Scores in the Dutch University Guide are based on the annual National Student Survey, in which students are asked to share their views on their programmes’ content, teaching quality, assessment and career preparation. The editors also look at how many students make it to the second year and how many graduate within four years. Any programme scoring 75 points or more (out of 100) is labelled a “top programme”. This year, 82 bachelor’s programmes across the Netherlands earned that status.
With 85 points, Medicine is the highest-scoring bachelor’s programme at UM and – together with Utrecht University – the top performer among the eight medicine programmes in the country. Some distance behind are UCM (78), MSP (76) and newcomer Circular Engineering (76), all part of the Faculty of Science and Engineering. The other newcomer, Econometrics and Operations Research from the School of Business and Economics, scored 79 points. University College Venlo, which scored 86 points just last year, has dropped to 73 and can no longer claim top-programme status.
Bottom of the list
At the bottom of the UM list are the same programmes as last year: Computer Science, launched in in 2023 by the Faculty of Science and Engineering, with 39 points; and Dutch Law and the European Law School, with 45 and 44 points respectively.
Pietro Bonizzo, programme director of Computer Science, told Observant he was “surprised” by this year’s result. According to him, the evaluations students complete after each course present a different, more positive picture. “But we take this result seriously.” He does not yet have an explanation for the discrepancy. “We’re looking into it.”