Leeuwarden

Leeuwarden is the second biggest city in the north of the Netherlands. Leeuwarden is the capital of the Province of Friesland, with a total of 110.000 inhabitants. The Province of Friesland has a total of 700.000 inhabitants.

Leeuwarden is an authentic water city, not only because it hosts the finish of the longest ice skating tour in the Netherlands ("de Elfstedentocht") or because of our city’s canals, but also because of its specialization in the field of water technology. Leeuwarden is the European Capital of Water Technology. Leeuwarden is home to the Watercampus. Watercampus Leeuwarden encourages cooperation between businesses, educational institutes and governments. This creates added value in innovation, education and entrepreneurship at a global level. Watercampus offers an unique infrastructure for water technology research and is a meeting point for scientists and companies from all over Europe. The international cooperation organized and encouraged by Watercampus Leeuwarden leads to knowledge, talent and entrepreneurship which will contribute to solutions for global water problems.

City of Leeuwarden

Water Campus Leeuwarden is formed by:

• • The three managing partners: Wetsus, CEW and Water Alliance;
  • The partners: city of Leeuwarden, province of Friesland , Centre for Innovative Expertise Water (CIV) and Water Application Centre (WAC);
  • Members: companies and institutions that are connected as a member or partner to the managing partners. Leeuwarden is also a typical students city. Leeuwarden offers the widest range of bachelor studies in the Netherlands. Leeuwarden is home to three universities of applied sciences (Van Hall Larenstein, Stenden Hogeschool and NHL Hogeschool) and several masters of science and knowledge institutions (Wetsus, Dairy Campus and 11^th faculty of the Rijksuniversiteit Groningen). In 2018 Leeuwarden is the European Capital of Culture. This title gives us all a lot of energy, and creates great dynamics among many parties involved . It makes the ambitions of Leeuwarden and Friesland clear. Leeuwarden regards culture as a form of interaction. The cultural program allows for unexpected combinations to be seen, whereby seemingly independent worlds are brought together. During every project or event, the focus lies on cultural participation of civilians. Capital of the Province of Friesland;Biggest economic sectors: financial services, government and non-profit sector;Economic focus areas: Water technology, Dairy & Cross – sectoral collaboration;22.000 bachelor students;Campus CityFrisian Design Factory and FabLab;
  • Places where cross-sectoral innovations arise. The Frisian Design Factory and Fablab provides open innovation. They find concrete solutions for multidisciplinary problems. They work on solutions for various societal challenges in multi-disciplinary teams. Teams of students, creative experts, researchers, research institutions and companies. Together they create breakthrough solutions, new knowledge and open innovation. The Frisian Design Factory is a member of the Design Factory Global Network.
  • WaterCampus, Dairy Campus, Knowlegde Campus and the Energy Campus currently in development;
  • 11.000 secondary vocational education students;
  • Offers the widest range of bachelor studies in the Netherlands;
  • 67.000 employees;

Watercampus Leeuwarden

• • Facts:
  • Water technology, dairy and cross-sectoral innovation are key features in our innovation profile. In the process, we wish to transfer promising innovations into economic structural improvement with added value. This will lead to investments, will attract and hold knowledge workers, while delivering and creating opportunities for employment. Leeuwarden already possesses various meeting places and living labs. In Leeuwarden we use the talent of our city to solve societal challenges through the design methodology. The design methodology is key to our innovation profile. For this reason the municipality of Leeuwarden, together with various knowledge and educational institutions, companies and the Province of Fryslân, would like to expand and nurture the climate of innovation. Innovation contributes to a stronger and healthier city and province.
  • Leeuwarden is the 'Royal City' of the North. The roots of the present royal family are located in the capital of Friesland. From 1584 to 1747 Leeuwarden was the 'Royal City' of the Netherlands. Many monuments in the city remind us of that time.
  • Various entrepreneurial hotspots in the city center; "De Blokhuispoort", "de Kanselarij", "de Neushoorn", "gamingstudio" and "het Beursgebouw".
  • Amsterdam is only 1.5 hours away.

Blokhuispoort Leeuwarden