Technology is changing the world. Progress can only be achieved by working together, taking ideas from knowledge to meaningful application. The University of Twente is a technical university where academic education, research and entrepreneurship come together: a place to collaborate on solutions that matter. This is how we make technology human.
Technology that starts with people
Since 1961, the University of Twente (UT) has made a conscious choice to take its own unique approach. We bring technical and social sciences together, driven by the belief that technology only becomes relevant when it gains meaning within society. This choice defines the way we work.
At UT, technology stems from the questions that matter, rather than simply what is technically possible. This requires curiosity, anticipation, and taking responsibility – qualities and values we foster in our students through our education. The result is technology that does not begin with systems, but with people. We call this High Tech, Human Touch.
From societal need to visible impact
Our goal is clear: educating innovators who develop technology to move the world forward. Driven by an entrepreneurial mindset, we cross disciplines and connect education, research, and practice to continuously advance knowledge. We do this for students and professionals, in close collaboration with the business community, and always with the human being as our starting point.
Our scientists and students develop technology for societal challenges such as health, energy, climate, and safety. This includes pioneering the next generation of microchips, contributing to a stronger and more independent Europe.
More than 1,300 start-ups
Our campus is a place where ideas grow, resulting in more than 1,300 start-ups and spin-offs. The University of Twente has been home to the inventors and pioneers behind world-changing technologies like Bluetooth, and where companies like Booking.com, Just Eat Takeaway.com, and Moneybird took their very first steps. An electronic circuit developed right here remains a vital component in every smartphone today. And, together with our partners, we are working on exoskeletons that help patients relearn how to walk after a spinal cord injury. These are powerful examples of how research and entrepreneurship reinforce each other, and how ideas find their way into everyday life.
A community in motion
The strength of the University of Twente lies in its scale: big in ambition, compactly organised. We thrive on short lines of communication, personal contact, and room for initiative. People from more than 100 countries study and work together in an open and safe environment. In our campus community, ideas can grow and learning by doing comes naturally, at every stage of development. This growth comes from experimenting, exploring risks, and learning from one another.
The University of Twente is an entrepreneurial research university that leads the way in developing technology that works for people. Here, ideas accelerate and we strengthen one another. Personal, ambitious, and always in motion