Inholland and AP University of Applied Sciences Antwerp enter into strategic partnership
Inholland University of Applied Sciences and AP University of Applied Sciences and Arts Antwerp have joined forces in a strategic partnership. On 2 December, Inholland Executive Board member Marije Deutekom and Pascale de Grote, General Director of AP, officially signed the agreement.
Marije Deutekom: “We’re incredibly proud of this first strategic partnership with a university of applied sciences outside the Netherlands. Strong alliances are the future of European higher education.”
Building a European education and research space
International partnerships in higher education increase scale, enhance the quality and flexibility of education and research, and create opportunities for mobility, collaboration and shared resources. Marije: “Together, we’re contributing to a European education and knowledge space where students, lecturers and researchers can collaborate in meaningful ways.”
A natural match
Much like Inholland, AP has a strong practical focus. It offers a wide range of bachelor’s degrees, associate degrees and lifelong learning programmes. The short travel distance makes in-person collaboration easy and sustainable. On top of that, shared language and accreditation frameworks pave the way for smooth cooperation, while AP’s expertise in areas like digitalisation offers opportunities to strengthen our education and research.
A future of shared ambitions
“This partnership allows us to realise our ambitions,” says Marije. “We aim to strengthen our practice-based education and create more international opportunities for students and lecturers, particularly in terms of mobility and professional development.”
The two institutions plan to jointly develop educational programmes and research projects and build an international network that evolves into a strong European consortium. As part of this, they’ll explore European and international funding opportunities and work towards an integrated approach to internationalisation.
In 2026, the first steps will be taken to bring the partnership to life – with planned meetups for both education and research professionals.