Founded on October 20, 1880 by Dutch prime minister and theologian Abraham Kuyper, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU Amsterdam) is a world-renowned comprehensive research university located in the vibrant southern district of Amsterdam. Operating under the fundamental guiding principle of academic freedom—denoted by the word "Vrije" (Free from state and religious interference)—VU Amsterdam educates over 31,000 students across nine distinguished faculties: Faculty of Science, School of Business and Economics (SBE), Faculty of Law, Faculty of Social Sciences, Faculty of Humanities, Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences, Faculty of Religion and Theology, Faculty of Medicine (Amsterdam UMC), and the Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA). Unlike most European universities with fragmented city facilities, VU Amsterdam features a compact, unified metropolitan campus situated at De Boelelaan in the heart of Amsterdam’s bustling Zuidas (South Axis) financial and technology hub. This unique setting places students and researchers in direct proximity to over 700 multinational corporations, law firms, and fintech startups. VU Amsterdam is widely acclaimed for its interdisciplinary approach to societal impact, cutting-edge biomedical research at the O|2 Lab, joint degrees in computer science and artificial intelligence with the University of Amsterdam, and progressive sustainability initiatives.

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