Wageningen
Being in the centre of Europe and the centre of innovation
The Netherlands is a country of advanced technologies and a number of scientific discoveries originated here. The country is among the seven largest industrialized countries in the world. Netherlands, is close to many European capitals, it possesses a well-developed transport system to travel internationally.
The city of Wageningen
Wageningen University is centrally located in the Netherlands. It takes 25 minutes by train from Utrecht Central Station to Ede-Wageningen and from there to Wageningen Campus takes a 12 minute bus ride.
Located on the Lower Rhine and on the edge of the wooded Veluwe region, the area around Wageningen offers great natural beauty with a wide variety of landscapes: just across the river South of Wageningen lies the Betuwe with its sprawling orchards, in the West lie the forests and moraines of the "Utrechtse Heuvelrug" (Utrecht Hills) and in the North the Gelderland Valley. Hikers and cyclists can explore this region in all directions.
There are historic and modern buildings, high-rise student flats, works of art and botanical gardens, adding to the diversity of Wageningen. About 10,000 students study at Wageningen University and they, accounting for 20% of the population, turn Wageningen into a university town. The many international students, professors and researchers contribute to the international atmosphere.
Wageningen has a thriving cultural and social life. Theatres, cinemas, student clubs, bars, night life and restaurants create the elegance of a city, in a beautiful rural setting. The nearby floodplains of the river Rhine and national park the Veluwe are ideal for those who enjoy nature or like hiking, running or cycling
The art gallery and arboretum, Het Depot, is also located in Wageningen. In the summer months there are a number of festivals of which the best known is the Liberation Festival ("Bevrijdingsfestival": celebrating freedom and the liberation after the Second World War) on 5 May.
Ede also has good nightlife. This includes two cinemas. Cinemec has 8 halls, including the largest 3D screen in the Benelux. If a bit of culture is your thing, there are two theatres and the internationally renowned Kröller Möller Museum with a large Van Gogh collection and a large sculpture garden.
Arnhem is also only 20 km away and can be reached easily by car or public transport.
You can reach Ede-Wageningen by train from Schiphol Airport. Trains depart from Schiphol Airport to Ede-Wageningen via Utrecht almost every 15 minutes. Take an intercity train from Schiphol to Utrecht. Once you are in Utrecht, switch to a train in the in the direction of Arnhem or Nijmegen. Your final stop is Ede-Wageningen. Travel time from Schiphol to Ede-Wageningen is approximately 60 to 75 minutes.
At Ede-Wageningen station you can either take the bus or a taxi to the University. Taxis are expensive: a taxi from Ede-Wageningen railway station to Wageningen costs approximately € 30.00. Alternatively take bus no 88 to Wageningen bus station. To get to the campus, please get off at the “Droevendaalsesteeg” stop. Tickets can be bought on the bus. You can also use an OV-Chipcard to pay for your trip.
Accommodation
The Wageningen/Ede/Veenendaal region has plenty of overnight accommodation options. There are small and large hotels, B&Bs and several campsites.
The most famous hotel in Wageningen isDe Wereld hotel, famous for being the venue where the German capitulation in the Netherlands was signed at the end of WWII.
A new addition is the four-star Hotel de Wageningsche Berg, built on a beautiful spot atop the Wageningse Berg with panoramic views of the Lower Rhine region.
Ede also has several large hotels including the Reehorst Hotel and Conference Centre. Directly on the A12 and near the Wageningen exit, is the recently-opened hotel Van der Valk Veenendaal.
Banking
There are several banks in Wageingen. If you decide to open an account you should visit a bank. You need a BSN (Citizen service number) before opening a bank account. The municipality will provide you with a BSN as soon as you are registered as a citizen of Wageningen a procedure which may take a few weeks.
Health matters
International students must be adequately insured against medical expenses while staying in the Netherlands. This is not only a condition in order to obtain a temporary residence permit, but also an obligation for students who do not need a residence permit. As a consequence, international students who do not have an EU Health Insurance Card must obtain insurance upon arrival in the Netherlands. Information about the European Health Insurance Card can be found at the website of NUFFIC as mentioned below.
Wageningen Campus
The campus offers plenty of pleasant places to meet with colleagues and acquaintances. One of the most important of these is the meeting centre IMPULSE with ample room to meet with a few people or with smaller or larger groups in an inspiring environment and with excellent coffee!
Most buildings on campus have their own catering, however, a visit to one of the centrally located campus restaurants will give you the chance to sample a much wider menu and they are also good places to meet up with acquaintances from other organisations.
The campus grounds are green and natural with large bodies of water, a great diversity of wild plants and animals as well as a large collection of art. This makes the grounds a very attractive place for a lunch stroll or a consultation session outside on one of the terraces.
Those who want to exercise after work will feel right at home at Sports Centre de Bongerd. The sports centre has a huge selection of sports that can be pursued. The various employers on campus have made separate agreements with the Sports Centre regarding the use of the facilities.
Library
Wageningen UR Library is located in the Forum building on Wageningen Campus. The library seeks to facilitate students and researchers in their education and research. Wageningen UR Library has a strong focus on digital collections and offers world wide access to its collections for Wageningen UR users under certain restrictions. Besides the digital collections, a large print collection is available at the Forum and Leeuwenborch buildings. Print collections, approximately 30 kilometers of journals, books and other materials, are mainly located in stacks and quickly available on request. The Forum and Leeuwenborch libraries offer a small browse collection for direct access by visitors. A separate Special Collections reading room is available. The Library supports researchers in writing, citing, publishing and research impact.
Information Technology Services
Many campus buildings provide workstations where visitors can quietly work. The most important workstations are found in Impulse and in the education buildings Orion and Forum. However, workstations are also made available in other buildings. In addition, however, at most Wageningen UR locations, wireless internet access is available to Wageningen UR employees, students and visitors.
