Ten years of Nyenrode in Amsterdam

2021 is the year of the 75-year Anniversary of Nyenrode Business University. But that will not be the only anniversary we celebrate this year: this was also the month, ten years ago, that Nyenrode started its Amsterdam adventure with the purchase of the New Business School. And in recent years, the Amsterdam site has grown into a fully-fledged second university campus, equal to the one in Breukelen.

On January 1, 2011, with the financial support from a group of alumni, Nyenrode purchased the New Business School Amsterdam, a BBA program focusing on entrepreneurship in an international environment. A few months earlier, the cooperation between both educational institutions had already begun. The New Business School Amsterdam, first located at the Weteringschans, started carrying the name Nyenrode New Business School (NNBS) after the purchase.

City campus

A few years later, the NNBS relocated to the majestic building ‘De Vijf Keizers’, a hot spot at the Amsterdam Keizersgracht. Successful media entrepreneur Reinout Oerlemans officially opened the new location on March 6, 2014.

Later, the decision was made to also start offering Nyenrode’s academic and executive education programs in Amsterdam, in addition to the BBA. This would be the start of the setup of a full-fledged Nyenrode campus. In the summer of 2017, the Full-time MBA moved from Breukelen to Amsterdam. In 2018, the Full-time MSc in Management followed, and last but not least, the Full-time BSc in Business Administration was added in 2020. For the two lastly mentioned programs, students can choose between either Breukelen or Amsterdam. In the meantime, the BBA program is scaling down.

“With the opening of a location in Amsterdam, we have enriched Nyenrode’s educational offering”, says Carlijn Wentzel, Director at Nyenrode Business University in Amsterdam. “Besides the campus experience at the iconic estate in Breukelen, we can now also offer our students the possibility to follow their education program and obtain their Nyenrode degree in the lively and international setting of our metropolis of Amsterdam. We offer a wonderful location where our students can learn and grow, through the combination of academic knowledge, practical skills and personal development in a business-setting”.

“Our campus is internationally oriented, where we stimulate the connection between students and the business community. For example during Breakfast Sessions. And with our Nyenrode Incubator Amsterdam we also offer a flourishing start-up community. The Amsterdam campus has its own student association, the Jongste Compagnie van Verre (JCV).”

International job market

“To our students, Amsterdam is the entry gate to Europe. The vibrant city is not only a great place to live during your college days, but the metropolis with its international, cultural, innovative and entrepreneurial mindset, also offers plenty of opportunities to build on your future”, explains Wentzel. “After their graduation, many of our students start working for international companies. And of course, it helps that they have a renowned Amsterdam university on their resume. That will be acknowledged anywhere.”