maastricht (UCM) is an English language, internationally oriented, liberal arts and sciences college housed in the 15th century ''Nieuwenhof'' monastery in Maastricht, Netherlands. Founded in 2002, it is the second of its kind ...
. In its first few years, the Roosevelt Academy consistently ranked high among University Colleges: the magazine ''Elsevier'' ranked RA as the top liberal arts college in the Netherlands for three times in its first four years, and in 2011 the Keuzengids Onderwijs also ranked it as the number one University College in the Netherlands. Hans Adriaansens retired as dean in November 2011, and was replaced by Prof. Barbara Oomen in April 2012.
On 5 February 2013, Roosevelt Academy changed its name to University College Roosevelt, to avoid ambiguity on the nature of the institution and to present itself explicitly as a university college.[RA becomes UCR!](_blank)
/ref> UCR kept developing as it entered its second decade. An important milestone was the opening of the Common House Elliott, a building housing classrooms, a student restaurant and a basement bar. After many obstacles, including resistance from the local residents, Elliott opened its doors to the first party on 28 November 2013 and was formally inaugurated in April 2014. In the same year, a Teaching and Learning Centre for excellence in education was established and officially opened by Queen Máxima
Queen or QUEEN may refer to:
Monarchy
* Queen regnant, a female monarch of a Kingdom
** List of queens regnant
* Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king
* Queen dowager, the widow of a king
* Queen mother, a queen dowager who is the mothe ...
.
In August 2016, Prof. Bert van den Brink became the new dean of UCR. Under Prof. van der Brink, UCR expanded its curriculum by establishing a new Engineering Department, piloted from 2019 and officially started in fall 2020. This led to new campus expansions: a new building was acquired to house the new department, and a Joint Research Center (JRI) was developed in cooperation with the HZ University of Applied Sciences
The HZ University of Applied Sciences (Short: HZ) is a Dutch university of applied sciences with campuses in Zeeland
, nl, Ik worstel en kom boven("I struggle and emerge")
, anthem = "Zeeuws volkslied"("Zeelandi ...
and Scalda. Planned to open in 2021, the JRI will house labs to be used in the fields of engineering, data sciences, chemistry and ecology.
Deans
* Hans Adriaansens
Henricus Petrus Maria (Hans) Adriaansens (born 1946, Middelburg) is a Dutch sociologist, and the former dean of Roosevelt Academy, a small liberal arts college in Middelburg, the Netherlands. He is especially known as founder of University College ...
(2004–2011)
* Willem Hendrik Gispen (Interim Dean, 2011–2012)
* Barbara Oomen (2012-2016)
* Bert van den Brink (2016–present)
Academics
UCR offers a broad Liberal Arts & Sciences programme with a foundation in academic skills. The students have the freedom to design their own curriculum within certain requirements; they are encouraged and to an extent required to follow classes in different disciplines. Courses have a maximum of 25 students.
After the first year, students are required to declare a major
Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...
in one of the four departments: Arts & Humanities, Social Sciences
Social science is one of the branches of science, devoted to the study of societies and the relationships among individuals within those societies. The term was formerly used to refer to the field of sociology, the original "science of soci ...
, Science
Science is a systematic endeavor that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe.
Science may be as old as the human species, and some of the earliest archeological evidence for ...
or (since 2019) Engineering
Engineering is the use of scientific method, scientific principles to design and build machines, structures, and other items, including bridges, tunnels, roads, vehicles, and buildings. The discipline of engineering encompasses a broad rang ...
. An interdepartmental major, combining two ore more departments is also possible. Within this curriculum, UCR also offers two special programs: Music Performance, in which students can combine academic studies with performance courses in music
Music is generally defined as the art of arranging sound to create some combination of form, harmony, melody, rhythm or otherwise expressive content. Exact definitions of music vary considerably around the world, though it is an aspect ...
, and the Pre-Medical programme, in which students can combine biomedical and life science courses, allowing them to continue their studies in a medical Master course in the Netherlands.
After three years of successful study at UCR, students are awarded an Utrecht University
Utrecht University (UU; nl, Universiteit Utrecht, formerly ''Rijksuniversiteit Utrecht'') is a public research university in Utrecht, Netherlands. Established , it is one of the oldest universities in the Netherlands. In 2018, it had an enrollme ...
Honors
Honour (or honor in American English) is the quality of being honorable.
Honor or Honour may also refer to:
People
* Honor (given name), a unisex given name
* Brian Honour (born 1964), English footballer and manager
* Gareth Honor (born 1979) ...
Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four years ...
or Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for programs that generally last three to five years.
The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Science was the University of ...
degree, depending on their chosen major.
Admissions
The university admits 170 students each academic year from about 350 applications received. Approximately half of the students come from the Netherlands while the others hail from all over the world. The tuition fee for European students is set at € 3,750 for the 2022-2023 academic year, while that of International students is set at € 9,450.
Accreditation and rankings
The NVAO The Accreditation Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders ( nl, Nederlands-Vlaamse Accreditatieorganisatie; NVAO) is the independent educational accreditation organisation for higher education institutions in the Netherlands and Flanders. It wa ...
(Dutch-Flemish Accreditation Organization) has been accrediting UCR since its foundation. In 2004, it was awarded an "excellent" status, confirmed with the reaccreditations in 2008 and 2013. In 2019, instead, it was given the overall predicate "good". In addition to its normal accreditation, the NVAO awarded UCR with its "small and intensive" label
In 2011, the Keuzegids Onderwijs ranked UCR as the number one University College in The Netherlands with an 84. In 2012, it fell to second place, with a 78, with University College Maastricht in first place with an 86. As more University Colleges were established in the country, UCR sank in the rankings, reaching the last place among the 10 University Colleges in 2017. Nevertheless, the following year it rose again, ranking 7th out of 10 in 2018 with a 74.
Exchange programs
Students may study abroad during their fourth or fifth semester. Students can earn credits towards their UCR degree while at a wide variety of universities around the world. Options include locations through the Utrecht University
Utrecht University (UU; nl, Universiteit Utrecht, formerly ''Rijksuniversiteit Utrecht'') is a public research university in Utrecht, Netherlands. Established , it is one of the oldest universities in the Netherlands. In 2018, it had an enrollme ...
exchange network, but UCR also has direct exchange agreements with the Honors Program at the University of Nebraska at Kearney
The University of Nebraska at Kearney (UNK) is a campus of the public University of Nebraska system and located in Kearney, Nebraska. It was founded in 1905 as the Nebraska State Normal School at Kearney.
History
In March 1903 the Nebraska Stat ...
, USA, Bard College
Bard College is a private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York. The campus overlooks the Hudson River and Catskill Mountains, and is within the Hudson River Historic ...
in New York, USA, and with Glendon College
Glendon College is a public liberal arts college in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Formally the federated bilingual campus of York University, it is one of the school's nine colleges and 11 faculties with 100 full-time faculty members and a student po ...
in Toronto, Canada.[UCR Exchange Opportunities](_blank)
/ref>
Academic journal
University College Roosevelt publishes an annual academic journal, ''Ad Astra'', that publishes noteworthy student essays and papers.
Organization
University College Roosevelt is an international honors college
Honors colleges and honors programs are special accommodation constituent programs at public and private universities – and also public two-year institutions of higher learning – that include, among other things, supplemental or alternativ ...
of Utrecht University
Utrecht University (UU; nl, Universiteit Utrecht, formerly ''Rijksuniversiteit Utrecht'') is a public research university in Utrecht, Netherlands. Established , it is one of the oldest universities in the Netherlands. In 2018, it had an enrollme ...
. UCR is a financially independent institution of higher education with its own management and board of trustees, while Utrecht University ensures quality control, contributes to the development of the curriculum, and awards the degrees. UCR students are considered to be Utrecht University students and receive a UU degree at the end of their studies. UCR's dean and full professors
Professor (commonly abbreviated as Prof.) is an Academy, academic rank at university, universities and other post-secondary education and research institutions in most countries. Literally, ''professor'' derives from Latin as a "person who pr ...
are all professors at Utrecht University as well.
Campus
Academic buildings
The University College Roosevelt campus is located near the market square in Middelburg behind the medieval city hall, which was built in 1452 and is often used by the college for ceremonial purposes. The city, which owns the building, began renting the annexed offices to the university college in 2004 after all municipal offices were moved to a new city hall on the Kanaalweg.
The academic buildings are named after prominent members of the Roosevelt Family
The Roosevelt family is an American political family from New York whose members have included two United States presidents, a First Lady, and various merchants, bankers, politicians, inventors, clergymen, artists, and socialites. The progeny ...
. The newer, non-gothic section of the city hall is known as Franklin, while the other buildings are called Theodore and Eleanor. These three buildings all face a square called the Helm and house classrooms and computer labs, as well as faculty and administrative offices.
A new building named Anne has been recently acquired by UCR and will house its engineering department. This building is named after Anna Eleanor Roosevelt
Anna Eleanor Roosevelt () (October 11, 1884November 7, 1962) was an American political figure, diplomat, and activist. She was the first lady of the United States from 1933 to 1945, during her husband President Franklin D. Roosevelt's four t ...
, chair of the Roosevelt Institute
The Roosevelt Institute is a liberal American think tank. According to the organization, it exists "to carry forward the legacy and values of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt by developing progressive ideas and bold leadership in the service of rest ...
and granddaughter of Franklin D. Roosevelt and Eleanor Roosevelt.
Next to these, Elliott, located in the former post office of Middelburg, is a building that contains classrooms, a study area, a bar with a lounge area and a basement bar for parties. Elliott is completely managed by students, organized in the Common House Elliott Foundation.
An outdoor classroom, known as Metamorfose Lokaal, is located on the Helm. A joint initiative of UCR and the municipality of Middelburg, it opened in 2017 in occasion of the 400th anniversary of the birth in Middelburg of Jan Goedart
Johannes Goedaert (also spelled Goetaart, Goedhart, Goedaard or Jean Goedart in French) (19 March 1617 (baptized) – 15 January 1668 (buried)) was a Dutch Natural history, natur ...
, a prominent Dutch entomologist and painter. UCR classes regularly take place outdoor in this classroom, as well as other lectures open to the public.
Housing Locations
UCR is a residential college, meaning that all admitted students are guaranteed affordable housing for the duration of their studies. Students live in one of the residential halls, Bagijnhof, Roggeveenhof, Koestraat or Bachtensteene, all within Middelburg Middelburg may refer to:
Places and jurisdictions Europe
* Middelburg, Zeeland, the capital city of the province of Zeeland, southwestern Netherlands
** Roman Catholic Diocese of Middelburg, a former Catholic diocese with its see in the Zeeland c ...
. These halls house between 100 and 200 students each and are spread throughout the city.
Library
Students have full access to the Zeeland Library
The Zeeland Library (''Zeeuwse Bibliotheek'') in Middelburg, Netherlands, is the official library of Zeeland and the academic library of University College Roosevelt
University College Roosevelt (UCR), formerly known as Roosevelt Academy (R ...
, the largest library in the province, and can use the digital library of Utrecht University
Utrecht University (UU; nl, Universiteit Utrecht, formerly ''Rijksuniversiteit Utrecht'') is a public research university in Utrecht, Netherlands. Established , it is one of the oldest universities in the Netherlands. In 2018, it had an enrollme ...
.
Student life
Student organisations
The Roosevelt's All Students Association (RASA) is a student association open to all students at UCR. RASA is the umbrella organization of many different student-led societies and teams. The RASA board consists of six members that are elected yearly by the student body.
The Academic Affairs Council (AAC) is mainly responsible for handling academic complaints, monitoring academic standards, representing students as a part of UCR, and helping students academically. It is active in some of the university's major decision making bodies, to ensure student input on different levels. The AAC is also responsible for representing UCR on a national level, at the UCSRN (University College Student Representatives the Netherlands) and ISO (Interstedelijk Studenten Overleg). This board consists of a chair, vice-chair, student advisor, internal officer and external officer.
The Housing Affairs Council (HAC) has multiple functions: HAC represents students’ housing interests and works to ensure good living conditions on campus for a reasonable price. The board consist of a chair, a secretary, a treasurer and four campus elders.
Social
Several sororities and fraternities are present at UCR, providing members with weekly activities and organizing larger events for the wider UCR population. V.S.V Illicio and A.L. Fides are two sororities for women, while O.M.D. Erodios is the college's single fraternity.
Athletics
The RASA Sports Committee, called SportsCo, organizes a variety of sports for students. Regular trainings and events are hosted in various sports centres in Middelburg. Inter-collegiate tournaments with other University Colleges in the Netherlands are regularly held.
MSRA Odin, the Middelburg Student Rowing Association, is an independent rowing association associated with UCR and open to Hogeschool Zeeland
The HZ University of Applied Sciences (Short: HZ) is a Dutch Vocational university, university of applied sciences with campuses in Zeeland.
HZ University of Applied Sciences has three locaties:
* Edisonweg in Vlissingen
* HZ Toren in Vlissin ...
students.
Roosevelt runners (RR) is UCR's student running club. During the year, the Roosevelt Runners participate in international competitions such as the Batavierenrace, national races like CPC Loop Den Haag and provincial races all around Zeeland. They also take part in local charity fun runs.
Choir
The Roosevelt College Choir is UCR's official choir, consisting of about 20 students. All members are in the choir at least one academic year, during which they follow the Choir Course. The Choir Course is required for those students following the music performing programme. The ensemble enhances academic events and performs during church services and independent concerts throughout the year.
Traditions
During official academic ceremonies, a procession of notables and professors in academic dress
Academic dress is a traditional form of clothing for academic settings, mainly tertiary (and sometimes secondary) education, worn mainly by those who have obtained a university degree (or similar), or hold a status that entitles them to assum ...
walks from the City Hall to Middelburg's New Church (Dutch: ''Nieuwe Kerk''), part of the Middelburg Abbey
Middelburg Abbey (''The Abbey of our Lady'') is a former Premonstratensian abbey in Middelburg, the Netherlands. At one time it was the centre of a large monastic complex.[Convocation
A convocation (from the Latin ''wikt:convocare, convocare'' meaning "to call/come together", a translation of the Ancient Greek, Greek wikt:ἐκκλησία, ἐκκλησία ''ekklēsia'') is a group of people formally assembled for a speci ...]
takes place in the New Church at the start of every academic year, while the Graduation ceremony
Graduation is the awarding of a diploma to a student by an educational institution. It may also refer to the ceremony that is associated with it. The date of the graduation ceremony is often called graduation day. The graduation ceremony is al ...
, when the weather permits, is held in the adjacent Abbey Square. The celebration of the founding of the college, known as ''Dies Natalis'', takes place every five years.
At the beginning of every semester, an ''Introweek'' is organised to welcome new students.
A yearly dragon boat
A dragon boat is a human-powered watercraft originating from the Pearl River Delta region of China's southern Guangdong Province. These were made of teak, but in other parts of China, different kinds of wood are used. It is one of a family of t ...
race known as ''King of the Channel'' sees UCR students in competition with students from HZ University of Applied Sciences
The HZ University of Applied Sciences (Short: HZ) is a Dutch university of applied sciences with campuses in Zeeland
, nl, Ik worstel en kom boven("I struggle and emerge")
, anthem = "Zeeuws volkslied"("Zeelandi ...
and other higher education institutions in the region. The race takes place on the Canal through Walcheren
The Canal through Walcheren in the Netherlands crosses the east of Walcheren. It connects the Westerschelde and the Veerse Meer.
Context
In the 15th and 16th century Middelburg, capital of Zeeland was booming. The city was on Walcheren Island, ...
, the stretch of water between Middelburg and Vlissingen
Vlissingen (; zea, label=Zeelandic, Vlissienge), historically known in English as Flushing, is a Municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality and a city in the southwestern Netherlands on the former island of Walcheren. With its strategic l ...
, where the HZ is located.
Alumni organisation and Friends of UCR
Aurora Alumni Foundation is UCR's alumni association. Together with UCR and the 'Friends of UCR', they form the Roosevelt Alumni Board, which ensures that alumni relations are maintained by providing opportunities for social interaction, networking and various services. there were 1900 alumni.
Friends of UCR is an independent foundation associated with University College Roosevelt. It is governed by a board consisting of UCR representatives, major sponsors from the foundation, and UCR alumni and provides interest-free loans to international students to study at the college, with extended grace periods. This gives students sufficient time to pursue further education and establish themselves professionally after graduating.
See also
* Utrecht University
Utrecht University (UU; nl, Universiteit Utrecht, formerly ''Rijksuniversiteit Utrecht'') is a public research university in Utrecht, Netherlands. Established , it is one of the oldest universities in the Netherlands. In 2018, it had an enrollme ...
* University College Utrecht
University College Utrecht (UCU) provides English-language Liberal Arts and Sciences undergraduate education. Founded in 1998, as the first university college in the Netherlands, it is part of Utrecht University. Around 750 students of 70 diffe ...
* University Colleges in the Netherlands
References
External links
Official Website of University College Roosevelt
Information on Costs and Tuition
Information on the Academic Program
Roosevelt's student organizations
Official Website of the Roosevelt's All Student Association
{{Authority control
Utrecht University
Liberal arts colleges at universities in the Netherlands
Educational institutions established in 2004
2004 establishments in the Netherlands
Education in Zeeland
Middelburg, Zeeland