The UG once again has the best Bachelor’s degree programme in the Netherlands

According to the Dutch Higher Education Guide for Universities 2026, Global Responsibility and Leadership is the best Bachelor’s degree programme in the Netherlands—for the fifth year in a row. The degree programme, which is taught at the UG’s Campus Fryslân, received the maximum score of 100 points. The Higher Education Guide has also assigned the label of ‘Top degree programme’ to seven other Bachelor’s degree programmes at the UG. The UG as a whole is ranked third in the category of Broad-based General Universities. The Higher Education Guide states that the UG scores particularly well in interdisciplinary areas.

Rector Magnificus Jacquelien Scherpen is pleased with the assessment: ‘A wonderful result for Campus Fryslân. The best once again, and this time with 100 points. My compliments! It is great that we are maintaining our third place among the broad-based universities. At the same time, however, we have also observed that one section within our broad range of degree programmes is not performing as well. We will continue to learn from this and will work on strengthening these programmes through targeted measures. The Higher Education Guide also notes that we score well above average in the interdisciplinary field. That is good to see, because that is the direction we have taken, and we would like to reinforce it in the coming years.’

Top degree programmes

The Higher Education Guide for Universities 2026 awards the label ‘Top degree programme’ to 82 Bachelor’s degree programmes that achieve a total score of 75 points (out of 100) or more in the assessment. The University of Groningen has eight of these ‘Top degree programmes’.

The best Bachelor’s degree programme in the Netherlands is Global Responsibility and Leadership, taught at Campus Fryslȃn, with 100 points – the maximum achievable score. The seven other UG programmes that the Higher Education Guide qualifies as ‘Top degree programmes’ are Theology (83 points), Liberal Arts & Sciences (82 points), English Language and Culture (77), Archaeology (76), Data Science & Society (76), American Studies (76) and Linguistics (76).

About the Dutch Higher Education Guide

The Higher Education Guide for Universities 2026 will be released on Thursday 27 November. It contains data and assessments of degree programmes, information about the labour market, and an overview of all university Bachelor’s degree programmes on offer. The Dutch Higher Education Guide for Universities is published annually by the Centre for Higher Education Information (CHOI; Centrum Hoger Onderwijs Informatie) and is intended for secondary-school students and principals wishing to inform themselves about university Bachelor’s degree programmes.