About us
University College Groningen (UCG) is a small-scale, international faculty of the University of Groningen, offering a Liberal Arts and Sciences bachelor’s programme. Founded in 2014, UCG brings together students and academics from different backgrounds and disciplines.
Liberal Arts and Sciences has its roots in ancient Greece, where the idea of a well-rounded education was linked to preparing people to contribute to society. Unlike most bachelor’s degrees, it does not focus on a single discipline. Instead, you explore different fields and learn to make connections between them.
At UCG, you have the freedom to shape much of your own education. You can choose from three Majors — Sciences, Social Sciences and Humanities — while continuing to explore subjects beyond your chosen field. Through small-scale, interactive teaching and interdisciplinary learning, you learn to discuss social challenges with your peers, approach them from different perspectives, ask critical questions and develop your own ideas. Through project-based learning, you take your learning beyond the classroom, working in student groups to conduct research in the field and, in various cases, collaborating with external partners on real-world social challenges — from healthcare and sustainable environments to building more inclusive societies and making our cities more bike-friendly. This way of learning can contribute not only to your own personal and professional development, but also to research and a better understanding of the issues our society faces.
A diverse community
UCG is more than a degree programme. It is a close-knit community where students learn with and from each other.
We welcome around 135 new students each year, and our community now includes around 850 alumni. With students from more than 35 nationalities, around 60% of our students are international, creating a genuinely diverse and internationally oriented learning environment.
Being part of a small community means that you get to know the people around you. Students work together both in and beyond the classroom, and contribute to the life of the college, for instance by organising events, being part of our student association CAERUS, or simply supporting one another. This sense of community is an important part of the UCG experience.
Our new home
After years of growing at our temporary home on Hoendiepskade 23/24, UCG will move to its permanent home in the Bladergroen Building at Bloemsingel 1 in Groningen in mid-2027.
The historic building dates back to 1911 and is being carefully restored and sustainably renovated. A new, light-filled extension made of wood and glass will connect the old building with the gardens and the surrounding campus. The result will be a bright, welcoming place designed for teaching, studying, working together and meeting each other.
The Bladergroen Building is located on the Healthy Ageing Campus, a dynamic area being transformed into a vibrant urban district over the coming years. Surrounded by greenery and close to both the city centre and our student accommodation, Libertas, it will be a great place to live, learn and connect.
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