Although the University only received its current name in 1986, it has been providing technical education for 160 years. TU Delft is the oldest of the three universities of technology in The Netherlands.

The Delft University of Technology collaborates with other educational establishments and research institutes, both within and outside of the Netherlands. It also enjoys partnerships with governments, trade organizations, numerous consultancies, industry and small and medium sized enterprises.

Given the effects of significant growth in the world population in the coming decades and the ongoing quest for greater economic prosperity worldwide, major technological breakthroughs will be essential in order to satisfy people´s basic needs. These global trends will have a profound impact on the societal mission and the long-term position of TU Delft in the coming years - all within a context of the further rigorous internationalisation of political, economic and academic networks.

Mission

With its unique technological infrastructure, broad knowledge base, worldwide reputation and successful alumni, TU Delft is contributing significantly to the development of responsible solutions to urgent societal problems in the Netherlands and the rest of the world.

TU Delft intends to fulfil its mission by developing new, ground-breaking insights that will pave the way for the urgently needed technological breakthroughs (knowledge as a product). A key part of this vision is to realise world-level multidisciplinary research and design with a view to sustainability. The faculties and unique large-scale technological research facilities at TU Delft will play a key role in realising this vision. TU Delft disseminates its knowledge by training highly qualified knowledge workers and by stimulating the application of research results (knowledge as capital). Its programmes are internationally attractive. One of the driving aims behind the vision is to attract and utilise a variegated pool of talent. Education and research, both important prerequisites for knowledge valorisation, are interwoven and harmonised.

Strategy

To realise its vision and mission TU Delft intends to achieve the following objectives by 2010 by means of selective (inter)national partnerships, continuous quality improvements and a stronger profile:

• Preferred partner in research for (potential) leading-edge universities across the world;
• Preferred partner in education for students from the Netherlands and abroad;
• Preferred supplier of knowledge and graduates to multinationals, government organisations, SMB and start-ups.