Rotterdam Education Model

Rotterdam University has chosen to work along a specific education model. This is called the Rotterdam Education Model (ROM) in view of the strong relation between Rotterdam University and the city of Rotterdam. The Rotterdam Education Model guarantees an ideal balance between knowledge, practical training and the students’ personal development.

Knowledge-driven
During the initial phase of all study programmes, teaching staff will provide supervised learning structures, for instance lectures and seminars, practicals and training. As study progresses, students can increasingly steer their own study programme and decide how to acquire further knowledge. Working in groups is essential to learn from each other; in addition, students will design their own study programme through independent learning, practice-based cases, simulations, games and ‘skills labs’ (instruction rooms).

Practice-driven
All study programmes will include practical training from the first year of study; however, practical training is not a clearcut part. First, students will be introduced to practice under the supervision of a lecturer; for instance, small introductory research projects will be presented. These projects will gradually become more complicated, and will also involve working together with fellow students from other study programmes. Work placements and other combinations of ‘on-the-job training’ will be a step forward towards achieving more independence. The centres of expertise at Rotterdam University are also part of our study approach. Experts from professional practice, students and teaching staff are engaged in assignments from external clients.

Student-driven
At Rotterdam University students can make personal choices that are important to them in many ways. Two main options are the electives and the minor programme (specialization). No less than three hundred electives are available. Students can use electives to brush up their knowledge of subjects for which they have unsatisfactory results, or for additional learning. The minor programme chosen at the end of the second year of their study programme, is also important. Emphasizing these personal subjects in their study programme is considered so important that a fixed day has been scheduled for this purpose in the academic calendar; in addition, students can work on their personal projects on a scheduled day off.