Wageningen University & Research (WUR) is proud of its second place in the Keuzegids 2026. The university regards the high ranking as recognition of its consistently strong educational quality. At the same time, WUR congratulates the Open University on achieving first place.
"It is fantastic that WUR is once again rated so highly by its students and remains among the best universities in the Netherlands," says Rector Magnificus Carolien Kroeze of WUR. "It will take some getting used to after having been number one for twenty years. We warmly congratulate the Open University on their first place." "I would also like to express, on behalf of the entire Executive Board, my deep gratitude to everyone within and outside WUR who works to shape our education so well. We are extremely proud of this remarkable achievement."
Students' opinion
The Keuzegids bases a large part of its assessment on students' views as expressed in the National Student Survey (NSE), published in the first half of this year. It showed that WUR students continue to value their university very highly. The nearly 4,000 Wageningen respondents gave WUR an average score of 4.1 for 'Overall Satisfaction', on a maximum of 5. The national average for Dutch universities is 3.8.
Hard data
The Keuzegids also considers hard data, such as the proportion of students who complete their first year successfully, how quickly they graduate, and how they fare on the labour market afterwards. This provides a clear and broader picture of programme quality.
Practical information, such as enrolment numbers and accreditations, is also included. By comparing all these figures with national averages, the Keuzegids creates an overall picture for each programme, helping prospective students make a well-informed study choice.
Top programmes
WUR continues to perform strongly at the level of individual programmes: half of all programmes once again receive the 'top programme' designation. The Molecular Life Sciences programme has been named the very best programme at WUR, earning a maximum of five stars. Other programmes - such as Forest and Nature Conservation, Biology, Food Technology, Plant Sciences, and International Land and Water Management - also score 'very well'. A full list of programme scores can be found in the accompanying visual.
Dean of Education Dick de Ridder is proud of all these top programmes but notes that there is always room for improvement. "We have been working for some time to bring our Bachelor's programmes in line with today's demands," he says. "The ongoing Bachelor portfolio redesign should ensure that WUR remains well-equipped to serve new generations of students in the future."
