The Eindhoven University of Technology (; TU/e) is a public technical university in the Netherlands, situated in Eindhoven. In 2020–21, around 14,000 students were enrolled in its BSc and MSc programs and around 1350 students were enrolled in its PhD and EngD programs. In 2021, the TU/e employed around 3900 people.

TU/e is the Dutch member of the EuroTech Universities Alliance, a partnership of European universities of science & technology. The other members are Technical University of Denmark (DTU), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), École Polytechnique (L’X), The Technion, and Technical University of Munich (TUM).

History

The Eindhoven University of Technology was founded as the Technische Hogeschool Eindhoven (THE) on 23 June 1956 by the Dutch government. It was the second institute of its kind in the Netherlands, after the Delft University of Technology.

Undergraduate education was given in four- or five-year programs until 2002, styled along the lines of the German system of education; graduates of these programs were granted an engineering title and allowed to prefix their name with the title ir. (an abbreviation of ingenieur; not to be confused with graduates of technical hogescholen, who were engineers abbreviated ing.). Starting in 2002, following the entry into force of the Bologna Accords, the university switched to the bachelor/master structure (students graduating in 2002 were given both an old-style engineering title and a new master's title). The undergraduate programs are now split into two parts, a three-year bachelor program and a two-year master program.

2011–2020 plans

On 3 January 2011, the university's plans for the period up to 2020, the "Strategic Plan 2020", was presented. The plan included establishing a University College with relevance in engineering education; establishing a Graduate School to manage the graduate programs; increasing the student body and annual PhDs awarded by 50 percent; increasing knowledge "valorisation" (practical usage) to a campus-wide score of 4.2; increasing the international position of the university to the top 100; and improving the campus, including adding a costly science park. 

Organization As a public university of the Netherlands, TU/e's general structure and management is determined by the (Law on Higher Education and Scientific Research). Between that law and the statutes of the university itself, the management of the university is organized according to the following chart:

Executive board The day-to-day running of the university is in the hands of the executive board (). The executive board (EB) monitors the academic departments and service organizations, in addition to the local activities of the Stan Ackermans Institute. The EB consists of the president, the rector magnificus, and the vice president, in addition to a secretary for clerical tasks, who is usually the secretary of the entire university. The rector magnificus is the only member of the EB whose membership is mandated by law. The law allows anyone to be appointed rector, but in practice the university appoints a former department dean as rector. The rector represents the university's academic staff and academic interests of the university. The current president is Koen Janssen, the rector is Silvia Lenaerts, the vice president is Patrick Groothuis, and the secretary is Eric van der Geer-Rutten-Rijswijk.

Oversight of the executive board There are two bodies that supervise the Executive Board:

The Supervisory Board is an external board of five people appointed by the Minister of Education (one member is appointed, based on a nomination by the University Council). This Board provides external oversight of the running of the university, including changing of the statutes, the budget, and other strategic decisions. The University Council is a council of 18 people, half of whom are elected from the university staff (academic and otherwise) and half from the student body. The University Council is informed of the running of the university by the executive board at least twice a year and may advise the EB as it sees fit. It guards against discrimination within the university, and the council must agree to any changes in the management structure. The Council membership is open to all students and personnel, except the University Secretary and anyone in the supervisory board or the executive board.

Departments and service organizations Most of the work at the university is done in the departments and service organizations. In both the departments and the service organizations, the staff (and students) are involved with the running of the body. Both the bodies also have advisory councils.

The departments take care of most of the research and education at the university. Each department is run by its professors and headed by a dean. The deans are all members of the executive deliberation meeting, which is a regular meeting of the deans and the rector.

The service organizations are involved in further activities that are part of running the university.

The university has the following service organizations:

OrganizationFull namePurposeDAZGeneral Affairs Service ()Organizational and secretarial functions for varied activities, the alumni organization and the Student Sport CenterCECCommunications Expertise Center ()Responsible for all university communications and announcements, including interacting with the press and communications regarding external billing and payments. CEC also handles the printing and distribution of university brochures, and oversees uniform application of the university's house style.DPOHuman Resources Management ()All HR-related activities, including vacancies, pension plans, regulations about health and workplace safety, and specific tax breaks.DFEZFinancial and Economic Services ()University finances.DHHousing service ()Management of all real estate belonging to the universityICTICT Service ()Management of university computers, student laptops, networks, network security, shared storage facilities, university SharePoint sites, in addition to making related codes of conduct.IECInformation Expertise Center ()The university library (both physical and digital).DIZInternal Affairs Service ()Internal services, such as emergency assistance for events like fires and heart attacks, logistics, purchasing, and managing contracts.STUStudent Service Center ()Responsible for student services such as admission and registries, information for highschool and future students, and laptop service.GTDCommon Technical Service ()Provides technical services to departments, such as building prototypes, experiments, specific machinery, and software.

TU/e Holding B.V. TU/e is involved in commercial interests and off-campus ties. These include commercial agreements between the university and external companies, in addition to interests in spinoff companies. In 1997 the TU/e Holding B.V., a limited company, was created to manage these commercial interests.

Academics

Rankings

As of 2018, Eindhoven was ranked between 51 and 141 in the world (the university itself provides a survey), and a top ten technical university in Europe. Year THE Ranking (Change) QS Ranking (Change)200570 – 200667 ( 3) – 2007130 ( 63) – 2008128 ( 2) – 2009120 ( 8) – 2010114 ( 6)1262010-11115 ( 1)146 ( 20)2012-13114 ( 1)158 ( 12) 2013-14106 ( 8)157 ( 1)2014-15144 ( 38) overall, Engineering and Technology 64147 ( 10)2015-16176 ( 32) overall, Engineering and Technology 62 ( 2), Physical sciences 86117 ( 30)2016-17177 ( 1) overall, Engineering and Technology 64 ( 2), Computer Science 75121 ( 4)2017-18141 ( 36) overall, Engineering and Technology 51 ( 13), Computer Science 64104 ( 17)2018-19167 ( 26) overall, Engineering and Technology 69 ( 18), Computer Science 7499 ( 5)2019-20186 ( 19) overall, Engineering and Technology 73 ( 4)99 ()2020-21187 ( 1) overall, Engineering and Technology 63 ( 10)102 ( 3)2021-22201-250 ( approx) overall, Engineering and Technology 62 ( 1)120 ( 18)2022-23201-250 () overall, Engineering and Technology 81 ( 19)125 ( 5)2023-24168 ( approx) overall, Engineering and Technology 84 ( 3)138 ( 13)2024-25185 ( 17) overall, Engineering and Technology 81 ( 3)124 ( 14)2025-26192 ( 7) overall, Engineering and Technology 84 ( 3)140 ( 16)

In a 2003 European Commission report, TU/e was ranked as third among European research universities (after Cambridge and Oxford, tied with TU Munich and thus tied for the highest ranked Technical University in Europe), based on the impact of its scientific research. In the 2011 ARWU (Academic Ranking of World Universities) rankings, TU/e was placed at the 52-75 bracket internationally in the Engineering/Technology and Computer Science (ENG) category and at 34th place internationally in the Computer Science subject field.

Education The scientific departments (or faculties) are the main divisions involved in teaching and research in the university. They employ the majority of the academic staff, are responsible for teaching the students, and sponsor the research schools and institutions.

The departments also offer PhD programs () for qualified masters. Unlike in Anglo-Saxon countries, the PhD program is not educational, rather, the university employs those aiming for a PhD as researchers.

The TU/e has nine departments: Biomedical Engineering Built Environment Electrical engineering Industrial Design Chemical Engineering and Chemistry Industrial Engineering & Innovation Sciences (formerly Technology Management) Applied Physics Mechanical Engineering Mathematics and Computer science

All education in each department is conducted solely in English, with the exception of the Biomedical Engineering department, which is conducted in a hybrid of both Dutch and English, however, primarily in Dutch. As a result, a Dutch language requirement applies alongside English.

Honors programs The university offers honors programs for both bachelor and master students. At the bachelor level it consists of intensive study within eight possible tracks. At the master level it consists of extra leadership and professional development work.

Postgraduate doctorate of engineering (PDEng) In 1986, the university, together with two other Dutch technological universities (TU Delft and University of Twente), started various programs for earning a postgraduate doctorate of engineering (PDEng). These programs are managed by the Stan Ackermans Institute on behalf of the 4TU Federation. Nationally, 3,500 students have earned the postgraduate PDEng degree through these programs. There are ten programs at TU/e, each two years long.

Automotive Systems Design Clinical Informatics Data Science Healthcare Systems Design Information and Communication Technology Process and Product Design Qualified Medical Engineer Smart Buildings and Cities Software Technology User-System Interaction

Other educational programs The university hosts a number of other educational programs that are in some way related to the main educational programs. These include the teacher's program and an MBA program.

Eindhoven School of Education: Teacher's education for masters, to get a higher education teaching certificate. Also involves research into education. TIAS School for Business and Society: A shared MBA program with the University of Tilburg, for university graduates. HBO minor program: Bachelor programs for students of HBO universities (four-year bachelor programs), to gain access to the master programs.

International connections The TU/e has connections with sister institutions in different countries, for example:

National University of Singapore in Singapore Zhejiang University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Fudan University, and Northeastern University in China Georgia Institute of Technology, Northwestern University, Carnegie Mellon University in the US RMIT University in Australia Middle East Technical University in Turkey