Windesheim University of Applied Sciences

Windesheim is one of the Netherlands’ top-3 universities of applied sciences, known for its personal student approach and for working closely with regional, national and international communities and other public institutes. Elsevier magazine ranks us in the top three of best Dutch universities of applied sciences. Our students value the quality of the education we provide, the expertise of our teaching staff and our personal approach.

Our mission

We form a valuedriven community of students, lecturers, researchers and other employees. Together with (regional) businesses and organizations, from both the Zwolle and Flevoland areas, where our two campuses are located, we form a learning and research environment that is innovative as well as inspiring. Windesheim’s mission is to enable a personal learning pathway for each individual student and to make an active contribution to an inclusive and sustainable society. We strive to do so by educating valuable and principled professionals and by conducting practice-oriented research.

Our research

Universities of applied sciences account for a substantial volume of practice-based research. And Windesheim is also doing its bit. Our research focuses on four overarching themes:

  • Inclusive Society
  • Technology for Society
  • Future-oriented and Sustainable Entrepreneurship
  • Vitality, Well-being and Health

With 24 Windesheim professorships, which cover specific topics within the four overarching research themes, our practice-based research is research at the core of society. The question underlying all this research comes from the daily practice of organizations and professionals. And this research is carried out together with partners from the field. Results find their way into professional practice and to future professionals via study programmes.

Curious? Below is an example of a collaboration between Windesheim’s Professorship of Polymer Engineering and Mechanical Engineering students, to help the Circular Entrepreneurship department of the Dutch Railways transform former train composite material into railway sleepers.

Focusing on our research themes we try to tackle questions involving, for example, energy transition, the climate and all kinds of challenges within healthcare, education and the business community. In doing so, we rely on the know-how of all our researchers.