University College Roosevelt
Prof. Adriaansens first experienced the ground principles of the liberal arts education during his brief time as a visiting professor at Smith College, USA, in the 1980–1981 academic year.
Based in Middelburg's former Gothic City Hall, this first college in Zeeland was to be following the same principles of liberal arts education as the Utrecht counterpart.
It was named after the Roosevelt family, particularly Franklin, Eleanor and Theodore, due to their ancestry originating in the Dutch province of Zeeland.
After many obstacles, including resistance from the local residents, Elliott opened its doors to the first party on 28 November 2013[6] and was formally inaugurated in April 2014.
[7] In the same year, a Teaching and Learning Centre for excellence in education was established and officially opened by Queen Máxima.
[9] Under Prof. van der Brink, UCR expanded its curriculum by establishing a new Engineering Department, piloted from 2019 and officially started in fall 2020.
[10] This led to new campus expansions: a new building was acquired to house the new department, and a Joint Research Center (JRI) opened in 2021 in cooperation with the HZ University of Applied Sciences and Scalda, housing labs to be used in the fields of engineering, data sciences, chemistry and ecology.
[11] UCR offers a broad Liberal Arts & Sciences programme with a foundation in academic skills.
Options include locations through the Utrecht University exchange network, but UCR also has direct exchange agreements with the Honors Program at the University of Nebraska at Kearney, USA, Bard College in New York, USA, and with Glendon College in Toronto, Canada.
UCR is a financially independent institution of higher education with its own management and board of trustees, while Utrecht University ensures quality control, contributes to the development of the curriculum, and awards the degrees.
The newer, non-gothic section of the city hall is known as Franklin, while the other buildings are called Theodore and Eleanor.
These three buildings all face a square called the Helm and house classrooms and computer labs, as well as faculty and administrative offices.
UCR classes regularly take place outdoor in this classroom, as well as other lectures open to the public.
[24] UCR is a residential college, meaning that all admitted students are guaranteed affordable housing for the duration of their studies.
Students live in one of the residential halls, Bagijnhof, Roggeveenhof, Koestraat or Bachtensteene, all within Middelburg.
It is active in some of the university's major decision making bodies, to ensure student input on different levels.
The ensemble enhances academic events and performs during church services and independent concerts throughout the year.
[27] During official academic ceremonies, a procession of notables and professors in academic dress walks from the City Hall to Middelburg's New Church (Dutch: Nieuwe Kerk), part of the Middelburg Abbey complex, where the ceremonies are held.
The Convocation takes place in the New Church at the start of every academic year, while the Graduation ceremony, when the weather permits, is held in the adjacent Abbey Square.
The race takes place on the Canal through Walcheren, the stretch of water between Middelburg and Vlissingen, where the HZ is located.
