68-597: The Noord Nederlands Orkest (NNO; English, North Netherlands Symphony Orchestra) is a Dutch symphony orchestra based in Groningen . The NNO performs at De Oosterpoort in Groningen and also on a regular basis at these venues in the provinces of Groningen, Friesland and Drenthe : The historical roots of the NNO date back to 1862, when the Orkest der Vereeniging De Harmonie (Orchestra of
136-421: A maritime museum , a university museum , a comics museum and a graphics museum. Groningen is also the home of Noorderlicht , an international photographic platform that runs a photo gallery and organizes an international photo festival. The Forum Groningen that opened in 2019 is a cultural center consisting of a museum, art cinema, library, bars, rooftop terrace and tourist information office. Groningen has
204-618: A red-light district , called Nieuwstad . FC Groningen , founded in 1971, is the local football club, and as of 2000 they play in the Eredivisie , the highest football league of the Netherlands. Winners of the KNVB Cup in the 2014–15 season , their best Eredivisie result was in the 1990–91 season when they finished third. Their current stadium which opened in January 2006 has 22,525 seats. It
272-583: A "branch campus" in China's Yantai were called off in January 2018, and the University Museum is now in the process of being established. The University of Groningen is represented in the Academic Heritage Foundation, a foundation that aims to preserve university collections and cultural treasures. The University of Groningen is organized in eleven faculties that offer programmes and courses in
340-497: A bicycle for regular commute within the city. In 2000, Groningen was chosen as the Fietsstad 2002 , the top cycle-city in the Netherlands for 2002. Similar to most Dutch cities , Groningen has developed to accommodate a large number of cyclists. An extensive network of bike paths were planned to make it more convenient to cycle to various destinations instead of taking a car. The city has segregated cycle-paths, public transport, and
408-909: A city theatre called the Stadsschouwburg, located on the Turfsingel, a theatre and concert venue called Martini Plaza, and a cultural venue on the Trompsingel, called the Oosterpoort. Vera is located on the Oosterstraat, the Grand Theatre on the Grote Markt, and Simplon on the Boterdiep . Several cafés feature live music, a few of which specialize in jazz music, including the Jazzcafe De Spieghel on
476-645: A difficult relationship with the Regional Assembly and political problems that included the siege of the city by ‘ Bommen Berend ’ in 1672. On average two to three hundred students were registered with the university at any one time during this period. During the French occupation between 1775 and 1814 the University of Groningen was administered by the Imperial University of Paris . Unlike Leiden University, it
544-539: A former Dutch colony. It was named after the hometown of Dutch governor-general of Suriname Jan Wichers , who established the town as a fort in 1790. Numerous canals ( grachten ) surround the city, locally called diep . The major canals that travel from the city are the Van Starkenborghkanaal, Eemskanaal, and Winschoterdiep. Groningen’s canals, no longer used for commercial goods transport, were once vital hubs in trade and transport. The rivers crossing close to
612-449: A large pedestrianised zone in the city centre. Groningen's city centre was remodeled into a "pedestrian priority zone" to promote walking and biking. This was achieved by applying the principle of filtered permeability —the network configuration favours active transportation and selectively "filters out" traveling in a car by reducing the number of streets that run through the centre. The streets that are discontinuous for cars connect to
680-602: A million inhabitants. Groningen is nationally known as the "Metropolis of the North". The city is regarded as the main urban centre of the Northern part of the country, particularly in the fields of education, business, music and other arts. It is also known as " Martinistad ", referring to the tower of the Martinitoren , which is named after Groningen's patron saint Martin of Tours . The large student population also contributes to
748-470: A network of pedestrian and bike paths which permeate the entire centre. In addition, these paths go through public squares and open spaces, increasing aesthetic appeal and encouraging participation. The logic of filtering a mode of transport is fully expressed in a comprehensive model for laying out neighbourhoods and districts—the fused grid . Groningen railway station (in Dutch: Hoofdstation )
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#1733084571954816-570: A new main university building, the Academiegebouw, was constructed in 1850, a building that was largely financed by the people of Groningen. A fire completely destroyed the building in 1906. In the meantime, the Higher Education Act of 1876 had radically improved the position of the university, which was renamed the " Rijksuniversiteit Groningen " (RUG). Teaching took place in Dutch and Latin and
884-406: A total population of 232,874 people. The majority of people in Groningen, slightly more than 70%, are non-religious. With 25.1%, the largest religion in Groningen is Christianity . Religions in Groningen (2013) The municipality of Groningen has grown rapidly. In 1968 it expanded by mergers with Hoogkerk and Noorddijk, and in 2019 it merged with Haren and Ten Boer. All historical data are for
952-637: Is a public research university of more than 30,000 students in the city of Groningen in the Netherlands . Founded in 1614, the university is the second oldest in the country (after Leiden ). The University of Groningen has eleven faculties , nine graduate schools , 27 research centres and institutes, and more than 175-degree programmes. The university's alumni and faculty include Johann Bernoulli , Aletta Jacobs , four Nobel Prize winners, nine Spinoza Prize winners, one Stevin Prize winner, various members of
1020-642: Is about 800 mm (31 in). Annual sunshine hours vary, but are usually below 1600 hours, giving much cloud cover similar to most of the Netherlands. Climate in this area has mild differences between highs and lows, and there is adequate rainfall year-round. The Köppen Climate Classification subtype for this climate is " Cfb ". (Marine West Coast Climate/ Oceanic climate ). Winters are cool; on average above freezing, although frosts are common during spells of easterly winds. Night-time temperatures of −10 °C (14 °F) or lower are not uncommon during cold winter periods. The lowest temperature ever recorded
1088-601: Is called the Hitachi Capital Mobility Stadion ; it was known as the "Euroborg stadium" before 2016, and "Noordlease Stadion" from 2016 to 2018. American sports are fairly popular in Groningen; it has American football , baseball , and basketball clubs. Groningen's professional basketball club Donar play in the highest professional league, the Dutch Basketball League , and have won the national championship seven times. The Groningen Giants are
1156-476: Is that the name was derived from the word groenighe , meaning 'green fields'. In Frisian , it is called Grins . In Groningen province , it is called Groot Loug [ nl ] . Regionally, it is often simply referred to as Stad (the "city"), and its inhabitants are referred to as Stadjers or Stadjeder . The Dutch sometimes refer to it as "the Metropolis of the North", or Martinistad (after
1224-431: Is the main railway station and has regular services to most of the major cities in the country. The city's remaining two railway stations are Europapark and Noord . Groningen has six railway routes: On those six routes, ten lines stop at: City & Q-Link Lines: University of Groningen The University of Groningen (abbreviated as UG ; Dutch : Rijksuniversiteit Groningen , abbreviated as RUG )
1292-843: Is the second oldest university in the Netherlands (after the University of Leiden ). The university educated the country's first female student, Aletta Jacobs , the first Dutch national astronaut, Wubbo Ockels , the first president of the European Central Bank , Wim Duisenberg , and two Nobel laureates ; Heike Kamerlingh Onnes (in Physics) and Ben Feringa (in Chemistry). The university has about 31,000 students—22% of which are international. The Hanze University of Applied Sciences (in Dutch: Hanzehogeschool Groningen )
1360-467: Is −26.8 °C (−16.2 °F) on 16 February 1956. Snow often falls, but rarely stays long due to warmer daytime temperatures, although white snowy days happen every winter. Hotel and catering industries constitute a significant part of the economy in Groningen. Focus on business services has increased over time and areas such as IT, life sciences, tourism, energy, and environment have developed. Until 2008 there were two major sugar refineries within
1428-465: The Martinitoren tower.) The city was founded at the northernmost point of the Hondsrug area. While the oldest document referring to Groningen's existence dates from 1040, the area was occupied by Anglo-Saxons centuries prior. The oldest archaeological evidence of a settlement in the region stems from around 3950–3650 BC, and the first major settlement in Groningen trace back to the year 3 AD. In
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#17330845719541496-580: The Universiteitskrant [ nl ] . The university's Center for Information Technology (CIT) houses an IBM Blue Gene/L supercomputer and data center of Target used by the LOFAR project as well as a Virtual Reality and 3D-visualisation center. The RUG has 6,250 employees. The university library was renovated between 2013 and 2017. The RUG has a branch in Leeuwarden. Plans to establish
1564-548: The 2022 local elections , was made up as follows: From 2022, the ruling municipal coalition consisted of GroenLinks, PvdA, Party for the Animals, the Socialist Party and ChristenUnie. Groningen is twinned with the following cities: Groningen also has a trilateral partnership with the nearby northern German cities of Bremen and Oldenburg. Groningen is known as the "World Cycling City"; around 57% of its residents use
1632-788: The Dutch Republic . During the 17th century, Groningen served as a crucial hub for the Dutch West India Company (WIC). This powerful trading company was responsible for maritime trade, colonization, and the transportation of goods and people. The WIC transported over 300,000 slaves from the African coast to the Dutch colonies between 1621 and 1792. Warships like the Groeningen sailed from Groningen’s shipyards to Africa’s west coast, carrying enslaved Africans to plantations in Brazil, Suriname, and
1700-503: The Dutch royal family , several politicians, the first president of the European Central Bank , and a secretary general of NATO . The institution was founded as a college in 1614 in an initiative taken by the Regional Assembly of the city of Groningen and the Ommelanden , or surrounding region. There were four faculties – Theology, Law, Medicine, and Philosophy. The coat of arms of
1768-598: The French era . Today Groningen is a university city, home to some of the country's leading higher education institutes; University of Groningen ( Rijksuniversiteit Groningen ), which is the Netherlands's second oldest university, and Hanze University of Applied Sciences ( Hanzehogeschool Groningen ). Students comprise an estimated 25% of its total population and makes it the country's demographically youngest city. The origin and meaning of 'Groningen' and its older variant, 'Groeningen', are uncertain. A folk origin story relates
1836-533: The Hanze University of Applied Sciences . The university, through ACLO, offers a wide range of sporting activities, and courses. Almost each sport has its own association, and offers the use of its facilities at discount rates for students. The university also has multiple student societies that organize social events for its members, as well as student and study associations, that are mostly concerned with specific faculties and courses. The use of bicycles as
1904-510: The Netherlands . Dubbed the "capital of the north", Groningen is the largest place as well as the economic and cultural centre of the northern part of the country; as of December 2021, it had 235,287 inhabitants, making it the sixth largest city/municipality in the Netherlands and the second largest outside the Randstad . Groningen was established more than 950 years ago and gained city rights in 1245. Due to its relatively isolated location from
1972-463: The Third Anglo-Dutch War failed and the city walls resisted; an event that is celebrated annually with music and fireworks on 28 August as " Gronings Ontzet " or " Bommen Berend " ("Bombing Bernard"). In the early 19th century when the kingdom of Holland under king Jerôme Bonaparte was founded, Groningen was integrated into the French system of administration, and then annexed in 1811 into
2040-458: The 13th century Groningen was an important trade centre and its inhabitants built a city wall to underline its authority. The city had a strong influence on its surrounding lands and the Gronings dialect became common. The city's most influential period was at the end of the 15th century, when the nearby province of Friesland was administered from Groningen. During these years the Martinitoren
2108-465: The 2011–2012 season, with an initial contract of 3 years. Asbury stood down from the post in 2015. In 2018, Eivind Gullberg Jensen first guest-conducted the NNO. Jensen returned for two additional guest-conducting engagements, the most recent in September 2021. In October 2021, the NNO announced the appointment of Jensen as its next chief conductor, effective with the 2022–2023 season. In August 2024,
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2176-496: The American football team of the city who play in the premier league of the AFBN and are nicknamed as the "Kings of the North". The running event called 4 Miles of Groningen takes place in the city on the second Sunday of October every year with over 23,000 participants. The 2002 Giro d'Italia began in Groningen, including the prologue and the start of the first stage. The city hosted
2244-466: The Antilles. These same ships returned to Europe laden with valuable commodities such as sugar, coffee, and tobacco. The University of Groningen was founded in 1614 with initial course offerings in law, medicine, theology and philosophy. During this period the city expanded rapidly and a new city wall was built. The Siege of Groningen (1672) led by the bishop of Münster , Bernhard von Galen during
2312-546: The Binnenstad have been used for trade for at least a thousand years . The Dutch West India Company and foreign investors established their Groningen headquarters in Reitemakersrijge. Additional warehouses were strategically built along the canals at Noorderhaven to store colonial produce. These warehouses often held goods obtained from plantations in the Dutch colonies. Groningen has an oceanic temperate climate, like all of
2380-558: The Depression, and in particular during the Second World War, the number of students grew rapidly from 1945 to reach 20,000 in 1994. In recent times there are about 32,700 students registered at the University of Groningen with the number of foreign students again growing steadily, and following the tradition set by the first Rector Magnificus, the number of German students and researchers has grown strongly in recent years. In March 2015,
2448-700: The French Empire under emperor Napoleon I (until 1813). During the French administration of the area, Groningen was called Groningue . During World War II , the main square and the Grote Markt were largely destroyed in the Battle of Groningen in April 1945. However, the church Martinitoren , the Goudkantoor , and the city hall were undamaged. There is a town named after Groningen in Saramacca District , Suriname .
2516-452: The NNO announced an extension of Jensen's contract as its chief conductor through the 2026-2027 season. Groningen (city) Groningen ( / ˈ ɡ r oʊ n ɪ ŋ ə n / GROH -ning-ən , UK also / ˈ ɡ r ɒ n ɪ ŋ ə n / GRON -ing-ən , Dutch: [ˈɣroːnɪŋə(n)] ; Gronings : Grunn or Grunnen [ˈχrʏnn̩] ) is the capital city and main municipality of Groningen province in
2584-455: The NNO was Jacek Kaspszyk, from 1991 to 1995. Subsequent chief conductors included Hans Drewanz (1995–1997) and Viktor Liberman (1997–1999). Alexander Vedernikov held the title of principal guest conductor ( vaste gastdirigent ) from 2001 to 2003. Michel Tabachnik was chief conductor from 2005 to 2011, and now has the title of conductor laureate. In March 2011, the NNO announced the appointment of Stefan Asbury as its chief conductor, as of
2652-553: The Netherlands, although slightly colder in winter than other major cities in the Netherlands due to its northeasterly position. Weather is influenced by the North Sea to the north-west and its prevailing north-western winds and gales. Summers are somewhat warm and humid. Temperatures of 30 °C (86 °F) or higher occur sporadically; the average daytime high is around 22 °C (72 °F). Very rainy periods are common, especially in spring and summer. Average annual precipitation
2720-511: The Netherlands. A significant number of students live in private accommodations within the city, however, a recent addition to the housing options for students is The Student Hotel as well. In an effort to combat the annual housing shortage, the city of Groningen has incentivized the construction of short-term accommodation such as The Village which is made of shipping containers for international students. The Dutch government has strict laws for private accommodations for both tenants (students) and
2788-483: The Peperstraat. Groningen is the host city for Eurosonic Noorderslag , an annual music showcase event for bands from across Europe. Groningen's active nightlife depends largely on its student population, with the Grote Markt, Vismarkt, Poelestraat and Peperstraat crowded nightly, most bars not closing until five in the morning. From 2005 to 2007, Groningen was named "best city centre" of the Netherlands. Groningen has
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2856-475: The RUG also has a partly independent liberal arts college , University College Groningen (UCG). The University of Groningen engages in many types of international cooperation throughout both teaching and research. The main networks and partners of the university are: The various faculties are housed around the city. Most of the faculties- including the faculties of Law, Arts and Philosophy are located in and around
2924-585: The RUG signed an agreement with the China Agricultural University to establish a campus in the Chinese city of Yantai . This would have made the RUG the first Dutch university to open a campus in China. The plan was heavily criticised, mainly due to worries about the restriction of academic freedom caused by censorship in China . In January 2018, the plans were cancelled by the Executive Board of
2992-662: The Society De Harmonie ) was established in Groningen. This orchestra attained independent status in 1926 under the name Groninger Orkest Vereeniging , which was further renamed the Noordelijk Filharmonisch Orkest (NFO) in 1962. In 1989, the NFO was merged with a second orchestra, the Frysk Orkest (originally from Leeuwarden), to establish the NNO in its present form. The orchestra's most recent managing director
3060-492: The UG, based on the "insufficient support for the project". Key facts and figures about the University of Groningen are: The university operates under the BSA system, under which a first year undergraduate (bachelor) student must achieve a certain number of ECTS in order to progress to the second year. This varies from 30 ECTS to 45 ECTS among various degrees. RUG has its own newspaper:
3128-621: The USSR, was the first time the Soviet Union had sent a team to a foreign event. An international chess "Schaakfestival Groningen tournament" has been held in the city in most years since 1946. Groningen is home to the Groninger Museum . Its new building designed by Alessandro Mendini in 1994 echoes the Italian post-modern concepts and is notable for its futuristic and colourful style. The city has
3196-510: The Zernike Campus, named after Nobel Prize winner Frits Zernike . The Zernike campus is also shared by the Hanze University of Applied Sciences , the other big university in the city, making the total number of students studying there around 40,000. The university has libraries in three locations: the main one at the city center, one in the Duisenberg building in Zernike Campus, and one in
3264-406: The admitted PhD students came from abroad. In 2019, a total of 546 PhDs took place, 22 of them cum laude. The national share was thus around 11%. Humanities and Social Sciences Law Economics & Business Life Sciences Science and Engineering The University of Groningen's Graduate Schools are organized somewhat different from its international counterparts. The main difference
3332-535: The city center. The university's original building, which acts as the main administrative building, lies exactly in the center of the city at the Broerstraat . The faculty of medical sciences is located close by at the University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG). The Faculties of Economics and Business, Spatial Sciences, and Science and Engineering are housed in the northern outskirts of the city, at
3400-630: The city. The Suiker Unie plant was constructed in the outskirts of Groningen, but became a part of the city due to expansion. The factory had 98 employees before it was closed in 2008 due to a reduction in demand. As of 2017, CSM Vierverlaten in Hoogkerk remains the only beet sugar production plant in the city. Other notable companies from Groningen include publishing company Noordhoff Uitgevers , tobacco company Niemeyer , health insurance company Menzis, distillery Hooghoudt , and natural gas companies GasUnie and GasTerra . As of 2020, Groningen had
3468-514: The faculty of medicine, that includes a vast array of books and online material for students. The university has also recently opened another campus in Leeuwarden, Friesland , referred to as "Campus Fryslân", that offers multiple disciplines in both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. The city of Groningen is known as the student city of the Netherlands; around one-third of the city's residents are students at either The University of Groningen or at
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#17330845719543536-617: The fields of humanities, social sciences, law, economics and business, spatial sciences, life sciences, and natural sciences and technology. Each faculty ( cf. , College in the USA or School in Europe) is a formal grouping of academic degree programmes, schools and institutes, discipline areas, research centres, and/or any combination of these drawn together for educational purposes. Each faculty offers bachelor's, master's, PhD, and exchange programmes, while some also offer short certificate courses. Since 2014,
3604-484: The housing crisis hit its peak with hundreds of students reportedly not having any accommodation and resorting to emergency shelters. The housing shorting evoked a protest in the city centre which culminated in the Academy building being temporarily occupied by students to put pressure on the city to extend emergency housing. In 2019, 708 PhD students were admitted to a PhD programme (compared to 816 in 2018). Around 50% of
3672-496: The idea that, in 453 BC, exiles from Troy who were guided by a mythical figure called Gruno (or Grunius, Gryns or Grunus), along with a group of Phrygians from Germany, founded a settlement in what is now Groningen, and built a castle on the bank of the Hunze , which they called 'Grunoburg', and which was later destroyed by the Vikings. One modern theory is that 'Groningen' meant 'among
3740-408: The landlords, so that fair rent prices, and renting conditions can be maintained. In 2018, the university received national attention due to the housing crisis in the city of Groningen. Due to the fact that most incoming students at the university are primarily from other parts of the country, or the world, there has been a lack of housing options for students. Especially in the fall semester of 2021
3808-476: The means for transport is particularly prevalent for locals and students alike, and has integrated, labelled bike paths from the city center to Zernike. The city is popularly referred to as "The World Cycling City" because of this. The University of Groningen does not have student accommodation. It does, however, offer students with accommodation via SSH Student Housing , which operates student houses in various locations in Groningen, and various other cities within
3876-434: The original city limits, excluding Hoogkerk, Noorddijk, Haren and Ten Boer. It has a land area of 168.93 km (65.22 sq mi), and a total area, including water, of 180.21 km (69.58 sq mi). Its population density is 1,367 residents per km (3,540 per square mile). On 1 January 2019, it was merged with the municipalities of Ten Boer and Haren . The Groningen-Assen metropolitan area has about half
3944-432: The people of Groni' ('Groningi' and 'Groninga' in the 11th century), derived from Gronesbeke , which was the old name for a small lake near the Hunze (on the northern border of Zuidlaarderveen ). As the name Grone (variant Groene) is an old Frisian personal name, the origin may very well be in a settlement originally founded by the family of Grone and their followers, which in Frisian would be called Groninga. Another theory
4012-403: The start and finish of the fifth stage of the 2013 Energiewacht Tour . As of 2020, around 25% of the 230,000 inhabitants in Groningen are students. The city has the highest density of students and the lowest mean age in the Netherlands. There are also Middle Schools, such as H.N. Werkman College The University of Groningen (in Dutch: Rijksuniversiteit Groningen ), established in 1614
4080-463: The students and lecturers came from outside the Netherlands – the first rector magnificus , Ubbo Emmius , came from East Frisia in modern-day Germany, for instance – but at the same time there was already a close relationship between the university and the city and the surrounding region. The development of the university came to a standstill at the end of the seventeenth and during the eighteenth century because of theological differences of opinion,
4148-407: The then successive Dutch centres of power ( Utrecht , The Hague , Brussels ), Groningen was historically reliant on itself and nearby regions. As a Hanseatic city, it was part of the North German trade network, but later it mainly became a regional market centre. At the height of its power in the 15th century, Groningen could be considered an independent city-state and it remained autonomous until
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#17330845719544216-437: The university was confirmed by The Estates of the City and County of Groningen in 1615. It consists of the provincial arms, charged with an open book inscribed with the abbreviated words VER/BVM/DNI LV/CER/NA, short for Verbum Domini Lucerna Pedibus Nostris . The shield is surmounted by a golden crown of five leaves and four pearls. In the first 75 years of its existence about 100 students enrolled every year. Almost half of
4284-404: The university was given a research as well as an educational duty. The University of Groningen developed during the first decades of the twentieth century. The number of faculties and courses grew steadily while the number of students grew rapidly. When the university celebrated its first 300 years in 1914 there were 611 registered students; this had grown to 1,000 by 1924. After a drop back during
4352-411: The very diverse cultural scene for a city of its size. Since 2016 Groningen has been host of the International Cycling Film Festival , an annual film festival for bicycle related films. It takes place in the art house cinema of the old Roman Catholic Hospital. The first major international chess tournament after World War II was held in Groningen in 1946. The tournament, won by Mikhail Botvinnik of
4420-499: Was Ingeborg Walinga, who was named to the post in March 2011 and formally assumed the title on 1 June 2011. Walinga concluded her tenure in the post in 2021. In October 2021, the NNO announced the appointment of Liesbeth Kok as its next managing director, effective 1 January 2022. The NNO has made commercial recordings for such labels as Donemus and MuziekGroep Nederland, including music of Dutch composers such as Jacob van Domselaer and Jacob ter Veldhuis . The first chief conductor of
4488-409: Was built which is considered to be the city's most significant landmark. In 1536, Groningen accepted Emperor Charles V , the King of Spain and the Habsburg ruler of the other Netherlands as its ruler, thus ending the region's autonomy. The city was captured in the Siege of Groningen (1594) by the Dutch and English forces led by Maurice of Nassau . After the siege, the city and the province joined
4556-469: Was founded in 1986 and is more focused on the practical application of knowledge, offering bachelor and master courses in fields like Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Communication and Multimedia Design, and Renewable Energy. With around 8.1% international students, Hanze hosts more than 28,000 students and is one of the largest universities of applied sciences by enrollment in the Netherlands. The Groningen municipal council has 45 members which, after
4624-444: Was not shut down and the institute was renamed Imperial University of Groningen ( Keizerlijke Universiteit Groningen ). During this time period, it remained the only open university in the Kingdom of Holland . In 1815 after the Napoleonic Wars, at the same time as Leiden and Utrecht, the university gained recognition as a national college of higher education, but this was followed by discussions about closure. The situation improved when
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